McDonald's China bullish on biz prospects in nation

Diners are seen at a McDonald's quick service restaurant in Beijing in September. Fast food chain to propel digitalization for growth, eyeing 10,000 stores by 2028 McDonald's China said it is on track to open a total of 10,000 stores by 2028, propelled by deeper localization in its expansion, digitalization and supply chains, said its top executive. On the sixth anniversary of McDonald's China's partnership with CITIC Ltd, CITIC Capital Partners and The Carlyle Group, with McDonald's maintaining 20 percent of the Chinese unit, the company has thrived with store numbers doubling, covering more lower-tier cities, offering wider digital services and creating more local delicacies to better serve Chinese consumers, McDonald's China said. Phyllis Cheung, CEO of McDonald's China, said in an interview with China Daily that the company has more than doubled its 2,000 outlets in five years to over 5,400 restaurants currently. "The key of localization for international catering or fast-food restaurants lies in a China-focused digital ecology that fits Chinese consumers' digital habits, as companies are required to constantly improve their internal operational efficiency, offering more convenience and a fluid and nimble user experience," said Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China.