McDonald’s, the renowned fast-food chain, made a significant mark on Thursday with the grand opening of its latest venture – an outlet located in the heart of the city’s international airport. Proudly claiming the title of the country’s first airport drive-thru restaurant, this establishment, operated by McDonald’s India (West & South), promises to offer travelers and visitors a convenient and delightful dining experience just 100 meters away from Terminal 2 of the bustling Mumbai international airport.
In a statement, the company proudly announced that this would also mark the city’s first 24×7 operating McDonald’s outlet.
The airport outlet covers an expansive area of over 3,000 sqft, featuring a McCafe, a spacious dine-in section, and a convenient takeaway counter.
Additionally, the outlet boasts a dedicated drive-thru lane, accompanied by a customer ordering display board, enabling patrons to effortlessly place their orders and savor their meals on-the-go. To further enhance efficiency and save time, the establishment is equipped with four self-ordering kiosks, ensuring a seamless and swift dining experience for customers.
With this new addition, McDonald’s has now expanded its presence to three outlets within T2.
Saurabh Kalra, the Managing Director of McDonald’s India (West & South), expressed that the drive-thru outlet, meticulously designed to offer convenience, speed, and quality, is committed to making customers’ journeys more enjoyable and stress-free.
He also said they are looking at expanding their presence in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and also into more western and southern markets.
Kalra said going forward, McDonald’s 35-40 per cent of new stores will be drive-thrus across major city suburbs and national highways over the next four-five years. Of the 361 restaurants across 58 cities it operates as of June 2023, as much as 69 are drive-thrus.
McDonald’s India (West & South) is owned by Westlife Foodworld, formerly known as Westlife Development, and has been operated by its subsidiary Hardcastle Restaurants since its inception in 1996.
Its licence covers Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra, Telangana, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and parts of Madhya Pradesh.