The Wholesome Reason The McDonald's McRig Was Created
It's kind of jaw-dropping when you find out how many McDonald's restaurants there are in the world (at least 44,000 around the globe, feeding an estimated 68,000,000 customers a day!), but there is, as of this writing, only one McRig. This semi truck emblazoned with the chain's signature Golden Arches is literally offering meals on wheels, as it is a fully functioning McDonald's outpost, albeit with a limited menu. It is the lone McDonald's food truck, as it were.
The McRig was created to help provide food to communities afflicted by natural disasters, although it has also shown up on happier occasions like Coachella. In times of crisis, McDonald's deploys the McRig to serve up free meals to people who might be without facilities or resources to cook their own. In addition, the employees working the mobile kitchen are also served a crew meal and allowed to take an additional free meal home. You won't be able to order premium items like McDonald's new(ish) McCrispy Strips, but miscellaneous burgers (like the QPC, Big Macs, hamburgers, and cheeseburgers), fries, and McNuggets are all possibilities. At breakfast time, sausage biscuits and McGriddles are also typically served up. And, because folks need something sweet in tough times, the McRig can dish up soft serve and cookies. What's more, the rig comes equipped with coffee machines and soda fountains, because we all know McDonald's Coke tastes extra good, no matter the time or place.
Where has the McRig served food?
Floridians hit by hurricanes have welcomed the generosity of McDonald's and its employees when the McRig pulled into town following major storms in the last few years. In 2022, Southwest Florida took a direct hit from Hurricane Ian. The Port Charlotte/Englewood area was, at the time, home to 10 McDonald's stores that were running on limited resources, some with no electricity or with employees who couldn't make it to work due to their homes being destroyed. The McRig occupied the parking lot of one McDonald's location, and workers inside served up burgers, nuggets, apple slices, and water bottles to anyone who needed food.
Then, in 2024, when the back-to-back wallop of Hurricanes Helene and Milton rocked the southeastern U.S., the McRig again sprang into action. First, it posted up in Asheville, North Carolina, then traveled down I-95 to St. Petersburg, Florida. Again, residents could enjoy hot food and cold water free of charge during a scary time when cell service was spotty, roads were closed, homes were flooded, and grocery store shelves were barren ... if the stores were even open at all. It's always heartwarming to see people helping one another in communities affected by disaster, and it's even more encouraging to see a big corporation reaching out to assist its franchisees, employees, and customers in their hour of need.