Indian restaurant and quick-service restaurant (QSR) operators are currently in an extensive hiring phase, aiming to create approximately 500,000 job opportunities within the next year, as per industry projections.
This surge in hiring coincides with a period in which both established and new entrants in the industry are focusing on expanding their presence. According to company executives, Mamagoto, Wow! Momo, McDonald’s, and Burger Singh are just a few examples of brands eager to open new stores and increase their workforce in the upcoming months.
According to Kabir Suri, President of the National Restaurants Association of India, the growth can be attributed to a rise in consumer spending, coupled with efforts to control inflationary pressures and extend operations to tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
Mamagoto is gearing up to recruit approximately 400 individuals in the next year, concurrently planning the launch of 20 new stores. Wow! Momo and McDonald’s, on the other hand, have ambitious hiring targets, with each aiming to onboard 1,200-1,500 employees within the next 12 to 15 months. As for Burger Singh, its expansion strategy involves opening around 250 new stores and more than doubling its workforce to reach 2,500 people by the conclusion of 2024-25.
Suri, co-founder of Azure Hospitality and President of the National Restaurants Association of India, revealed that his company, which owns the Mamagoto chain of restaurants, is actively exploring the possibility of launching 20 new outlets within the next year.
“This will create at least 350-400 new jobs,” he said.
Wow! Momo presently boasts a workforce of nearly 6,000 employees, having increased its staff by approximately 1,500 individuals in the past year. The company aims to sustain this growth rate by expanding its workforce at a similar pace over the next 12 months.
“We will be hiring around 1,500 to 2,000 people in the next 12 months as we continue to grow. Roughly we are looking at opening 200 to 250 stores in the next 12-15 months,” said Sagar Daryani, CEO, Wow! Momo.
In alignment with its Vision 2027 strategy, Westlife Foodworld, the entity overseeing McDonald’s operations in western and southern India, intends to inaugurate 40-45 new stores each year. The goal is to achieve a total of 580-630 restaurants by the year 2027.
“To support this vision, we plan to invest INR 1,400 crore towards expansion and job creation, which will drive our ambitious growth,” said Saurabh Kalra, managing director, Westlife Foodworld. “On average, every new store generates about 30-35 new employment positions, which can create approximately 1,200-1,500 jobs every year.”