Mcdonalds Corporation and Subsidiaries 401(k) Review & Grade
Mcdonald's Corporation 401(k) Plan
Chicago, ILAccommodation & Food Services23,536 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,831Employer $ per active participant
$2,980Employee $ saved per active participant
0.05%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$3.7BNet plan assets, end of year
$206,282Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity45.0 / 5090th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost18.4 / 2574th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving12.4 / 1582th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score76 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Accommodation & Food Services plans with 10,000+ active participants (41 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 90th |
| Lower admin cost | 74th |
| Employee saving | 82th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 24% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($3,261 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Mcdonalds Corporation and Subsidiaries put in about $1,831 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($393). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $43,092,014 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $70,131,063 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $14,283,494 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,763,458 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $1,522,654 |
| Benefits paid out | $471,167,502 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $3.8B / $3.7B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 23,029 / 24,044 |
| Participants with account balances | 18,131 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Crowe LLP |
| Employer stock held by plan | $1,443,882,083 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Advised Assets Group, LLC | $844,754 reported compensation |
| Aon Hewitt Investment Consultants | $514,000 reported compensation |
| Goldman Sachs Asset Management LP | $237,742 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251001111800NAL0005895203001, received 2025-10-01, EIN 36-2361282, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.