McDonald's asks Canadians to make a pledge to support families this McHappy Day®

Wednesday May 2^nd marks the 25^th year of McHappy Day in Canada

TORONTO, April 18, 2018 /CNW/ - How are you pledging your support this McHappy Day®? That's the question McDonald's Canada is asking Canadians this year as it kicks-off the campaign for its 25^th annual McHappy Day®, a one-day celebration in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities® Canada (RMHC® Canada) and other local children's charities.

This year, McDonald's is inspiring more participation than ever before in the long-standing tradition by encouraging Canadians to make their pledge to participate public.

In advance of McHappy Day, Canadians are asked to join notable celebrities like Jessi Cruickshank and Kevin Wendt to share on their social channels using #McHappyDay how they plan to participate. Canadians can pledge to do many different things to support McHappy Day, including purchasing a Big Mac®, Happy Meal® or hot McCafé® beverage on McHappy Day for themselves and others, and encourage their friends and families to visit their local McDonald's restaurant on McHappy Day.

On McHappy Day, $1 from every Big Mac®, Happy Meal® and hot McCafé® beverage sold goes towards Canadian children in need. New this year, Canadians can also order McHappy Day menu items through McDelivery™ with Uber Eats – consider pledging to order Big Macs for the whole office!

Quotes:

"Every year, McHappy Day brings Canadians into McDonald's restaurants to support Ronald McDonald Houses and other local children's charities," says John Betts, President and CEO of McDonald's Canada. "This year we're asking Canadians to pledge their participation in advance of McHappy Day, in order to inspire others and drive even greater results, so we can support even more families with sick children."

Facts:

• McHappy Day is McDonald's Canada's largest charity-driven program.
• Established in 1977 by McDonald's Canada founder George Cohon, McHappy Day has helped raise more than $66 million for Ronald McDonald House Charities and other local charities.
• That money has gone to help more than 300,000 families of sick children stay together in Ronald McDonald Houses and Ronald McDonald Family Rooms while their kids are treated in nearby hospitals.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities® Canada (RMHC® CANADA)

The RMHC network of programs in Canada helps to keep more than 25,000 families close to their sick child and the care they need each year. The 15 Ronald McDonald Houses provide out-of-town families with a home to stay at while their child is being treated at a nearby hospital, while the 16 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms provide a comfortable place for families to rest and recharge, right inside hospitals. Through the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, basic medical care is available to underserved communities in Alberta.

As our founding and forever partner, and RMHC's largest donor, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited, their franchisees and guests, generously provide crucial support to families from more than 1,800 communities across Canada when their sick or injured child is staying at a nearby hospital. For more information visit www.rmhc.ca.

About McDonald's Canada

In 1967, Canadians welcomed the first McDonald's restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, serving close to three million guests every day. Together with our franchisees, we proudly employ nearly 100,000 people from coast-to-coast and approximately 90 per cent of McDonald's 1,400 Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs. Of the almost $1 billion we spend on food, beverages and packaging, more than 85 per cent is purchased from over 100 suppliers in Canada.

SOURCE McDonald's Canada

For further information: Kristen Hunter, McDonald's Canada, [e-mail], 416-446-3371