McDonald’s restaurants across various countries, including the UK and Australia, experienced a “technology outage,” which the fast food giant denied was due to a cybersecurity breach. Australia, the UK, Japan, and China were among the affected markets, with disruptions in restaurant, drive-through, and online ordering services. In the UK, a franchise owner reported a 90-minute period during which they were unable to serve customers. In Hong Kong, self-ordering kiosks and mobile orders were also affected.
The outage, which occurred around 5 am in the UK, impacted many markets, although some were gradually recovering by Friday afternoon. McDonald’s attributed the issue to an external contractor’s IT system change, ruling out a cyber-attack. The company’s global chief information officer assured urgency in resolving the matter.
McDonald’s, with approximately 40,000 outlets worldwide, saw disruptions resolved in the UK and Ireland. Downdetector reported over 1,000 outages on the McDonald’s app in the UK on Friday.
Customers in Australia and Japan also faced difficulties, with disruptions acknowledged on social media platforms. McDonald’s in China, a popular fast food chain, experienced similar issues, leading to online discussions. Although McDonald’s announced the problem’s resolution, some customers had already opted for alternatives like KFC.
Reports of problems also surfaced from Germany, New Zealand, and Sweden, although these remained unconfirmed.
The situation extended to various regions, including Germany, New Zealand, and Sweden, though details were not fully confirmed. Reports from social media users indicated similar issues in these areas, adding to the widespread impact of the technology outage.
Despite the challenges, McDonald’s swiftly addressed the disruptions, with outlets gradually returning to normal operations in affected regions. The company expressed regret for any inconvenience caused to customers and assured them of their dedication to resolving such issues promptly.
The incident underscored the dependence of modern businesses on complex technology systems and the potential vulnerabilities associated with third-party providers. McDonald’s pledged to investigate the root cause of the outage to prevent future occurrences, emphasizing its commitment to delivering seamless service to its global customer base.
