Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street McDonald's goes green

Behind the scenes, the burger joint has been undergoing a very special transformation.

From re-usable flooring to wall art made from recycled coffee beans and plastic cups, the branch is now the most eco-friendly refurb in Scotland.

And, according to franchisee Andy Gibson, it is the first of its kind in the UK.

Andy, who has owned McDonald's branches for 19 years, said the transformation had been a "leap of faith".

He said: "It was a significant investment but it was a prototype so we don't actually have a figure yet, which is a bit of a leap of faith.

"It's about the materials used primarily.

"Some of the decals on the wall are made from recycled coffee beans.

"The panelling that you see is made from reusable plywood.

"The floor tiles and ceiling tiles are all made of materials that can be re-used so the vast majority of it is reusable or recyclable.

"It's the first refurbishment in the UK of this type."

Andy took over the store four years ago - just in time for a string of difficulties from the Glasgow School of Art fire to the Victoria's Nightclub fire and then the pandemic.

But he said the community nature of the branch and the strong relationships between staff helped the store get through it all.

He added: "During the fire across the road we were shut for three months with that.

"We continued to pay all our people or got them work in other restaurants elsewhere in the city centre.

"So actually our people handled it really well.

"Our turnover here is very low so we retain our staff and we have several people who have been here for 10 year,s 15 years, 20 years.

"It's got a real community feel about the restaurant and despite it being the city centre, there's a distinct personality to it.

"We're Sauchiehall Street.

"They take pride in it and having done this refurbishment has really enhanced that."

The refurb was timed to tie in with COP26 and over the past few days it has seen a series of high profile visitors, including Lord Provost Philip Braat and the global CEO of McDonald's.

Andy said: "The past couple of days we've had several visitors, including the global CEO in and there was a real buzz off that, it was a very positive experience, and people are very happy that we are investing in a sustainable refurbishment using recyclable materials and sustainable materials.

"Our crew are as interested in that and it's important to them."

Sauchiehall Street McDonald's, which is open 24 hours, is a favourite with clubbers spilling out of nightclubs along the busy thoroughfare.

Andy said overnight on Fridays and Saturdays are traditionally the store's busiest spells but he hopes the new upgrade will encourage more people in.

As well as the environmental aspects to the new look of the branch, there are new technologies at play to help people order their meals for table service.

A separate area at the counter for food delivery drivers helps keep a calmer feel on the restaurant floor too, making it less crowded.

Andy said: "What we've done will help bring people in because as well as being recycled and re-useable materials it looks good - it's bright, it's an inviting place for people to come in.

"It's different, it's got our latest convenience of the future so it's easier to serve people in the different ways they want to use."

Last month McDonald's Corporation announced a global commitment to hitting net zero emissions by 2050, joining the SBTi Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign and the United Nations Race to Zero campaign.

The target is part of the company's Plan For Change strategy, which includes an aim to reach net zero emissions in the UK and Ireland by 2040, which is 10 years ahead of Westminster's ambition for England and Wales and five years ahead of Scotland's target.

As part of its move to a more sustainable future, McDonald's has also introduced the McPlant burger, which is on sale in selected stores around the UK.

It's on offer in Sauchiehall Street and is proving popular.

McPlant is the American chain's first ever vegan burger and uses a plant-based patty co-developed with Beyond Meat featuring vegan sandwich sauce, ketchup, mustard, onion, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and a vegan alternative to cheese in a sesame seed bun.

So has Andy put his money where his mouth is and tried the new sandwich?

"I have," he says.

"It's very good.

"It's close to a quarter pounder and I've had one or two.

"More importantly, our customers are really positive about it and it's selling really well - more than our expectations."