National, 29 October 2026: Westlife Foodworld Ltd., which owns and operates McDonald’s restaurants across West and South India, today announced the opening of its 500th McDonald’s restaurant, marking a significant milestone as McDonald’s completes 30 years in India. The opening also marks the 4000th restaurant across McDonald’s Asia Business Unit (ABU), underlining the growing role of India within one of the company’s most dynamic region globally.
Located in GIFT City, Gujarat, India’s first operational greenfield smart city and International Financial Services Centre, the restaurant reflects McDonald’s continued expansion alongside India’s evolving economic and infrastructure landscape. Spanning 3,200 sq. ft., the restaurant features dine-in seating and delivery, catering to a wide range of customer needs and occasions. Designed to serve a variety of occasions, the restaurant offers a comfortable and inviting space where families, friends, colleagues and communities can come together over great food, whether for everyday meals, celebrations, coffee breaks or moments in between.
Speaking on the occasion, Akshay Jatia, Chief Executive Officer, Westlife Foodworld, said, “These milestones reflect the strength of the foundations we have built over the last three decades and the significant runway for growth that lies ahead. Our success has been driven by our ability to stay closely connected to evolving customer needs, invest ahead of demand and consistently strengthen the McDonald’s experience across markets, formats and channels. We remain confident in the long term opportunity across West and South India and in our ability to continue growing responsibly while creating value for customers, employees, partners and communities.”
Gujarat has played an important role in McDonald’s growth story since the opening of its first restaurant in the state in 2002. With the inauguration of the GIFT City restaurant, the company’s network in Gujarat has expanded to 72 restaurants, including 31 free-standing drive-thrus. Gujarat is a vital part of McDonald’s supply ecosystem. Potatoes grown by farmers in the state are used to make McDonald’s world-famous Fries, creating a direct link between local agriculture and restaurants across the country. Through its long-standing supplier partnership with McCain, McDonald’s has helped build a robust local sourcing ecosystem that supports thousands of farmer livelihoods while meeting stringent global quality standards. Today, Gujarat-grown potatoes are served to millions of McDonald’s customers each year.
Saurabh Kalra, Managing Director, Westlife Foodworld, said, “Scale is built one customer experience at a time. Our growth has been powered by passionate restaurant teams, strong operating discipline and a relentless focus on quality, service and value. As we expand our footprint, we remain committed to running great restaurants and delivering the consistency and convenience that customers expect from the McDonald’s brand.”
Looking ahead, Westlife Foodworld plans to expand its network to 580+ restaurants across West and South India by FY28, while continuing to invest in restaurant development, digital innovation and customer convenience. The company also aims to grow its presence in Gujarat to 100 restaurants over the next two to three years, further strengthening the state’s role in its long-term growth strategy.
The opening in GIFT City marks the latest milestone in McDonald’s expansion across West and South India. Since opening its first restaurant in Bandra in 1996, the company reached its 100th restaurant in
Mumbai in 2014, its 200th store in Ahmedabad, its 300th restaurant in Aurangabad in 2019, its 400th restaurant in Hyderabad in 2024, and now its 500th restaurant in Gujarat’s GIFT City in 2026.
Over the past 30 years, as consumer lifestyles have changed, McDonald’s has continued to adapt by offering greater convenience, accessibility and relevance while remaining rooted in the values that customers associate with the brand: quality, value, consistency and experiences that bring people together.
About Westlife:
Westlife Foodworld Limited (NSE: WESTLIFE, BSE: 505533), focuses on setting up and operating Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) in India through its subsidiary Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. (HRPL). The Company operates a chain of McDonald’s restaurants in West and South India having a master franchisee relationship with McDonald’s Corporation USA, through the latter’s subsidiary.
About Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt. Ltd:
HRPL is a McDonald’s franchisee with rights to own and operate McDonald’s restaurants in India’s West and South markets. HRPL has been a franchisee in the region since its inception in 1996. HRPL serves over 200 million customers annually at its 492 restaurants across 80 cities in the states of Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Goa along with parts of Madhya Pradesh and Union Territory of Puducherry and provides direct employment to over 10,000 employees. McDonald’s operates through various formats and brand extensions including standalone restaurants, drive-thrus, McCafé, 24×7, McDelivery, McBreakfast and dessert kiosks. The menu features Burgers, Wraps, Hot and Cold Beverages besides a wide range of desserts. Majority of the McDonald’s restaurants feature an in-house McCafé. The pillars of the McDonald’s system – Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value – are evident at each of the restaurants that HRPL operates.
