McDonald’s China propels digital transformation with strong API ecosystem management 

McDonald’s China propels digital transformation with strong API ecosystem management

Its API-first approach has facilitated seamless communication between software applications and has promoted operational coherence and efficiency. 
 
To capture the opportunities in a digitalised and connected world, McDonald's China, which is running one of the largest quick-service restaurant chains in the Chinese mainland, has fully embraced the application programming interface (API) digital architecture both internally and externally, becoming a pioneer in implementing the API-first concept in the market. 
 
When it embarked on the design of its new-generation system architecture, the company planned its API Governance Centre and rigorously defined the object domain. It established an API standards and specifications system that aligns with its requirements, guiding the definition, design, and integration of APIs.
 
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is also introduced into McDonald’s China API design governance, establishing an AI architect expert role with API review capabilities leveraging AI prompt engineering and the comprehensive abilities of large models. 
 
In API operation governance, the company supports the configuration and observation of API observability, API traffic control, timeout management, circuit breaking, degrading, and other system stability assurance functions within a hybrid cloud multisite distributed architecture.
  
In the development of API open platform functionalities, an Open API ecosystem is built, providing merchants with standardised capabilities such as product management, order processing, and membership services. These capabilities in the API ecosystem have brought significant improvements to the enterprise’s internal digital delivery efficiency. 
 
On the other hand, for the in-house IT team, standardised and contractual API standards have become the common language for team collaborations, improving research and development efficiency, maintainability, and delivery quality to varying degrees, thereby further accelerating the progress of technology-driven business. 
 
“By adopting the API ecosystem as its digital foundation, McDonald's China, as a restaurant business, possesses sufficient system resilience, scalability, and data assets to capitalise on the benefits of digital development," the company said. 
 
The construction of APIs is not just a change in the single path of technical implementation but also a shift in the philosophy of enterprise digital construction. Overall, the API-first approach decouples not only system development and metadata governance but also process reengineering and application development. 
The process of breaking down service capabilities into microservices also simultaneously reduces the business's dependence on IT platform construction. 
 
The success of the company in enhancing the reusability of APIs and driving the enterprise’s digital transformation initiative has earned them the China Technology Excellence Award in the API - Food & Beverage category. 
 
Now in its fourth edition, the Asian Technology Excellence Awards is the region’s premier awards programme that celebrates top technological innovators and solutions that are redefining industries and leading the charge in digital transformation.

The Asian Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding retail initiatives, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].