McDonald's keeps the brand top of mind nationally. Sandlot gives people a reason to choose your restaurants locally — through Local Social Media, Local Store Marketing, PR and community engagement.
McDonald's Owner/Operator organizations served across 32 states.
100%
Of Sandlot's McDonald's work is directly for Owner/Operators.
Why Sandlot
The local gap
Local marketing has to belong to someone.
National and BU partners have broader jobs. Restaurant teams have operations to run. That can leave local social, community partnerships, restaurant promotions and media opportunities spread across several people — or not happening at all.
Sandlot gives Owner/Operators one team to spot the opportunity, build the plan and carry it through.
What we do
We build a platform to help you connect with your community directly. We handle strategy and creative, along with managing posts, comments and complaints. Your team stays focused on running restaurants, not social media.
What's included
›Content calendar and scheduling
›Photo, video and Reel production
›Reviews, messages and comment response
›Creator partnerships
›Paid social support
›Monthly reporting
Selected social media work
Kansas McDonald’s
Celebrating 40 years with Dexter
Sandlot filmed and edited a short profile of a crew member marking forty years with the organization.
96K
Views
476
Comments
McDonald’s of Laredo
Celebrating the teachers who serve Laredo
A teacher appreciation giveaway for the start of school. Guests entered by naming a teacher who deserved it.
1.1K
Comments
661
Reactions
Rodriguez Family McDonald’s
Turning soccer fandom into participation
A World Cup giveaway guests entered by posting a photo of themselves in their team colors.
54
Guest photo entries
325
Reactions
McDonald’s of Laredo
Local creators introducing new drinks
Six Reels from five Laredo creators across two product waves, each on the creator’s own channel.
6
Creator Reels
5
Local creators
O’Reilly Family Restaurants
Celebrating 51 years of local memories
An anniversary post that asked the community to share their own memories of the restaurants.
22
Community memories
Costa Family McDonald’s
Showing what it means to serve locally
A brand video Sandlot wrote, filmed and edited for the organization’s own channel.
We turn restaurant priorities, community partnerships and local moments into campaigns that raise awareness and drive results. These can include product and app promotions, school and community partnerships, and more. We do this through POP materials and collateral around the restaurant, digital ads and other local tactics.
What's included
›Window, drive-thru and kiosk graphics
›Yard signs, banners and bag stuffers
›Counter and menu-side signage
›Print production, shipping and install guides
›Campaign reporting
Selected local store marketing
E.C.C. Enterprises
Storefront windows built around the app
Four panels across the entrance windows, sequenced so a guest reads one message at a time.
Saputo Family McDonald’s
An order point designed to drive app downloads
A full pillar wrap with the QR code placed where guests are already stopped and waiting.
In-restaurant
Rewards explained where guests decide
What points are worth and how to earn them, printed for the counter and the kiosks.
Montes Family McDonald’s
A drive-thru wrap built for Little Havana
Dominoes, congas and palm leaves drawn around the app message for the neighborhood.
Restaurant windows
Windows that point guests to the app and McDelivery
Two panels sized for the window bays: one for the app, one for McDelivery ordering.
We work with you to find opportunities for positive earned media and chances to engage the community. Whether it’s pitching a story to the right media outlets, or coordinating a surprise-and-delight moment in your community, we help plan and execute. Past examples include grand openings, community partnerships, owner and crew stories, product launches and local events.
What's included
›Media lists, press releases and pitching
›Interview prep and spokesperson support
›Event planning and on-site support
›Charity and school partnership coordination
›Coverage tracking and reporting
Selected PR / Community Engagement work
Christian Foods · St. Louis, MO
Take part and send a heart
Guests wrote Valentine’s postcards in the lobby, and the cards went to families at Ronald McDonald House of St. Louis.
Costa Enterprises
A grand opening the town turned out for
Invitations, balloon arches, mascots, local officials and a $1,000 check for the school next door.
The Singelyn Group
A McCafé presence at a community event
The cup cutout, the tent, the yard signs and the giveaway that gave guests a reason to stop.
Additional support when you need it.
These capabilities support the three core services. Open any one to see what it includes.
Design that works inside and outside your restaurant, from external signage promoting hiring campaigns to internal orientation materials and business reviews. You name it and we’ve probably done it.
›Exterior signage, window graphics and POP
›Internal orientation and training materials
›Business review and presentation design
›Print-ready files, production and shipping
Planning, promotion and on-site support for grand openings, community events and restaurant activations.
