May 14, 2021: -McDonald’s is raising the wages per hour for its U.S. company-owned restaurants as the fast-food chain looks is hiring 10,000 workers for those locations.

The broader restaurant industry faces a labor crunch. Lesser people are coming back to the workforce than expected, and eateries try to meet consumer demand as it returns. The announcements of hiring that usually arrive in the spring and summer have been accompanied this year by news of wage hikes, referral and retention bonuses, and other enhanced benefits. For example, Chipotle Mexican Grill said its average per hour wage would be $15 by June end.

Workers at company-owned locations of Mcdonald’s will see pay raises of an average of 10% in the coming months. Entry-level employees will make $11 to $17 per hour based on the location, and shift managers will be making $15 to $20 an hour.

McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger said, “Together with our franchisees, we face a challenging hiring environment, and staying ahead means we must constantly renew our commitment to offering one of the leading employment packages in the industry.”

McDonald’s expects the average wage for employees of its company-owned restaurants will be $15 per hour by 2024, based on the current labor market.

However, these increases will not directly impact workers who restaurants owned by McDonald’s franchisees employ. The big fast-food franchise 95% of its U.S. restaurants.