McDonald’s India to double network

McDonald’s India says it plans to open a new restaurant every week for the next five years.

That’s 250 restaurants by the end of 2015, more than double its current network of 231.

McDonald’s India master franchisee is Westlife Enterprise, whose vice chairman Amit Jatia says the growth focus will be on the western and southern parts of the country.

McDonald’s launched in India 20 years ago, essentially the first of the crop of global fast food chains to establish a presence there. Now it faces growing competition from the likes of Burger King, Domino’s and Pizza Hut for a share of the growing fast food market.

Jatia says McDonald’s will be expanding its coffee offer, opening the McCafe concept within its fast food restaurants as part of a move away from softdrinks.

“We offer a range of smoothies, besides coffees and this encourages customers to opt for non-carbonated drinks,” he said in an interview with the India Times.

The McCafe network will be expanded from the current 45 to about 140 within two years.