›Grand openings and ribbon cuttings
›Community events, festivals and school nights
›Mascot appearances and giveaways
›On-site staffing and day-of promotion
Recruitment campaigns with creative that tells your organization’s story and helps it stand out.
›Recruitment campaign creative
›Drive-thru, window and yard signage
›Text-to-apply and QR entry points
›Paid hiring campaigns and landing pages
Hiring work examples
Locally targeted paid campaigns that support promotions, hiring, awareness and traffic goals.
›Paid social by restaurant trade area
›Search and display campaigns
›Creative sized for every placement
›Monthly performance reporting
Local radio, outdoor, print and other market-specific placements when they fit the objective.
›Radio scripts and production
›Outdoor and billboard placements
›Print, direct mail and community sponsorships
›Media buying and negotiation
Organizational websites along with landing pages for campaigns and recruitment.
›Organization websites
›Campaign and giveaway landing pages
›Recruitment and application pages
›Hosting, updates and analytics
See how the work came together.
Meaningful local marketing uses a mix of tactics to drive results. These case studies show how Sandlot combines social, LSM and PR / Community Engagement to support Owner/Operator priorities.
A team that knows your restaurants and owns the work.
You get a named team that knows your restaurants, your GMs, your markets and your calendar. The people who help shape the plan stay close as the work gets done.
A Right-Sized Scope
Some clients rely on Sandlot as their local marketing team. Others bring us in to own one or two areas. We build the scope around what your team already handles well and where you need more capacity.
One Flat Monthly Fee
Sandlot's standard engagements are 12-month agreements with one flat monthly fee. Any additional ad spend or printing costs are always preapproved.
Built for the McDonald's System
With more than a decade working directly with McDonald's Owner/Operators, we understand restaurant realities, brand standards and how what we do locally fits into the BU and OPNAD marketing plan.
We do the work. Your organization gets the credit.
“
For years, Sandlot has been an incredible partner. They've helped us localize the Arches and build a strong connection between the McDonald's brand and our community.
Danielle MarascoMcDonald's Owner/Operator
Getting started
From the first conversation to ongoing execution.
Getting started begins with a short conversation. From there, we build the scope, assign the team and start with the priorities already on your calendar.
01
Intro Call
We learn about your restaurants, your organization and the unique opportunities you have to stand out locally.
02
Scope and Strategy
After the scope is signed, we build a plan specific to your organization, set priorities and metrics, and define what our team will own.
03
Ongoing Execution
Our team owns the execution without generating more work for you. We track the results and report on a regular basis so we can adapt and improve.
Questions Owner/Operators usually ask us.
The BU PR agency supports broader McDonald's stories across a large geography. Sandlot works directly for your Owner/Operator organization, so we can focus on your restaurants, your people, your community partners and opportunities that may be too specific for a BU-wide program.
We also work beyond PR, including Local Social Media, Local Store Marketing, hiring, events, creative and paid media. We regularly work alongside BU PR and advertising agencies — Sandlot does not replace those relationships.
Yes. Some clients rely on Sandlot as their local marketing team. Others bring us in to own one or two areas, such as Local Social Media, Local Store Marketing or PR / Community Engagement.
The flexibility is in the scope of work. Sandlot's standard engagement is still a 12-month agreement with one flat monthly fee.
Pricing depends on the number of restaurants and markets involved and how much of the work our team owns. After one conversation, we can recommend a scope and give you a clear price.
We use approved assets, design for the actual restaurant environment and work through the approval process that applies to the project. The goal is to make the Arches matter locally without fighting the system.
Timing depends on the scope and what is already on your calendar. Once the scope and agreement are set, we begin with your priorities, access and upcoming opportunities. We will identify what can move quickly and what needs more lead time during the first conversation.
Let's talk about your restaurants.
Taylor BufordCEO, Sandlot + Co.
Quick question? Text Taylor.
This goes straight to Taylor Buford, Sandlot's CEO, on his iPhone.
Local Social Media + Creator Partnerships + Paid Social · McDonald's of Laredo
A local social presence built around locally relevant content, community engagement and LSM.
The opportunity
McDonald's of Laredo was already active in the community. They hired Sandlot to tell that story on social media and build on the things they were already doing through local campaigns.
