The arrival of the new McDonald’s in Quarteira marks an important step in the brand’s expansion in the Algarve. The restaurant, which opened its doors on November 7, stands out for its modernity, sustainability and investment in technology, reflecting the strategy of proximity and innovation that has guided the operations of the franchisee responsible for eight units in the region. In the interview, Joaquim Jorge shares details about this new space, the environmental measures implemented and the vision for the brand’s future in the south of the country.
Opening in Quarteira: a new milestone for the brand in the Algarve
P – How many units does the brand already have in the Algarve and what are the main characteristics of this new space in terms of capacity, available services and incorporated technology?
A – I have been a McDonald’s franchisee since 1999 and also responsible for 7 more restaurants in the Algarve: Faro Docas, Forum Algarve, Loulé, Loulé Mar Shopping, Vilamoura, Olhão and Vila Real de Santo António. In all 8 restaurants we have a team of around 400 people.
With modern decor, McDonald’s Quarteira features large, modular areas, both inside and outside, ensuring a welcoming and adaptable environment for different occasions. It has a capacity for 119 seats in the room and 100 on the terrace, which shows that we are more than prepared to welcome everyone with the greatest comfort.
The space also includes the latest technologies available to serve customers, such as multimedia kiosks, which allow you to place and pay for your order independently, picking it up in a specific area for that purpose or taking advantage of table service, USB sockets and wireless chargers. It also presents the McDrive service with two service positions, allowing an even faster service and greater convenience for our customers.
The McDonald’s Quarteira restaurant has an underground car park with 75 spaces, including spaces specifically dedicated to families (2 spaces), people with reduced mobility (3 spaces) and electric vehicles (4 spaces with fast charging point) and Mobile Orders (2 spaces) – the McDonald’s service that allows you to place orders on the App and collect them next to the McDrive exit lane.
Sustainability: efficiency and environmental responsibility
P – One of the biggest concerns today is sustainability. What measures were implemented in this new unit to reduce environmental impact and make operations more efficient and responsible?
A – The McDonald’s Quarteira restaurant reinforces the brand’s commitment to the energy transition, featuring photovoltaic panels for the production of renewable energy, placed on the roof of the restaurant. In addition, we also have more efficient equipment in the kitchen and living room, which aims to help reduce energy consumption.
We also want to be facilitators of good practices, for example, for electric vehicle drivers. To this end, we provide fast charging points in our restaurant.
Another major commitment from McDonald’s is the responsible management of its waste and, at the same time, raising awareness among our consumers. In this sense, McDonald’s Quarteira has the brand’s most recent recycling bins that promote more selective separation of waste, incorporating six fractions: organic, liquid, paper/cardboard, plastic/metal and undifferentiated waste. This movement towards recycling is also a major focus of ours in team training, in order to ensure that we all, together, make this behavioral transition.
The franchisee’s journey and the brand’s philosophy
P – What led you to choose the McDonald’s brand? Would you say that the brand’s philosophy is irreplaceable, timeless? Is the brand’s stance the same from country to country, region to region, or does it require training and elasticity from managers and employees in general?
A – After working in the banking market, I wanted to start my own business. After much research and reflection, I saw McDonald’s as the only ideal partner for this new journey: a partner with a consolidated structure and values with which I identified. 27 years later, I see that, together with my teams, we have followed a path that has exceeded any expectations.
Franchising at McDonald’s is a way of entrepreneurship, with the support of a globally recognized business model and supported by national management. McDonald’s provides franchisees with full daily support in the management and development of our business, but at the same time, we have the freedom to put our own spin on our management, as the success of the restaurant depends on the franchisee and the way they manage their team, how they manage their local marketing and how they get involved with local communities. It means operating a local business based on McDonald’s strong notoriety, and benefiting from a structure developed based on the highest quality standards, in all aspects of the business.
The proximity that we franchisees have to each location is essential for us to be able to find opportunities to meet local tastes even more and be closer to people – communities, customers and teams – opportunities that support us in developing our local management, as well as the national brand strategy.
Future and innovation: what comes next
P – Looking to the future, do you have plans to open new McDonald’s units here in the Algarve? With the constant introduction of new technologies, what can we expect from the brand in the future to improve the customer experience?
R – It is McDonald’s that carries out the entire process of evaluating and selecting the locations where it will install a restaurant, naturally being attentive to market opportunities.
When it comes to innovation, we know that it is essential to maintain a relevant connection with our consumers, alongside a pleasant, simple, efficient and convenient service. Our restaurants and points of contact with consumers (such as the McDonald’s App) already reflect the brand’s long-standing commitment to innovation. The coming times will certainly be marked by continued investment in the progress and evolution of the service we offer in line with the expectations and needs of those who visit us.
Address: Avª Francisco Sá Carneiro – Quarteira
Opening hours: 08:00 to 02:00 without weekly closing
Capacity: 119 seats (living room) + 100 seats (terrace)
Parking: 75 places (underground)
