McDonald's charts 35 years in Portugal in ‘Mac por Portugal’ series

On 21 September 2026, McDonald's Portugal launched ‘Mac por Portugal’, a short documentary series developed in partnership with Grupo Impresa and presented by Carolina Torres. Part of the brand’s 35th-anniversary celebrations in the country, the series explores stories involving suppliers, customers and franchising, placing its ties to Portugal at the heart of the narrative.

Weekly episodes explore the brand’s presence in Portugal

According to a report published by SAPO on 24 September, episodes are broadcast weekly on Portuguese television channels SIC and SIC Notícias. Distribution also includes additional content on the social media channels of Grupo Impresa and McDonald's Portugal, extending the series’ reach beyond television.

Each episode lasts around one minute. The format focuses on specific stories and milestones in the brand’s history, rather than providing an extensive chronology of its operations. Singer and television presenter Carolina Torres hosts the series.

A final episode lasting approximately five minutes is also planned. Available exclusively on the SIC, SIC Notícias and Expresso websites, it will bring together behind-the-scenes footage and some of the series’ highlights. The initiative thus combines short weekly broadcasts with a longer digital overview.

Suppliers and franchising feature in the story

The announced topics include the story of Kagome Foods Portugal, identified as a Portuguese supplier to McDonald's. Its inclusion brings a relationship beyond restaurant service into the documentary: the brand’s ties to its supply chain in Portugal.

The series also explores the story of McDonald's franchisee Jorge Ferraz. For Portugal’s franchising community, this is one of the elements directly linked to the business model: a local operator’s role in the story of a global brand’s development in the country.

The information released does not detail his career or provide performance figures for his operation. Instead, the focus is on his participation as one of the stories chosen to represent the brand’s 35 years in Portugal, alongside those of suppliers and customers.

Another theme is the family tradition McDonald's seeks to foster among its customers in the country. By bringing these perspectives together, the project portrays its Portuguese presence through different relationships with the brand, rather than focusing solely on products or restaurants.

From Porto’s Imperial restaurant to soup on the menu

The Imperial restaurant in Porto is among the landmarks highlighted in the documentary series. The addition of soup to the menu is another of the announced examples, bringing adaptations to Portuguese tastes into the discussion.

Marta Amaro, a manager in the brand’s impact department, explained the intention in a press release: ‘With the “Mac por Portugal” documentary series, we wanted to show how Portugal has become embedded in the company over these 35 years.’

In the same statement, she describes a story that continues to develop every day and seeks to demonstrate how a global brand can acquire a distinctive identity in each country. This is the company’s stated positioning for the project, illustrated in the series through concrete examples of its presence in Portugal.

For the franchising community, these themes highlight a relevant issue: the relationship between a brand’s international identity and the local elements it incorporates. Here, that story is told through a landmark restaurant, menu choices and the people involved in the operation.

Series forms part of wider anniversary celebrations

‘Mac por Portugal’ is part of the celebrations developed under the concept ‘Não há Mac Como o Nosso’ (‘There’s no Mac like ours’). As part of this, the brand relaunched menus inspired by Portuguese cuisine, including the McBifana and McPrego, and published an economic and social impact report.

The campaign also features versions of the ‘Pa-ra-pa-pá-pa’ jingle created by Portuguese artists, alongside a competition inviting fans to produce their own versions. The winning entries will appear in five-second slots before and after each documentary episode, linking audience participation to the series’ broadcasts.

Practical note: for those following the franchising sector, the episodes featuring the franchisee, the Portuguese supplier and menu adaptations offer concrete examples of connections to the Portuguese market. They should be viewed as brand stories, not as indicators of profitability or information about the terms of joining the franchise network.