McDonald's continues to grow in the Middle East

The McDonald's restaurants in the Middle East are independently owned and operated by local businessmen who benefit from the experience of the world's favorite family restaurant, while maintaining their independence to adapt this experience to their local markets. "Being Omani, I am in close touch with my customers' preferences. I understand them, because I am one of them." Said Ali Daud, owner and operator of McDonald's Oman. "Our investment in the McDonald's restaurants is 100% Saudi" said Shiekh Abdulrahman Aliriza, the owner and operator of McDonald's in the Western Province of Saudi Arabia. "We are committed to serving our customers with the best, and that is why we chose McDonald's. It continues to be the world's number one in the food service category, as recently documented by 'The Food Service Elite.' More importantly, I chose to introduce McDonald's in my country because it allows and encourages me to build my restaurants as a responsible corporate citizen. Giving back to my community, and developing local suppliers and employees, is a core value of any McDonald's restaurant, anywhere in the world."

Since it first started operations in the Middle East, the various McDonald's restaurants have had a significant impact on the local and regional economy. Every new restaurant requires an average investment of around three million Dirhams, and creates around 30 new jobs.

In addition, each restaurant has a ripple effect, in that it creates investment and employment opportunities for suppliers, both directly and indirectly. Finally, and as an example of its mandate to contribute to its environment, each restaurant regularly organizes philanthropic activities to charitable organizations and worthy causes in its community.

The result has been a successful one. McDonald's continues to grow in the Middle East, immune to the effect of a slowing global economy. "We do face challenges, as any successful business does. But with close cooperation with our fellow owners/operators in the Middle East, and the successful adaptation of McDonald's global experience, we have managed to become the region's favorite family restaurant. In the Kingdom alone, we increased our number of stores by 20% in 2002 in accordance with our customer's demand" Said HH Prince Mishaal at a recent awards ceremony where he presented trophies to the participants of the World Children's Day that marked McDonald's in Saudi Arabia's contribution with SR 500,000 to the needy children of the Kingdom's largest children's charity organization, the Disabled Children's Association.