30 additional fast food restaurants have been planned to be constructed by McDonald's in New Zealand and during the next three years it would also employ another 6000 staff.

Local managing director Mark Hawthorne told that in the year 2009 the chain will open 10 new outlets.  

He further informed that this year approximately $100 million would be spent by the company and its franchisees on constructing new stores and refurbishing existing ones.

In the previous month McDonald's reported 7% raise in same-store sales for the three months to March, on the back of 10 % increase in 2008.
 
Of 143 existing stores of the chain, nearly half of them are open 24 hours, which Mr. Hawthorne said had contributed enormously to the increase in sales.

Mr. Hawthorne said that there were locations around the country where competitors had outlets and McDonald's did not and the company would like to change that to gain bigger market share.

(Via TopNews New Zealand. Contributed by Tangaroa Snell)