McDonald’s Employee Uniforms from Different Countries: A Global Overview

Walking into a McDonald’s in a foreign country can be a weird experience. It’s familiar, yet starkly different. Those giant golden arches act like a beacon, universally recognized wherever you are in the world, providing comfort and perhaps a taste of home. But part of the joy of the experience when visiting a McDonald’s in, say, Jakarta, is that menu items differ slightly, offering visitors a chance to experience McDonald’s through a different lens. What’s more, the staff look different as well, adorned in cool uniforms that might make their U.S. counterparts look bland.

This elevates what could have been a dull experience, had the corporation decided to keep the food and uniforms the same globally. It also allows staff to express themselves and stand out among neighboring countries with their own unique garb, taking cues from local fashion and cultural touchstones. The corporation does uniform redesigns on occasion, sometimes hiring renowned designers and using modern textile technologies. For those of us who may not have the privilege of world travel, stateside McDonald’s staffers curious about their global cohorts, or the die-hard fans out there looking to vicariously experience the McVibes in other countries, we present this collection of McUniforms. 

New Zealand McDonald’s uniforms look fun and effortlessly cool. There’s a strong focus on denim, a tough yet relaxed material. It makes sense to leverage the strength of a resilient fabric for a demanding workplace, where the thick fabric could potentially protect against burns and abrasions yet requires no special care. Deane Apparel, a New Zealand-based uniforms firm, was commissioned with the most recent redesign and relaunch of the restaurant’s workwear for the small nation’s franchises. 

The style guide for Kiwi staff has a liberal dress code that encourages staff to express themselves with how they wear the uniforms within set parameters. The uniforms consists of denim shortsleeve button-ups featuring orange and yellow seam accents, bartender-style denim aprons with embroidered arches with yellow straps, yellow or white branded socks, timeless blue jeans, and black shoes, coming together in a fun yet professional look.

With a diverse culture, culinary history, stunning scenery, and very friendly locals, the Philippines is a welcoming place for visitors. For those living in this archipelago nation, the charm and rich culture are an integral part of daily life. When it comes to the McDonald’s corporation operating there, it was smart to offer menu items that would appeal to local palates. The Chicken McDo, for instance, pairs fried chicken with rice or ‘McSpaghetti,’ which are unique McDonald’s items you should try upon your next trip to Manilla. 

Filipino McDonald’s employees serve customers with a refreshing yet chic uniform consisting of slate grey short-sleeved button-up dress shirts, accented with neon green ties, and neon green golf shirts with custom prints. There are also button-up short-sleeved dress shirts with yellow accents, as well as black polos, accompanied by black aprons and baseball caps. It is refined and professional, yet casual and welcoming. Very on-brand for the Southeast Asian nation!

While McDonald’s in the United Kigdom is similar in some ways, some seriously casual vibes will greet you if you visit. The newest iteration of uniforms for workers comprises laid-back workwear, featuring crew neck t-shirts in grey, on-brand yellow, or fire truck red, as well as crew neck sweaters in navy blue. Pants are spec’d for blue trousers or blue raw denim jeans, and staff are also allowed to wear beanies and bucket hats, lending to an inclusive yet chill work environment. 

When ordering, you can experience U.K.’s take on our fast food culture like the Steakhouse Stack burger, the Katsu Chicken One wrap, or take it a step further and hack your order to bring it all together.

Portugal’s workwear at their McFranchises features an almost business casual spin, with grey and blue trousers, brown leather belts, black shoes, and even classy cardigans. Some staff are encouraged to don green and yellow scarves in addition to blue, white, and green work shirts with green and white striped cuffs, and a yellow embroidered “M” on the chest. Yellow name tags and grey aprons are provided, while headwear is limited. All in all, the look is refined but not overly serious, with some old school tropes yet not too old-fashioned. The Portuguese higher-ups did a great job commissioning fashion designer Katty Xiomara for the 2022 update — a first since 2009.

Portugal’s McMenu includes the McBifana, a kind of open empanada consisting of Portuguese water bread, pork, and a pepper, garlic, and bay leaf-flavored mayo. 