What Sandlot did
In addition to managing ongoing social and LSM from idea through execution, Sandlot built tailored local campaigns around priority moments. One example:
2.3M
Facebook impressions
446K
Instagram impressions
10.5%
Facebook engagement rate
Past 6 months. Reported by McDonald's of Laredo from Facebook and Instagram insights.
McCrispy Strips
For the McCrispy Strips launch, Sandlot partnered with local influencers and media personalities to introduce the product across Laredo.
Sandlot briefed and managed both creator partnerships, from product angle through approval and posting. Both Reels are embedded from the creators’ own Instagram accounts.
PR + Local Store Marketing + Social · Singelyn Group McDonald's, Western New York
How one Bills giveaway reached guests in the restaurant, on social and in the news.
The opportunity
Singelyn Group McDonald's had two tickets to the Bills home opener and wanted to turn them into a campaign that reached beyond a one-off social giveaway.
How it worked
Eligible guests could enter free online. Guests who made a qualifying purchase at a participating restaurant could submit their receipt for an additional entry.
What Sandlot did
Sandlot developed the campaign creative, designed the restaurant flyers and bag stuffers, supported the organization's social promotion and created press releases for the media.
What happened
The campaign earned local and national pickup, with coverage extending through USA Today, Yahoo Sports and MSN.
10
Tracked media mentions
52.5M
Potential online audience
$2.36M
Estimated publicity value
USA Today, Yahoo Sports + MSN
National pickup
In the restaurant · window flyer
In the bag · bag stuffer
Local coverage · News 8 WROC
Social promotion · Singelyn Group
Source: Critical Mention, September 2, 2026. Audience represents potential online audience, not actual impressions. Publicity value was estimated by Critical Mention using Nielsen and SQAD data.
Creator Marketing + Local Social Media + PR · Kansas McDonald's, Beverage Launch
How we localized the launch of McDonald's new beverages.
The opportunity
Kansas Owner/Operators wanted the new beverage launch to feel relevant to different local audiences.
What Sandlot did
Sandlot built a local creator campaign around three distinct Kansas audiences and extended the launch through earned media in Topeka.
What happened
The creator work generated local views and engagement, while earned media extended the campaign through two local television segments.
52,576
Combined Reels and TikTok views
6,119
Likes, comments and shares
2 segments
Local TV, 50,000+ combined estimated viewers
Creator Reel · Kansas beverage launchOne of the three creator partnerships built for the launch, embedded from the published Instagram post. Sandlot handled creator selection, the product angle, approvals and the posting schedule.View on Instagram ↗
Earned media · WIBW, Topeka
Earned media · FOX 43, Topeka
Restaurant activation · Sprite Berry Blast
Restaurant activation · McCafe beverage
On a $2,000 creator budget: $0.04 per view and $0.33 per engagement. Creator views and estimated television viewers are counted separately.
Dexter has worked in the organization for forty years. Sandlot filmed and edited a short profile of him and published it on the organization’s Facebook channel for the anniversary. It became the organization’s most-watched piece of local content, with hundreds of comments from guests and former crew.
Concept, filming, editing, copy, publishing and comment moderation on the organization’s channel.
Views reported by the operator organization from page insights. Comments and shares are the counters shown on the published post.
Views
Comments
Shares
Celebrating the teachers who serve Laredo
A teacher appreciation giveaway built for the start of the school year. Guests entered by naming a teacher who deserved it. Guests answered with 1.1K comments naming teachers across the city, and the organization picked the winners from those entries.
Campaign idea, artwork, post copy, entry mechanic, comment moderation and winner coordination.
Reaction, comment and share counts read from the published post.
Comments
Reactions
Shares
Turning local creators into local product awareness
Six Reels from five Laredo creators across two product waves. Each creator introduced the drink to their own audience in their own voice, on their own channel.
Creator selection, briefing, product angle, approvals and posting schedule for both waves.
Instagram hides likes and view counts on some creator accounts, so per-Reel metrics are not shown where the account does not expose them.
Creator Reels
Local creators
Product waves
The lead Reel of the Dragonberry wave. Marcela tries the Dragonberry Energizer on camera and tells her Laredo audience where to get one.
Azul frames the drink as an afternoon pick-me-up for her followers in Laredo.
Karla brings the Dragonberry Energizer into her beauty and lifestyle feed, reaching an audience the brand channel does not.
Gigi runs the drink through a first-taste reaction, the format her audience already expects from her.
Tutu closes the Dragonberry wave with a day-in-the-life stop at the restaurant.
