McDonald's has recently implemented a significant modification to its breakfast menu, and it's truly egg-citing. Back in 2015, the fast-food chain pledged to transition to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs for its U.S. restaurants by 2025. Remarkably, McDonald's has now announced that it has achieved this goal two years ahead of schedule.
This signifies that every egg served by McDonald's from now on originates from cage-free farms, where hens enjoy a more spacious environment, leading to an enhanced quality of life. McDonald's heralded this move as a significant stride toward improving the quality and safety of its food, as well as promoting animal welfare within its supply chain.
"Reaching this milestone marks yet another step in the right direction," stated McDonald's in a press release.
Achieving this milestone required extensive effort from both McDonald's and its egg supplier, the global food corporation Cargill. The companies had to devise strategies to source a sufficient quantity of cage-free eggs to cater to the demands of American consumers—a monumental task considering the sheer volume of eggs purchased by McDonald's. According to the press release, the chain acquired nearly two billion eggs for its American outlets alone in 2023, a quantity approximately six times the U.S. population.
McDonald's and Cargill collaborated with animal welfare experts and academic professionals to assist egg producers in upgrading their farms and integrating new technologies to transition to supplying cage-free eggs. In addition, every farm in the United States that provides eggs to McDonald's is overseen by a dedicated veterinarian, ensuring the well-being of the hens and providing staff training and education.
"When McDonald's committed to sourcing cage-free eggs in the U.S., Cargill, McDonald's, and our egg producers embarked on the monumental task of building a cage-free egg supply chain," remarked Kristin Tupa, sustainability manager for Cargill's North American protein business. "Now, this effort is revolutionizing the industry."
McDonald's has undergone significant changes beyond the transition to cage-free eggs. In October 2023, the iconic spindles—hollow-handled spoons previously served with McFlurry treats—were replaced with smaller black spoons. This move aimed to reduce single-use plastic waste in McDonald's restaurants, as the black spoons require less plastic than the spindles.
Additionally, in September 2023, McDonald's announced plans to phase out self-serve drink stations in its restaurants by 2032. Currently, customers dining inside McDonald's establishments typically fill their own drinks, while drive-thru and mobile customers have their drinks filled by workers. This change is intended to create a more consistent experience for both McDonald's patrons and employees.