France is obviously known for fashion and food, so you may have high hopes for this one as a stand-out in our list of local McDonald’s uniforms. We’re sorry to say that, unlike French food and the French McDonald’s menu, the workwear is a bit underwhelming. But that’s alright — you can’t expect the staff to be wearing the hottest designer fashions while they dress your burger for you.

Being France, there is of course a slight nod to smart fashion sensibility where the all-black look is synonymous with chic. It’s minimalist, clean, and doesn’t clash with anything. Of course, the biggest benefit to black-on-black clothes is not an aesthetic one, but rather the pragmatism that comes with stain-proof or stain-hiding ability. Dealing with ketchup and sauces and dark sodas all day, wearing white or light colors could present some risk, but not here. Staff are provided with black button-up collared polos and branded black baseball caps, with only managers given white dress shirts. There not much else to say here other than bon appétit!

The most populous country on earth, coming in with a staggering 1.4 billion people, has only 500 odd McDonald’s locations. Comparing this to the 13,400 locations found here in the U.S., it seems even less, yet few can argue that the chain is lacking in global presence. However, considering demographics and economics, the expansion of the American fast food chain is slower in emerging markets, as the number of franchises will surely only go up from here. Still, India has some unique menu items, especially for the vegetarians out there, that entices travelers and locals alike.

The McDonald’s India uniforms are similar to those found in Europe or North America, with standard and familiar polos, grey button-up dress shirts, and bright green ties. Certain staff don patterned yellow dress shirts, with blue scarves available in addition to black aprons. Many of the shirts feature pops of yellow as well, rounding out the look with black jeans and black branded ball caps. It’s very friendly, familiar, warm, and inviting!

There’s a ’90s movie scene often cited in pop culture that comes up with talking about Dutch McDonald’s, and it made the restaurants over there seem exotic and wholly unique. “Pulp Fiction” may have been credited for some American tourists visiting a McDonald’s in Amsterdam, but with 30 years now in the rear view mirror, it’s an aging reference. Nowadays, with the advent of TikTok, many influencers are telling new stories about McDonald’s menus abroad, compelling Americans to try items like the McKroket, a croquette burger with a mustard-based sauce, only found in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Upon entering a Dutch McDonald’s, customers are met by some seriously dapper staff. The uniforms feature forest green polos in short and long sleeve versions, with embroidered logos on the chest, matching green ball caps with yellow accents, and caramel brown aprons with tastefully embroidered “M” golden arches. Button-up sweater vests, grey dress shirts, and green blazers elevate the look. The look is finished with blue jeans and black shoes, for a smart casual feel.

Our neighbors to the north are similar with differences. For a Canadian traveller to be mistaken as an American when abroad is not uncommon — though perhaps lightly annoying for the Canuck. The two cultures have a lot of overlap, and the same goes for the McDonald’s menus and what the staff wear while serving you.

You can order a poutine — French fries with cheese curds and gravy — from staff wearing casual blue polos tucked into black slacks. The short-sleeved shirts have black and light blue accented collars, with breast pockets and grey name tag plates. Managers can don pinstriped black short-sleeve dress shirts with scales or ties. Workers are also provided with black ball caps or visors to keep their hair tidy and out of your food. The overall vibe at McDonald’s Canada is casual and laid back, just like the fast food restaurant experience at large.

Italy undoubtedly has a certain lore and appeal in the culinary world, bringing many visitors to the country to simply eat their way through it. Food touring in Italy, while filled to the brim with local gems, may bring you to a McDonald’s branch, if only to scratch that itch of a taste of home or out of sheer curiosity. You may be repaid with some nice stories to mention to your friends back home, citing foods like panzerotti — a dough pocket filled with 100% Italian mozzarella and tomatoes, resembling a mini calzone — and, surprisingly, real tiramisu.