The second wave. Marcela returns for the Refreshers line, giving the campaign a familiar face across both launches.
Turning soccer fandom into customer participation
A World Cup giveaway where guests entered by posting a photo of themselves in their team colors. Sandlot created the promotional graphic and the entry mechanic, and guests filled the comments with their own photos.
Campaign idea, artwork, entry mechanic, post copy and comment moderation.
Reaction, comment and share counts read from the published post. Guest photo entries counted from the comment thread.
Guest photo entries
Reactions
Shares
Celebrating 51 years of local memories
The post marked the organization’s 51st anniversary and asked the community for their own memories of the restaurants. Twenty-two people answered with stories of their own, and Sandlot replied to each one on the organization’s behalf.
Anniversary concept, artwork, post copy and comment response.
Community memories counted from the comment thread on the published post.
Community memories
Showing what it means to serve locally
A brand video for the organization’s own channel: the owner, the crew, the restaurants and the community they serve. Sandlot wrote, filmed and edited it, and the organization uses it as the introduction on its own channel.
Script, direction, filming, edit, music and delivery for social.
Storefront windows built around the app
Four panels across the entrance windows, sized to the building and sequenced so a guest reads one message at a time: the offer, the app, the deals, the points.
Four McDonald’s storefront window panels promoting app-y hour, downloading the app, exclusive deals and earning points
An order point designed to drive app downloads
A full wrap on the order pillar, with the QR code placed where guests are already stopped and waiting. Sandlot designed, printed and shipped it for installation.
A drive-thru order-point pillar wrapped in Download the App, Unlock Rewards artwork with a QR code
Rewards explained where guests decide
Guest education at the point of ordering: what points are worth and how to earn them, printed for the counter and the ordering kiosks.
In-restaurant sign explaining McDonald’s Rewards point values and prompting guests to download the app
A drive-thru wrap built for Little Havana
The same drive-thru real estate, drawn for its neighborhood: dominoes, congas and palm leaves around the app message.
A McDonald’s drive-thru pillar wrapped in Little Havana artwork with dominoes, congas and palm leaves
Windows that point guests to the app and McDelivery
Two panels sized for the window bays: one for the app, one for McDelivery ordering through Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub.
Two McDonald’s window panels, one promoting the app with a QR code and one promoting McDelivery through Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub
Take part and send a heart
Valentine’s Day gave the organization a reason to do something for families at Ronald McDonald House of St. Louis. Guests wrote messages on postcards during their visit, and the completed cards were delivered to families whose children were receiving care at area hospitals. Sandlot built the activation, designed the postcards and the promotional touchpoints, and pitched the story locally.
Coverage across local broadcast networks
Highlighted at the corporate level as an example of local impact
Engagement across the organization’s own social channels
A Take Part and Send a Heart Valentine’s poster and postcard created with Ronald McDonald House Charities
A grand opening the town turned out for
Sandlot planned and promoted the opening of the new Navarre restaurant: invitations to the community and media list, balloon arches, mascot appearances, local officials and a $1,000 check for the school next door.
Owners, guests, Grimace and Birdie under a balloon arch with a one thousand dollar check for West Navarre Intermediate School
A grand opening invitation for the new Navarre McDonald’s, with a gold ribbon forming the arches
A McCafé presence at a community event
An event presence Sandlot planned and staffed: the cup cutout, the tent, the yard signs and the giveaway that gave guests a reason to stop.
A large McCafé cup cutout and event tent set up on a lawn at a community event, with guests walking past
Grow your career at Hogan Family McDonald’s
A recruitment poster built around the organization’s own crew and name, sized for restaurant windows and job fairs.
A Grow Your Career at Hogan Family McDonald’s recruitment poster featuring a crew member in uniform
A golden future starts here
Hiring creative in the drive-thru, with a text-to-apply code so a guest in line can start an application from the car.
A drive-thru pillar wrapped in A Golden Future Starts Here hiring artwork with a text-to-apply code
Now hiring, wrapped around the order point
The same drive-thru real estate used for recruitment during a hiring push, then returned to promotional artwork afterward.
A McDonald’s drive-thru order-point pillar wrapped in Now Hiring artwork
A hiring campaign built on crew stories
Campaign creative carried across restaurant signage, social and paid ads, all pointing to the same text-to-apply entry point.
Hiring campaign artwork for Hogan Family McDonald’s featuring crew photography and a text-to-apply prompt
