McDonald’s Corp. announced the move of its corporate headquarters to downtown Chicago by the spring of 2018.
The company signed a lease at 1045 W. Randolph St. in Chicago’s vibrant West Loop neighborhood and will transform the space into a modern setting that fosters collaboration and connectivity.
“We are a brand on the move in more ways than one,” said McDonald’s President and CEO Steve Easterbrook. “Moving our headquarters to Chicago is another significant step in our journey to build a better McDonald’s. This world-class environment will continue to drive business momentum by getting us even closer to customers, encouraging innovation and ensuring great talent is excited about where they work.”
The move marks a return to Chicago where the company was headquartered from 1955 to 1971.
“McDonald’s looks forward to returning to the Chicago community where we started and to building together the next chapter of success in the history of this great company,” said Rick Hernandez, Chairman of the Board of McDonald’s. ”Today’s announcement is about more than just a new location for us. It is an important investment in our people as we look to create a state-of-the-art company headquarters they can use to move our business forward for many years to come.”
The new headquarters will also house Hamburger University, one of seven worldwide locations, providing a state-of-the-art learning center for the company’s future leaders and employees.
"McDonald's, welcome back to sweet home Chicago,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. “McDonald's has identified the keys to success to today's global market, talent, technology, and access to transportation networks, and they recognize these as Chicago's strengths. I'm proud to welcome them to our dynamic city.”