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Marrakech – Morocco’s airports are expanding their dining options ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). McDonald’s Morocco opened its 80th restaurant at Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca, while Bacha Coffee launched at Marrakech Airport.
The new McDonald’s outlet operates at Terminal 1, located near boarding gates E1 to E8. The restaurant includes a dedicated children’s play area and offers multilingual service designed for international travelers. McDonald’s Morocco created 95 jobs through this opening, bringing the company’s total workforce to 5,500 employees across Morocco.
“This opening illustrates the acceleration of our development and our long-term commitment to employment, service quality, and supporting the country’s major transformations,” stated Driss El Alami, CEO of McDonald’s Morocco.
The chain plans to create 3,500 additional jobs by 2030. Over the past five years, McDonald’s has opened 30 new restaurants in Morocco, establishing itself as the leading employer in the fast-food sector.
According to their communications, McDonald’s Morocco continues its structured development across the territory to meet evolving customer expectations and strengthen its presence where demand exists. The company maintains focus on quality, accessibility, and sustainable trust in its expansion strategy.
Meanwhile, Bacha Coffee opened at Marrakech airport, offering what Morocco’s National Airports Office (ONDA) describes as a concept combining local identity with modern approaches.
Bacha Coffee is a luxury coffee brand that began in 1910 in Marrakech’s historic Dar el Bacha palace, offering more than 200 varieties of 100% Arabica coffee and a refined café experience rooted in Moroccan heritage and global specialty coffee culture.
These new establishments form part of the airport authority’s strategy to diversify dining options with both international brands and local concepts.
Welcoming Africa through airports
ONDA completely redesigned the food court at Casablanca airport. The spaces were reconfigured to improve passenger flow, increase seating capacity, and create a more welcoming atmosphere.
The renovation aims to transform waiting times into pleasant experiences where dining becomes an asset to the customer journey.
The upgrades provide travelers with broader, higher-quality options ranging from fast food to refined dining concepts, incorporating both local and international choices. These developments specifically target the influx of supporters expected from across Africa and worldwide for AFCON 2025.
The restaurant expansion forms part of ONDA’s comprehensive preparations announced last week under the “Welcome Football, Welcome Fans” campaign launched in collaboration with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Since mid-November, Moroccan airports have been transformed with AFCON-themed installations including giant branded footballs, LED screens displaying tournament colors, and welcoming slogans across terminals.
ONDA installed fan zones across the country’s airports to allow travelers to watch AFCON 2025 matches live during transit and layovers. The specially designed zones enable passengers to follow matches in real-time and experience the tournament atmosphere even while traveling.
The national airport operator mobilized resources to ensure the airport experience meets international standards through modern infrastructure, streamlined services, and diversified dining options.
It also implemented reinforced organizational measures, including multi-language signage, orientation zones, dedicated assistance teams, and continuous operational monitoring to manage expected passenger flows.
The restaurant expansion reflects Morocco’s broader preparation for hosting the continental tournament, which begins Sunday, December 21.
The airport transformations aim to provide positive first impressions for international visitors arriving in Morocco, with ONDA positioning each arrival as “the beginning of a sporting, cultural, and human adventure that brings together the nations of the continent and their supporters.”
