McDonald's has relaunched its restaurant at 62 Upper O'Connell Street in Dublin following a refurbishment worth €3 million. The revamp will create 25 new jobs over the coming months, bringing the restaurant's total headcount to more than 90.

The restaurant is owned and operated by Amir Afsar, who also runs several McDonald's restaurants across Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford and the Isle of Man under franchise agreements with the wider group.

Accounts filed for McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland Ltd show pre-tax profits fell 16 per cent to €36.32 million in 2023 as revenue rose 6 per cent to €85.65 million, though figures for the O'Connell Street restaurant are not reported separately.

The building, first opened as a McDonald's in 1979, is a protected structure, and a planning report for the works stated no alterations were proposed that would affect or materially change the structure or character of the building.

Enhancements include a dedicated collection area for delivery drivers, a redesigned kitchen with an expanded order assembly area, a refreshed dining area, fully refurbished customer toilets and an upgraded crew room.

The structural driver is McDonald's wider restaurant modernisation programme across Ireland and the UK, adapting established high street sites to delivery and order-ahead formats rather than opening new units in the same catchments.

"We're delighted to officially reopen our O'Connell Street restaurant following this significant investment. The refurbishment has transformed the restaurant, creating a modern, welcoming space for our customers while providing our crew with improved facilities and a more efficient working environment," Afsar said.

"I'd like to thank our customers for their patience during the refurbishment and our dedicated crew for their hard work and support throughout the process," he added.

For the sector, the O'Connell Street project reflects a broader pattern of established quick service operators reinvesting in protected city centre buildings rather than relocating to new-build units.

Source: Dublin Live / TheJournal.ie