McDonald’s has confirmed that its new drive-thru restaurant in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, is scheduled to open on Wednesday, August 19th, 2026.
The opening will come almost one year after An Coimisiún Pleanála issued its final approval for the controversial development, bringing a lengthy planning process and months of local debate to an end.
The new restaurant is being constructed on a former industrial site at the junction of Slievenamon Road and the now once again delayed “Thurles Relief Road“, close to the Lidl supermarket and approximately 700 metres from Thurles town centre.
Plans provide for a single-storey restaurant measuring almost 479 square metres, together with a drive-thru lane, customer-ordering points, digital menu boards, car parking, accessible spaces, electric-vehicle charging bays and bicycle parking.
The development will also include outdoor seating, landscaping, lighting, signage, an electricity substation and changes to the existing vehicle entrance from the relief road.
Recruitment Begins Ahead of August Launch.
McDonald’s has begun recruiting full-time and part-time staff members for the new Thurles restaurant.
The recruitment advertisement confirms the August 19th opening date and states that successful applicants will receive paid training at other nearby McDonald’s restaurants during the weeks leading up to the launch. Advertised hourly pay for some adult employees is up to €14.25, depending on age and the terms of the new positions.
The recruitment drive is expected to create a significant number of new low paid hospitality jobs in the Thurles area, although the company has not publicly confirmed the restaurant’s total anticipated workforce.
Plans Attracted More Than 20 Objections.
McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland submitted its planning application for the Thurles development in September 2024.
The proposal proved controversial from the beginning, attracting more than 20 objections from residents and other interested parties.
Concerns raised during the initial planning process included the location of the outlet, traffic levels, road safety, litter, noise, opening hours and the proximity of the proposed restaurant to residential properties and childcare facilities.
Some objectors also raised public-health concerns relating to fast food and childhood obesity.
The development was originally intended to operate around the clock. However, permission ultimately restricted its opening hours to between 6am and 10pm, meaning the Thurles restaurant will not be permitted to trade on a 24-hour basis.
Tipperary County Council initially sought additional information from the applicant, including further details concerning traffic and the proposed operation of the development.
Documents submitted during that stage included an analysis indicating that the site would have space for a queue of approximately 32 vehicles, before waiting traffic would potentially reach the adjoining public road.
Council Permission Was Appealed
Tipperary County Council granted permission for the restaurant, subject to conditions, on April 9th, 2025.
That decision was subsequently appealed to the national planning authority by a third party, while a number of additional observations were submitted for consideration.
An Coimisiún Pleanála examined issues including traffic and pedestrian safety, flood risk, residential amenity, visual impact, town-centre development and the site’s proximity to the River Suir and the Lower River Suir Special Area of Conservation.
The Commission issued its decision on August 26th, 2025, upholding the council’s decision and granting permission with revised conditions.
In its formal order, the planning body determined that the development would not seriously damage the amenities of nearby properties or create unacceptable risks in relation to public health, flooding, traffic, pedestrian safety or visual amenity.
It also considered the mixed-use zoning of the former industrial land, Thurles’s status as a key regional town and the planning policies applying to the area.
Construction Work Underway
Site-clearance activity began in early 2026, allowing construction of the restaurant and associated infrastructure to proceed.
Information published locally indicated that the principal works were expected to take place between February and July, leaving several weeks for completion, staff training and final preparations before the planned August opening.
The development represents the latest chapter in efforts to bring a McDonald’s outlet to the former Erin Foods lands. A previous application connected to a proposed drive-thru restaurant at the wider site was submitted as far back as 2020 but was deemed incomplete shortly afterwards.
While the current project has continued to divide opinion locally, the August opening will introduce one of the world’s largest fast-food brands to Thurles and hopefully provide new employment opportunities for the town
For supporters, the development represents investment, additional consumer choice and the productive reuse of former industrial land.
For critics, concerns about traffic, litter, public health, late-evening activity and the effect of drive-thru development on the character of the area remain.
Barring any construction or operational delays, the first customers are expected to be welcomed through the doors of the new Thurles McDonald’s on August 19th.
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