McDonald's hosting special events for 20th anniversary in Qatar

McDonald’s Corp. is celebrating 20 successful years of operation in Qatar with a series of events and activities throughout December, including offering all Qatari residents a free Big Mac hamburger on Sunday.

Since the internationally recognized American fast-food brand began operating in Qatar in 1995, it has continually expanded its presence and brand recognition in the Gulf nation.

McDonald’s is kicking off its celebration at the company’s first Qatari restaurant at the Al Sadd outlet in Doha, often referred to as McDonald’s Suhaim Bin Hamad. That branch remains one of the busiest McDonald’s in the country.

A two-day event there will include giveaways, music, games and competitions. Many of the well-known McDonald’s characters, like Ronald McDonald and the Hamburglar, will be there to greet children as well.

All Qatari residents are invited to celebrate McDonald’s 20th anniversary with a free Big Mac at any Qatar location on Sunday. Qataris can present their identification cards in any McDonald’s in the country that day to take advantage of the offer.

Kamal Saleh Al Mana, managing director of the Al Mana Restaurant and Food Co. that operates Qatar’s McDonald’s, said the company is proud of its two-decade record of success with the restaurants.

“Our journey in Qatar has been exciting from the first day, and we look forward to introducing even more innovative and service oriented features that will further strengthen our market position,” Al Mana said. “We look forward to celebrating this landmark occasion with all our loyal patrons and employees, who we owe a lot of our success to.”

There are more than 30 McDonald’s restaurants in Qatar which employ more than a thousand people.