McDonald's announces new restaurants in Zagreb and Kaštela

McDonald's plans to open two more restaurants in Croatia by the end of 2026, one in Zagreb and the other in Kaštela. Pavel Pavliček, managing director of McDonald's Croatia, announced the plans in an interview published by Novosti.hr on 14 November, following the first week of trading at the new restaurant in Vinkovci.

Zagreb and Kaštela next on the expansion map

The two planned openings provide a concrete update on the network's continued expansion in the year McDonald's marks 30 years of operating in Croatia. Following its arrival in Vinkovci, the company's expansion plans for the remainder of the year cover the capital and Kaštela, in Split-Dalmatia County.

Pavliček confirmed the planned cities, but the published interview did not include exact opening dates, addresses or investment figures for the new restaurants. The announcement should therefore be viewed as the company's plan for the end of the year, rather than confirmation that the new premises are already ready to welcome customers.

For Croatia's franchise community, this is another development to follow as one of the most recognisable international brands expands in the local market. The news concerns the growth of the restaurant network: it is neither an invitation to apply for a franchise nor an offer for entrepreneurs to take on the announced locations.

What determines the choice of city

Explaining the decision to open in Vinkovci, Pavliček highlighted several criteria the company uses when planning its expansion. These include interest from local residents, sufficient market potential and favourable conditions for long-term operations.

According to Pavliček, Vinkovci had been of interest as a potential new location for some time. Alongside the city's history and traditions, he highlighted its role as an economic, transport and social hub in eastern Croatia. The company concluded that it had secured the conditions needed to open there.

This explanation offers a more useful insight into location decisions than restaurant numbers alone. The focus is not simply on brand recognition, but also on assessing the area in which a restaurant will operate. Customer interest is one criterion, alongside market potential and the conditions needed to sustain operations over the long term.

However, the criteria cited for Vinkovci do not amount to a detailed analysis of the Zagreb or Kaštela locations. In the published interview, Pavliček did not give separate explanations for choosing those two sites. His comments therefore do not establish what restaurant formats are planned or which parts of the local markets they will primarily serve.

Vinkovci offers an early look at the latest investment

The interview took place after the first week of trading at the Vinkovci restaurant, a milestone opening as McDonald's 50th restaurant in Croatia. Around €4 million was invested in the site, creating approximately 80 jobs.

Pavliček said he was pleased with initial visitor numbers and the response from customers. Among the notable moments from the first few days, he mentioned horse riders visiting the McDrive drive-through, linking the scene to local traditions. Novosti.hr also reports that the restaurant is attracting residents from surrounding towns and municipalities, as well as visitors from neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina.

These reports describe initial interest, but do not provide a basis for assessing the restaurant's long-term performance. The interview included no figures for turnover, transaction volumes or profitability. Management's satisfaction with the early signs should therefore be distinguished from measurable business results over a longer period.

Similarly, the investment and staffing figures for Vinkovci should not automatically be applied to the future restaurants in Zagreb and Kaštela. No such figures were given for those sites, so the only details currently available are the cities and the planned opening deadline of the end of the year.

Slavonia remains a potential area for further growth

Pavliček said that McDonald's currently operates at five locations in Slavonia, a region in eastern Croatia. He also expressed hope that the company would have opportunities to expand into other cities in the region in future.

This statement does not announce a specific new restaurant in Slavonia. Unlike Zagreb and Kaštela, no additional cities or timescales were named. It is therefore important to distinguish the confirmed plan for two openings from the broader intention to explore opportunities for further growth.

For entrepreneurs in the franchise community, the most useful aspect of this announcement is the combination of concrete plans and clearly stated location criteria. Practical takeaway: when assessing your own expansion plans, examine customer interest, market potential and the conditions for long-term operations, and do not mistake initial footfall for proof of business viability.