McDonald’s first ever McHappy Day® in the UK and Ireland has raised over £3 million in support of Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland. This is enough to fund approximately 43,000 nights of free accommodation for UK families with a seriously ill child in hospital.
The inaugural fundraising day took place on Saturday, 26th September and saw McDonald’s customers, Franchisees and suppliers come together to raise vital funds to help Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland continue to support families.
On McHappy Day®, £1/ €1 from every qualifying* main meal sold and proceeds from the sales of limited-edition Grimace beanies were donated to Ronald McDonald House UK and Ireland, alongside contributions from McDonald’s Franchisees and supply partners. Together, these donations mean families can continue to stay close to their child in hospital.
The fundraiser saw over 120,000 reversible Grimace beanies sold, thousands of restaurants put on activities including fundraising challenges, raffles and facepainting and over 30 suppliers and partners contributed either through fixed donations, percentage of sales, staff fundraising events or advertising and marketing support.
The funds raised on McHappy Day® will build on the founding and forever partnership between McDonald’s and Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland. In 2025, Ronald McDonald House UK supported 8,488 families across 14 Houses, for an average of 16 nights, saving families on average from travelling more than 10 million miles. Since 2024, Ronald McDonald House Ireland has supported more than 5,400 families from all 32 counties across Ireland.
Each Ronald McDonald House is located as close as possible to a specialist children’s hospital, so parents can be at their child’s bedside within moments while still having somewhere to rest, recharge and be together as a family. Since the charity was established in the UK in 1989, and 2004 in Ireland, McDonald’s and its Franchisees have raised over £150 million – vital funds that have supported the construction and running of 15 Ronald McDonald Houses across the UK and Ireland. In that time, more than 100,000 families have stayed in a House while their child received hospital treatment.
Lauren Schultz, CEO at McDonald’s UK & Ireland, said: “I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who made our first UK and Ireland McHappy Day® such a success. Our customers, Franchisees, Crew and supply partners went above and beyond to raise more than £3 million for Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland. Every contributing meal, every Grimace beanie bought and every fundraising activity will help a family stay close to their seriously ill child in hospital, at no cost to them, at a time when being together matters most. McHappy Day® has been part of McDonald’s around the world for decades, and seeing the UK and Ireland embrace it so warmly in its first year has made us incredibly proud.”
Ella Joseph, CEO at Ronald McDonald House UK, said: “We are so grateful to McDonald’s, its Franchisees, customers and suppliers for their extraordinary generosity on the UK’s first McHappy Day®. The families who stay with us are often facing the unimaginable, caring for a seriously ill or injured child, while spending weeks or months away from home. With over £3 million raised we can provide families in the UK with approximately 43,000 nights of free accommodation giving them one less thing to worry about and letting them focus on what matters most: being there for their child.”
Joe Kenny, CEO Ronald McDonald House Ireland said: “In my ten years with Ronald McDonald House Ireland, I have never felt a stronger connection to a McDonald’s fundraising event. From the weeks leading up to McHappy Day® right through to the day itself, there was a real sense of excitement and purpose across the McDonald’s family. Franchisees, restaurant teams, suppliers and customers all got behind it in a way that was genuinely special. Raising more than £3 million an incredible achievement. It means families can remain together during some of the hardest days of their lives. On behalf of every family who will benefit, thank you to everyone who made McHappy Day® such a tremendous success.”
To find out more, visit the Ronald McDonald House UK website or the Ronald McDonald House Ireland Website.
