
McDonald's plans to spend 700 million baht this year on adding new stores and renovating existing ones.
Kittiwan Anuwatesakul, chief executive of McThai Co Ltd, said the company aims to open 20 new stores this year, which will account for 70-80% of the 700-million-baht budget.
Moreover, the company plans to renovate 25 stores, she said.
As of the end of last year, the company operated 240 branches across the country.
The company did not reveal the locations of the new stores.
Ms Kittiwan said the new and renovated branches will be decorated under three main design concepts: Geometry, which presents a modern, contemporary and vibrant atmosphere; Essential Ingredients 2.0, which conveys the brand through pop art; and Cube, expressing the brand through graphic artwork.
In 2024, McDonald's installed self-ordering kiosks (SOKs) in all stores nationwide.
This year, the company plans to add additional SOKs to branches identified as having high potential, she said.
In 2024, the company's sales reached 7.9 billion baht, an all-time high since its establishment in Thailand 40 years ago, representing a 10% year-on-year increase.
Burgers account for 55% of revenue, while fried chicken contributes 20%, said Ms Kittiwan.
The company wants to maintain its partnership with "Daou and Offroad", a Thai boyband representing Generation Z, reflecting the company's focus on this demographic and their fanbase, she said.
Ms Kittiwan said the quick-service restaurant (QSR) market in Thailand is expected to reach around 47 billion baht in 2025.
In the first two months of 2025, the company reported growth driven by the tourism sector and the government's "Easy E-receipt" tax rebate scheme.
Regarding the economic challenges in Thailand, she said the company will closely monitor conditions.
The company expects single-digit growth in the Thai QSR sector this year, while McThai is targeting a 10% increase in revenue in 2025.