McHappy Day comes to McDonald’s Ballymena to support families with seriously ill children
Monday 21 September 2026
McDonald’s customers in Ballymena will be able to help families with seriously ill children simply by ordering a qualifying meal this Saturday, as the restaurant chain brings McHappy Day to Northern Ireland for the first time.
The fundraising day takes place on Saturday 26 September, with £1 from every qualifying main menu meal sold at participating restaurants donated to Ronald McDonald House charities.
Money raised will help provide free accommodation close to hospitals for families whose children are receiving treatment, allowing parents and relatives to remain near their child while reducing some of the financial and practical pressures of lengthy hospital stays.
How customers can support McHappy Day
The £1 donation will apply to qualifying main menu meals, including orders placed in restaurants and eligible home delivery orders through the McDonald’s App, Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat.
According to Ronald McDonald House UK, qualifying meals include selected main menu meals but exclude breakfast and Saver Menu meals. Participating restaurants only.
Customers will also be able to buy a limited-edition reversible Grimace Beanie for £5 from restaurant kiosks or through the McDonald’s App for collection, with proceeds from sales supporting the charity.
McDonald’s says its restaurants across Northern Ireland will also stage their own fundraising activities, with events varying between locations.
Keeping families close to their children
Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland support families whose children require hospital treatment by providing accommodation close to their child’s ward.
Ronald McDonald House UK says its 14 Houses supported 8,488 families during 2025, saving families more than 10 million miles of travel while their children were seriously ill or injured.
Lauren Schultz, CEO at McDonald's UK & Ireland
Lauren Schultz, CEO at McDonald’s UK & Ireland, said:
“McHappy Day® is something millions of McDonald’s customers around the world have been part of for decades, and we’re incredibly proud to be bringing it to Ireland for the first time this year.
“Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland provide truly extraordinary support, meaning that when a family’s world is turned upside down by a child’s illness, they can be right there by their child’s side at no cost to them as a family.
“McHappy Day® will help to fund those houses and give more families the chance to stay together during one of the hardest experiences imaginable. It’s only possible through the generosity of our customers, Franchisees and supply partners - every meal purchased on Saturday 26th September, every beanie bought, will help to make a genuine difference to families who need it most.”
Support when families need it most
Ella Joseph, CEO at Ronald McDonald House UK, said:
“We’re so excited to be part of the very first UK McHappy Day®. The families who stay with us are often facing the unimaginable - juggling a seriously ill child and the prospect of weeks or months away from home, while trying to hold everything together.
“The support McDonald’s, its customers and suppliers will provide to us through McHappy Day® means we can be there for those families, when they need us most.”
Joe Kenny, CEO at Ronald McDonald House Ireland, said:
“When a child is in hospital, having their family nearby can make all the difference. The funds raised through McHappy Day® help us keep families close when they need each other most.
“On behalf of the families we support, I want to thank McDonald’s, its Franchisees, crew members, suppliers and customers for their incredible commitment to helping families stay together during difficult times. Their support helps ensure families can remain close to their child when they need each other most.”
Fundraising across Northern Ireland
McDonald’s says its franchisees and suppliers are also supporting the initiative through additional donations and fundraising activities, including donations linked to sales of selected products on McHappy Day.
The company has operated in Northern Ireland since 1991 and says more than 4,500 people are employed locally.
McHappy Day takes place on Saturday 26 September. Customers can find out more about the charities and their work through the Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland websites. For the UK charity, visit ronaldmcdonaldhouse.org.uk, or for Ireland visit ronaldmcdonaldhouse.ie.
