This is the latest information as at June 2025.

If you’re considering a career in the fast-food industry or are curious about the earning potential of McDonald’s managers, there’s a lot of information to digest.

Exploring how much do McDonald’s managers make is only part of the picture though. You’ll need to prepare for the job interview and apply for jobs for which you are best suited.

Based on the figures from 2024 on how much do McDonald’s manager make, they can expect to earn between $48,000 and $72,000 per year depending on experience and store location. A manager’s salary can vary based on things like bonuses, profit shares, or stock options.

By reading through the information below, you’ll gain insights into how much McDonald’s managers make, prepare for interviews in the fast-food industry, and give yourself the best chance of success.

Understanding How Much Do McDonald’s Managers Make

McDonald’s one of the biggest fast food chains in the world has many job opportunities from cleaning staff to management positions.

Store Managers are key to running a McDonald’s restaurant so they need to know everything about how the branch works and what to do on a daily basis.

Let’s have a look at the numbers to see how much McDonald’s managers get paid.

Annual Salary

McDonald’s Store Managers salary can vary greatly depending on location, experience and performance.

According to data on recruiting websites like ZipRecruiter and GlassDoor updated in September 2023, the total pay for a Store Manager at McDonald’s is between $48,000 to $72,000 per year.

• Base Pay: The base pay for a McDonald’s Store Manager is around $47,677 per year.
• Additional Pay: McDonald’s managers can get additional pay which may include bonuses, stock options, commissions, profit sharing or tips. The additional pay is around $10,834 per year.

These figures are based on data collected from various sources and are the median values within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data for this role.

Hourly Rate

While annual salary gives a overall view, it’s also good to know the hourly rate for managers especially if you want to know how much McDonald’s managers get per hour.

Remember hourly rate can vary by location.

State-wise Breakdown of How Much Do McDonald’s Managers Make

To provide you with a more detailed understanding of how much McDonald’s managers earn across different U.S. states, let’s take a closer look at the salary data:

State	Annual Salary Range	Hourly Wage Range
California	$55,000 – $64,000	$26.44 – $30.77
New York	$77,964	$37.48
Texas	$48,000	$23.08
Florida	$58,511 (National Avg.)	$28.14 (National Avg.)
Illinois	$58,511 (National Avg.)	$28.14 (National Avg.)

Please note that these figures are approximate and may vary slightly depending on specific locations within each state. It’s essential to consider the cost of living in your area when evaluating these salaries.

Preparing for a McDonald’s Manager Interview

Now that you have a better understanding of the earning potential of McDonald’s managers, let’s discuss how to prepare for an interview in the fast-food industry.

Landing a managerial position at McDonald’s requires a combination of skills, knowledge, and a strong interview strategy.

Here are some tips to help you succeed:

1. Research McDonald’s Values and Culture

Before your interview take some time to research McDonald’s values, culture and history.

Read the company’s mission and vision statements and their commitment to community and diversity. Showing you align with these values will set a good tone for the interview.

And remember the stores are owned by franchisees who have to follow a very strict set of rules and protocols set by the McDonald’s head office.  This means customers get the same service across all stores nationwide.

2. Showcase Your Customer Service Skills

Customer service is key in the fast-food industry.

Highlight your customer service skills, problem solving, communication and ability to handle difficult situations. Share examples from your past experience where you provided excellent customer service.

Take some time to go over times in your career where you solved a problem, either by yourself or with other employees. You should have at least 3 examples you can tell the interviewer.

State what the problem was, what you did to solve it and what was the outcome. As managers are expected to be able to control, motivate and train staff think of examples that show these areas of your experience.

3. Provide Evidence of Your Leadership Abilities

As a manager, you’ll be responsible for leading a team and ensuring smooth operations. Highlight your leadership abilities by discussing your experience in supervising and motivating team members.

Describe situations where you successfully managed a team to achieve specific goals.

You can even choose an example where you failed to achieve a satisfactory result and highlight what you learned from the experience and how you would handle it differently now.

Including a perceived failure shows the interviewer that you own your mistakes and take steps to rectify or learn from them. Doing this ahead of time helps you to avoid being caught off-guard when the interviewer asks you to give an example of a time when things didn’t go well for you and how you handled the situation.