Italy, besides epic food, is also known for its fashion. So it would follow suit that the Italian management ensures staff members have aesthetically pleasing uniforms. The team behind the counter has a mix of shirts, with white collared short-sleeve button-up dress shirts worn casually and open, combined with V-neck grey sweaters, which makes for a refined look. Staff members have access to green scarves with subtle yet tasteful branding, as well as black slacks and black leather belts. Forest green shirts and black ball caps are also in the company’s style book, which gives the restaurant a sense of classy yet laid-back professionalism. Don’t you wish we had Tiramisu on our menus, though? Italy outdoes itself once again.

Norway is renowned for its gorgeous fjords and landscapes, wildlife, pristine waters, cross-country skiing, and overall quality of life. It offers many reasons for tourists to visit, and when doing so, the chance to see how the local McDonald’s locations stack up. Upon travelling to Oslo or Bergen, those giant golden arches may entice visitors for a quick snack and a chance to experience the vibes at the famous fast food chain, Norway style.

The Scandinavian country’s McDonald’s uniforms are chic and polished; staff members button all shirts right to the top, adorned with ties or ascots. Short-sleeved black dress shirts feature yellow-accented stitching, while white versions have yellow embroidered logos on the upper chest. Ties and ascots are available in black and light green, complementing the six-panel ball caps with yellow “M” logos. Certain staff members also have access to company-provided light blue dress shirts. Staff protect themselves from hot oil and spills via black, full-body aprons. Overall, they look professional and clean, taking perhaps a more serious tone than other nations in our list.

Out of all of the countries in our list, Ukraine is the only one actively at war, defending itself in a tragic and brutal war. But regular life does go on. Once the war is over, tourists will surely return to the country that is filled with a million reasons to visit. Ukraine is rich in history, music, arts, epic architecture and churches, hikes by the Black Sea and in the Carpathian Mountains.

When the Berlin Wall came down and Eastern Europe opened up to the free market system, American chains launched to much fanfare, tantalizing local palates who’d been deprived of the Big Mac and American culture at large. McDonald’s first launched in 1997 in Kiev, now operating over 100 locations in Ukraine, and upon visiting, customers will notice staff with short-sleeved oxfords, presenting a casual yet professional look. Shirts are tucked into work pants, forgoing ties and aprons. The vibe is fun and laid back — hopefully something that can be said of the entire country once this awful conflict is over.

China, much like India, is a very populous country with many mouths to feed. The country embraced McDonald’s when it was first introduced in 1990, now with close to 6000 franchise locations in operation. At an expansion rate of almost 175 locations per year, it’s rather impressive in a country that still has many regulations and red tape. Tourists and locals alike are lucky to have unique items unavailable Stateside, such as congee with chicken and bamboo shoots, a spate of delicious chicken dishes, and even a burger made with German sausage, dubbed the “Double Beef Burger.”

You will be greeted by friendly staff with newly redone uniforms, unveiled last year to attract younger staff members. Out of all the countries on our list, these uniforms seem the most modern and fun, with cute accents and subtle yet tasteful design language. There are eight total different outfits available, which pertain to specific roles. Thin button-up short-sleeved shirts with yellow accented collars are contrasted against pops of color like teal blue ascots, and pink embroidered hearts on grey aprons. Pink button-up shirts with vertical stripes and matching pink ascots are also available, giving the whole collection a charming and hip vibe.

It only made sense to include the current uniforms of American McDonald’s staff members, for reference. While we are the birthplace of the restaurant and the blueprint on which all its global franchises are based, the aesthetics of McDonald’s here may not seem distinctly American. In light of all the other countries we’ve looked at, one can conclude that the workwear donned by employees of fast food’s king is fun and casual, not overly serious, and not very fashion-forward either. But that’s not a bad thing at all, and if we know anything about the company, it’s that it does tend to redesign the uniforms every so many years.

McDonald’s has a net-zero emissions goal for 2050, and as such, it opted for “CiCLO” technology to help with the uniforms’ sustainability. This enables synthetic fibres to be created out of recycled plastics and polyesters, where the proprietary fabric will biodegrade at similar rates to wool, rather than sticking around forever as plastic does. Remarkable technology! Here we have crew members with branded logo t-shirts in blues, with raw denim and black trousers, black sneakers, and two-toned denim aprons with yellow accented straps. Ball caps round out the look for a causal, yet inviting feel.