
Quick info
About McDonald's
McDonald's is a fast food restaurant at 48 Leicester Square in London, and it has operated on this spot since 1974. The restaurant sits in a busy tourist area and spreads across more than one floor, with fewer tables upstairs and more downstairs. Music plays on the lower level. The menu runs from porridge at breakfast to the Quarter Pounder with Cheese and the McPlant, with McCafé coffee served alongside. The restaurant opens daily. Customers can also place an order ahead on the MyMcDonald's app.
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Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention iced mango drink, grilled chicken salad, porridge and customer survey freebie.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention iced mango drink, grilled chicken salad, porridge and customer survey freebie.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers split sharply on service at this Leicester Square branch, and order mistakes are the most repeated complaint. One reports an app order that showed as ready but took longer, then arrived without fries, napkins or a straw, with no way to complain without a receipt. Another describes a lost order, ignored requests and no apology. A third says porridge arrived cold, was replaced after a long wait, then came warm in a dirty glass. One calls the grilled chicken salad two small pieces of chicken, and another objects that staff entered survey answers on their phone. A diner says a manager refused to turn down loud music in the downstairs seating. Praise centers on speed despite the crowd: one weekday lunch visitor got food quickly and found a seat. An iced mango drink is singled out, enjoyed outside over the square. One reviewer found the restaurant clean, though the food arrived a little cold. Another was offered a free tea after a spilled drink.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers split sharply on service at this Leicester Square branch, and order mistakes are the most repeated complaint. One reports an app order that showed as ready but took longer, then arrived without fries, napkins or a straw, with no way to complain without a receipt. Another describes a lost order, ignored requests and no apology. A third says porridge arrived cold, was replaced after a long wait, then came warm in a dirty glass. One calls the grilled chicken salad two small pieces of chicken, and another objects that staff entered survey answers on their phone. A diner says a manager refused to turn down loud music in the downstairs seating. Praise centers on speed despite the crowd: one weekday lunch visitor got food quickly and found a seat. An iced mango drink is singled out, enjoyed outside over the square. One reviewer found the restaurant clean, though the food arrived a little cold. Another was offered a free tea after a spilled drink.
Featured reviews
- Marc Stephen
“Zero customer service skills displayed by any of the colleagues serving. An older female (with a white supervisor shirt and a face that looked like it was swollen and stung by a bumble bee) was in the kitchen area and it seemed like she annoyed some people there, she walked away and then one of the colleagues deleted all the orders off the screen and confused everyone. My order was lost, when I asked for help I was ignored several times, eventually a colleague looked at my order slip, no interaction, or anything. Went to the back got my items and handed them over. There was no apology, thank you or goodbye offered. The service there is absolutely the worst I've experienced in any McDonalds I've gone to.”
- Jyo S
“I visited this McDonald’s on 22 June at around 1:50pm. McDonald’s Leicester Square (near IMAX) A staff member (Sisira) approached me and asked if I would complete a customer survey in exchange for a complimentary item. I agreed. She said I could choose either an ice cream or a limited drink, and I requested a lemonade-style iced drink, which she confirmed would be fine. However, instead of allowing me to complete the survey myself, she took my personal phone and entered everything on my behalf. She used a receipt with a code and completed the survey using that, marking all responses as “very satisfied” without me actually answering the questions. I was not in control of my phone during this process, which made it feel inappropriate. I felt a bit hesitant to refuse at the time, which is something I acknowledge I should have been more firm about. I initially assumed it was a standard process, as I have generally had good experiences with McDonald’s before. Afterwards, I was given a Coca-Cola with ice, which was not what I had requested. When I raised this, the manager (Isabella) said only certain items such as ice cream or limited drinks were available, which was not clearly communicated at the beginning. My main concern is that I did not genuinely complete the review myself, as my phone was being handled by staff, and the responses were entered on my behalf. Even though I understand I could have stopped it, I felt uncomfortable and unsure in the moment. Overall, while I do not have an issue with the food or McDonald’s generally, the way the situation was handled felt rushed and the response from staff was quite abrupt and unhelpful. Pls see the CCTV At that time near the entrance where a staff member took my phone for Review”
- Last Mirror
“The iced mango drink was absolutely perfect, especially on a warm evening. Sitting outside with a view over Leicester Square made the whole experience even better. Great atmosphere, friendly service, and definitely one of the best McDonald’s locations in London!”
- Harj Sidhu
“Considering this Maccy D's is in the centre of a tourist hot-spot and is always packed to the rim with customers, the food is served surprisingly fast. I ordered a single meal during my lunch break on a weekday (between 1pm-2pm) and didn't have to wait very long for my order and I even got a seat to sit and eat my meal. If you don't mind the rush and a packed atmosphere then this is a Maccy D's like any other.”
- Miriam Sester Retorta
“There are few tables so we went downstairs where there were more tables available. However, the volume of the background music was extremely high. I kindly asked a collaborator to turn it down a bit. He consulted the manager who said a sonorous NO. Wish this manager worked here all day. So, won’t ever com back.”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Good to know
“About McDonald's 48 Leicester Square City Of Westminster London. Since 1974, McDonald's has been dedicated to serving quality food and quick service, at an affordable price for our customers. Visit McDonald's 48 Leicester Square City Of Westminster London and choose from a menu of favourites, including McCafé® coffee, tasty breakfasts, delicious burgers like our Quarter Pounder®* with Cheese, McPlant, and more! Before you head out, check out the latest offers and order your food ahead on MyMcDonald’s app. Next time you’re looking for a treat, head to McDonald's 48 Leicester Square City Of Westminster London . We look forward to serving you!”
- AccessibilityWheelchair-accessible entrance · Wheelchair-accessible seating · Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Amenities
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Show more amenities
- Accessibility· 3
- Wheelchair-accessible seating
- Wheelchair-accessible toilet
- Wheelchair-accessible car park
Location
Fast food near McDonald's
- KFC London - Leicester Square3.83,4990.1 mi£10–20
naan chicken sandwich, tandoori loaded fries, small chicken pieces
- 0.3 mi
chicken doner wrap, salad doner box, fresh premium kebabs
- 0.5 mi£10–20
good coffee and drinks, wifi and phone charging, allergens shown on ordering machine
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald's | 3.74,296 | — | — | iced mango drink, grilled chicken salad, porridge |
| KFC London - Leicester Square | 3.83,499 | 0.1 mi | £10–20 | naan chicken sandwich, tandoori loaded fries, small chicken pieces |
| Checkpoint Berlin Döner - Soho | 4.7718 | 0.3 mi | — | chicken doner wrap, salad doner box, fresh premium kebabs |
| LEON Strand (Waterloo Bridge) | 4.4192 | 0.5 mi | £10–20 | good coffee and drinks, wifi and phone charging, allergens shown on ordering machine |
The 3 nearest fast food by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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