The interview is looking for an answer that shows you can learn from mistakes and aren’t too egotistical to believe that you don’t put a foot wrong.

Tip: Avoid blaming someone else in the organization for the mistake or poor result, as this shows that you failed to take responsibility for your actions.

4. Show that you can Be Flexible

The fast food industry is fast and unpredictable.

McDonald’s looks for employees who can adapt. Be ready to talk about how you handle unexpected situations and be flexible with your work.

5. Practice Behavioral Questions before your interview

McDonald’s often uses behavioral questions. These questions require you to give specific examples from your past.

Practice answering questions like, “Can you tell me about a time you dealt with a customer complaint?” or “What did you do when you had to deal with a staffing issue.”

Here are 10 questions to practice:

1. Can you tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer complaint? How did you fix it and what was the outcome?
2. What did you do when a team member wasn’t meeting expectations? How did you address it?
3. How did you ensure safety and cleanliness standards were met in a fast food environment? How did you enforce them?
4. What did you do when you had to adapt to a change in the workplace, like a new process or technology? How did you handle it?
5. Can you tell me about a time you had to make a tough decision under time pressure? What did you consider and what was the outcome?
6. What did you do when you had to meet a deadline for a project or task? How did you manage your time and resources to get it done?
7. What did you do when two team members were in conflict? How did you approach it and what was the outcome?
8. Can you tell me about a time you implemented cost savings without compromising quality or customer satisfaction?
9. How did you train and onboard new employees? How did you make sure they were ready for their role?
10. What did you do to improve operational efficiency in your store? What did you do and what did you achieve?

6. Don’t Forget to Dress Smart

While McDonald’s is a casual environment, you should dress professionally for the interview.

You only have a few seconds to make a good first impression so get it right from the start by dressing smart.

Business casual is the way to go.

If you don’t know what to wear then here are some suggestions to help you make the right choice for your job interview:

For Men:

1. Dress Shirt: Long sleeved button down dress shirt in a solid colour or subtle patterns like stripes or checks. White, light blue or pale pastels are safe choices.
2. Slacks or Chinos: Fitted, clean slacks or chinos in a neutral colour like navy, charcoal grey, khaki or black. No jeans or too casual pants.
3. Belt: Match your belt to your shoes in colour and style. A simple leather belt is a safe choice.
4. Footwear: Closed toe dress shoes in a dark colour like black or brown. Make sure they are polished and clean.
5. Tie (optional): Depending on the job and company culture you may or may not need to wear a tie. If you do wear one, choose a conservative, silk tie in a solid colour or subtle pattern that matches your outfit.
6. Blazer or Sport Coat (optional): A blazer or sport coat can add to your overall look. It’s good if you’re not sure what the dress code is as you can always remove it if it feels too formal.
7. Grooming: Make sure your hair is neat and tidy. Trim your facial hair if you have any and look clean and polished.

For Women:

1. Blouse or Dress Shirt: Blouse, dress shirt or professional top in a solid colour or subtle pattern. No low necklines or too casual styles.
2. Slacks, Chinos or Skirt: Slacks, chinos or knee length skirt in a neutral colour like black, navy, grey or khaki. Make sure it’s comfortable and professional.
3. Belt (optional): If you’re wearing pants you can add a belt to match.
4. Footwear: Closed toe flats, low heels or conservative pumps in a colour that matches your outfit. No open toe shoes or high heels that are too flashy.
5. Hosiery (optional): If you’re wearing a skirt or dress, consider sheer, neutral toned stockings.
6. Minimal Jewellery: Keep jewellery understated. No oversized or flashy pieces.
7. Blazer or Cardigan (optional): A blazer or cardigan can add to your overall look. Also good if the office is cool.
8. Grooming: Make sure your hair is tidy and styled professionally. Makeup should be natural.

General Tips for All Genders:

1. Fit Matters: Regardless of your gender, ensure that your clothing fits well. Ill-fitting attire can appear sloppy and unprofessional.
2. Neat and Clean: Your clothes should be clean, pressed, and free from wrinkles or stains.
3. Conservative Accessories: Keep accessories, such as watches and jewelry, simple and tasteful.
4. Avoid Flashy Logos: Clothing with large logos or branding should be avoided.
5. Personal Hygiene: Pay attention to personal hygiene, including clean nails and well-maintained grooming.

