The 70-seater restaurant on Belfast’s Ballygomartin Road is owned and operated by McDonald’s franchisee Paul Connan and will open from 7am to midnight Sunday to Thursday, with 24-hour opening on Fridays and Saturdays.

Customers can order their food in store, at the drive-thru or via the MyMcDonald’s app, and from November 24 McDelivery will also be available through Deliveroo, Just East and Uber Eats.

McDonald’s UK and Ireland now operates 34 restaurants across Northern Ireland – all run by seven local franchisees who, collectively, employ over 3,500 crew members directly.

Paul Connan, above, said: “Feeding and fostering local communities is at the heart and centre of the McDonald’s business.

“With many of our crew at the restaurant coming from the local area, we are already enjoying establishing what we hope will be long-lasting relationships with neighbouring community groups, sports clubs and businesses.”

The Ballygomartin restaurant is the latest to showcase McDonald’s new ‘Convenience of the Future’ footprint in a nationwide programme that will see the business invest £250 million in the redesign of 800 of its restaurants across the UK and Ireland over the next four years.

Paul added: “We know that our customers in the Ballygomartin area will rightly expect to have choice in how and where they order and collect their food. Our job is to ensure that every experience is a great one.

“With customers increasingly looking for greater speed, efficiency and choice in how they order their food, this ‘Convenience of the Future’ design addresses how they are ordering now, as well as providing us with a platform to continue to adapt and innovate further in the future.”

McDonald’s is also reflecting the rise in delivery with separate delivery courier collection areas and, with 50 per cent of its sales now going through digital channels such as McDelivery, mobile, and self-order screens, the Ballygomartin restaurant is an example of how its restaurant teams are benefitting from technology, equipment, and space to work together more effectively and better manage more complex or personalised orders.

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PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said: “Given the horrific events occurring in Ukraine we are announcing the suspension of the sale of Pepsi-Cola, and our global beverage brands in Russia, including 7Up and Mirinda.

“We will also be suspending capital investments and all advertising and promotional activities in Russia.

“We have a responsibility to continue to offer our other products in Russia, including daily essentials such as milk and other dairy offerings, baby formula and baby food.”

Rival drinks firm Coca-Cola is also  temporarily halting business in Russia, with a statement saying : “Our hearts are with the people who are enduring unconscionable effects from these tragic events in Ukraine.

“We will continue to monitor and assess the situation as circumstances evolve.”

It comes after Starbucks announced it was  closing its 130 Starbucks shops in Russia indefinitely.

The coffee chain’s 2,000 employees in Russia will still be paid, he said.

McDonald’s is also to close its 850 restaurants in Russia, with CEO Chris Kempckinski saying the fast food giant could not ignore the “needless human suffering in Ukraine”.

Calls have been mounting for a boycott of companies that continue to do business in Russia, with Burger King and KFC yet to suspend operations.

A number of other companies have ceased operations in Russia as a result of Mr Putin’s actions.

Apple, Microsoft and a number of car manufacturers such as Ford and General Motors are just some of the corporations that have ceased trading there.

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The new eatery, which is set to open on October 28, combines new customer-facing technology, the McDelivery service and mobile app order and payment facilities. Trees have also been planted extensively at the new site, LED lighting has been installed and recycling systems have been upgraded. Digital innovation also extends to new drive-through menu boards and an energy-efficient kitchen.

With Covid-19 restrictions in mind, the 110-seater restaurant will offer customers dining via table service with an additional 50 seats available outside. Mobile ordering through the My McDonald’s app will provide contact-free ordering for dine-in, drive-through and takeaway, allowing customers to browse the menu in their own time and customise their order.

Speaking about the investment, franchisee John McCollum said that the investment at Derriaghy would provide significant direct and indirect employment for the area as well giving a boost to manufacturing and construction:

‘Since we started to reopen our restaurants our priority has been to ensure that our people and customers are kept safe. We have changed our operations and together with our suppliers, restaurant teams and delivery partners we have been able to continue serving the communities in which we operate,’ he added.

‘Throughout my time as a franchisee I have been committed to serving and supporting the local communities in which we serve and I am really looking forward to welcoming people from the local area and beyond to the new restaurant to enjoy a treat.’

With ample on-site car parking, the new restaurant is located at the McKinstry Road roundabout between Lisburn and Belfast and brings McDonald’s portfolio in Northern Ireland to 32 restaurants.

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