South African CEO known for a ‘healthy’ lifestyle eats McDonald’s five times a week

Greg Solomon, CEO of McDonald’s South Africa, truly embodies the brand. Speaking at the recent Hendrik van der Bijl Memorial Lecture, Solomon shared a glimpse into his eating habits, reports the Daily Investor.

The event took place at the University of Pretoria (UP), and was hosted by the South African Academy of Engineering. In partnership with UP’s Faculty of Engineering, they invited Solomon to share his experiences as a business leader and engineer.

“I am eating McDonald’s food around five times a week,” said Solomon, who has been at the helm of McDonald’s SA since 2009.

“I eat a lot of their breakfasts and drink a lot of their coffee. I am a big McCafé user.”

Solomon emphasised his commitment to understanding the health impacts of the food he sold, given his engineering background.

“I have spoken to many groups of medical doctors. Sometimes, it is about knowing what you eat.”

“The best thing we can tell our customers is to know how many calories they consume when they eat a Big Mac.”

McDonald’s stance on vegetarian and vegan options

When asked about McDonald’s stance on plant-based food options, Solomon acknowledged the interest among younger consumers.

He noted that vegetarian and plant-based options currently make up only about 1–2% of McDonald’s business.

Still, he recognised that plant-based alternatives were important for the company’s image, and is interested in pursuing these options.

Despite growing trends, Solomon remains dedicated to McDonald’s traditional menu items like Big Macs, fries, and milkshakes.

“We are a hamburger business with beef and chicken. That is what we want to focus on.”

Under Solomon’s leadership, the fast-food franchise has expanded to nearly 400 locations across South Africa, and employs over 15 000 people.

He went on to explain that while McDonald’s is well positioned, the competitive fast-food landscape is changing.

Their biggest challenge does not come from KFC or Burger King, but rather small businesses run by entrepreneurs.