McDonald's Used To Have Its Own Employee Singing Competition (And We Had No Idea)

Being a global corporation, McDonald's has the resources to do what many other businesses can't. From raising hundreds of millions of dollars for charity to collaborating with celebrities on its jingle and commercials and holding an adventure-style scavenger hunt for golden McRibs, McDonald's does everything big, from its Macs to its promotional campaigns. And those are just the endeavors that attract press. Right at the top of the list of things most don't know about McDonald's is one of their wildest pre-pandemic endeavors to date: A worldwide singing competition.

McDonald's is no stranger to festive flair, as evidenced by seasonal delights like their holiday pies available at the end of every year, though that's not all the wintertime brings. Its former singing competition, dubbed the Voice of McDonald's, was held at the year's end during its tenure, just in time for the holidays. The event began in 2006,  and only grew from there, running through 2019 and eventually involving over 20,000 yearly competitors in the U.S. alone.

Open to all McDonald's employees, the Voice of McDonald's singing event was a worldwide affair. The competition had multiple rounds, with audience members' online votes contributing to 50% of each contestant's score, inviting customers to vote for their favorite employees. The final round took place in Orlando, Florida where the winner was given $25,000 and, in later years, an opportunity to work with professionals in the music industry. Chrislyn Hamilton, the winner in 2012, received significant fame in the form of a recording contract, commercial appearances, voicework for a DreamWorks movie, and a trip to the "American Idol" finals.

McDonald's didn't just reward the winner, either — the second to fourth-place winners also received thousands of dollars. Furthermore, the other finalists were given $3,000, in addition to a $1,000 charity donation in their name and a $500 party. The event was truly global, as there had been finalists from Australia, Germany, Puerto Rico, Canada, Indonesia, and Russia, as well as Japan. They truly went all out for the finals: The top four contestants were accompanied by backup singers and a full orchestra and were judged by big names in entertainment and music. The 2012 judges included the CEO of DreamWorks and a Grammy Award-winning singer. Though a star-studded, companywide phenomenon in its time, the Voice of McDonald's has since disappeared into obscurity.

The Voice of McDonalds is a relic that has begun to fade from the memories of employees and customers alike. The competition website, where customers could vote for their favorite employee singer, is now nonexistent, and its X, formerly known as Twitter, page has been inactive for over a decade. The last known competition was in 2019, which is unsurprising considering the global pandemic that loomed over successive years. With its famous judges and celebrity hosts like Wayne Brady and Chris Daughtry, what once was a massive enterprise has now become a whispered myth, evidence of its existence vanishing with each removed video, deleted forum, and inactive blog.

McDonald's has since held other competitions, including one for Latinx filmmakers, as well as art contests and even other singing tournaments, but none of these grand affairs are employee-centric like the Voice of McDonald's was. While it's unlikely that this post-pandemic era will mark the return of this event, singing will always be a part of McDonald's history, from its competitions to its infamous catchphrase, "I'm lovin' it."