401(k) Monitor

McDonald's raised its 401(k) automatic enrollment default, effective March 1, 2024

McDonald's raised its 401(k) automatic enrollment default, effective March 1, 2024. Auto-enrollment default for restaurant management employees raised from 1% to 3% of pay.

CompanyMcDonald's
PlanMcDonald's Corporation 401(k) Plan
Effective dateMarch 1, 2024
DirectionStructure change, auto-enrollment
Source filingForm 11-K, filed June 18, 2026, accession 0001104659-26-075561

Source: Form 11-K filed June 18, 2026, accession 0001104659-26-075561 · SEC

What the filing says, word for word

As of March 1, 2024, restaurant management employees are enrolled automatically at a contribution level of 3% of eligible compensation as soon as they have completed one year of service and attained age 21 (the percentage may be changed by the restaurant management employee). Prior to March 1, 2024, the applicable percentage was 1% of eligible compensation. For those auto enrolled participants who do not make investment elections for new contributions to the Plan, all contributions to the Plan, both participant and Company contributions, are invested in the age-appropriate target date fund for participants.

Quoted verbatim from the filing linked above. Spelling and punctuation are the filing’s own.

Where this change comes from

401(k) Monitor reads the employer match, vesting, eligibility and automatic enrollment terms out of each plan’s SEC Form 11-K annual report. A change is recorded only when the filing states it, with the effective date the filing gives.

Other tracked changes

401(k) Monitor, “McDonald's raised its 401(k) automatic enrollment default, effective March 1, 2024”, from SEC Form 11-K accession 0001104659-26-075561 filed June 18, 2026. https://401kmonitor.com/stats/401k-match-changes/mcdonald-s-auto-enrollment-2024-03-01/