7. Ask Questions

At the end of the interview, don’t forget to ask questions of your own.

Inquire about the company’s training and development programs, opportunities for advancement, and what a typical day looks like for a McDonald’s manager.

Here are a few examples of questions you can ask the interviewer:

1. Can you describe the typical daily responsibilities and key priorities for this managerial role?

This question allows you to gain insight into the specific duties and expectations associated with the position. It shows your interest in understanding the role thoroughly.

2. What is the management style or approach that is most effective within this McDonald’s location?

Understanding the preferred management style can help you align your leadership approach with the expectations of the team and the company culture.

3. How does the training and development process work for managers in this McDonald’s restaurant?

Asking about training and development demonstrates your commitment to continuous improvement and growth within the company. It also provides insights into opportunities for skill enhancement.

4. Can you share some of the key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics that are used to evaluate the success of managers in this role?

Understanding the performance metrics allows you to set clear expectations for your responsibilities and goals if you are hired. It also shows your commitment to achieving results.

5. What are the core values and customer service principles that McDonald’s prioritizes, and how are they reflected in the day-to-day operations of this restaurant?

This question demonstrates your interest in aligning with the company’s values and providing excellent customer service. It also helps you assess the cultural fit of the workplace.

8. Follow Up

After the interview, always send a thank-you email to express your appreciation for the opportunity and reiterate your interest in the position.

This simple gesture can leave a positive impression on the hiring team and never fails to impress, as few if any job applicants ever do it.

Don’t make it too long!

Just cover the basics and thank the interviewer for their time. Here’s an example of a follow-up email:

Subject: Thank You for the Interview – [Your Full Name]

Dear [Interviewer’s Name],

I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to interview for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name].

It was a pleasure meeting you to learn more about your team and the exciting work being done at [branch].

I am particularly excited about [mention a specific aspect of the job or company that excites you, e.g., the collaborative team dynamic, the innovative projects, or the company’s commitment to sustainability].

Kind regards,

[Your Full Name]

[Your Phone Number]

[Your Email Address]

A Few Last Thoughts on How Much Do McDonald’s Managers Make

McDonald’s offers competitive salaries for its managers, and the fast-food industry provides ample opportunities for career growth.

By preparing effectively for your interview and showcasing your skills and dedication, you can increase your chances of securing a managerial position at McDonalds or other fast-food establishments.

Credit and Criminal Checks

It is common for hiring managers to request credit and criminal checks on prospective employees, especially if they’ll be handing money or valuable merchandise.

During this process, it is likely that things will come to light that you may not be aware of and could be raised in an interview. As always it is best to have an answer ready, rather than being forced to come up with an explanation off the top of your head.

So, to ensure that you have all your latest information at hand and not risk being thrown a curve ball during an interview, you should get your credit checks done beforehand.

Many companies can do this for you, we recommend this free service that gives you a full credit report which can highlight any possible problem areas. You’ll then have a chance to correct the situation or come up with a reasonable explanation.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What other factors could affect a Mcdonald’s manager’s salary?

Factors affecting a McDonald’s manager’s salary include experience, location, and store performance. Experienced managers may earn higher salaries, while well-performing stores can offer bonuses. Geographic location plays a role due to varying costs of living.

2. How does the salary of a Mcdonald’s manager compare to that of other fast-food chains?

McDonald’s manager salaries may differ from other fast-food chains based on location, experience, and company policies. In general, McDonald’s offers competitive compensation, but comparisons should be made on a case-by-case basis.

3. Is the salary of a Mcdonald’s manager different in different states?

Yes, the salary of a McDonald’s manager can vary by state due to differences in living costs. Salaries may be higher in states with a higher cost of living, such as California or New York, compared to states with a lower cost of living.

Final Thoughts

Remember to research the company, emphasize your customer service and leadership abilities, and practice answering behavioral interview questions ahead of time.

With the right approach, you can build a successful career in the dynamic world of fast food.