Meaningful Change from Spare Change: A Multi-Stakeholder Relationship Management Analysis of McDonald’s Round-Up Campaign

This qualitative case study examined how a local Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) chapter executed an outreach campaign for McDonald’s “Round-Up for RMHC” point-of-sale (POS) initiative by cultivating relationships with owner-operators, managers, and frontline crewmembers. Drawing on in-depth interviews (N = 13) and qualitative analysis of internal campaign documents (n = 10), results demonstrated that the five dimensions of relationship management theory (RMT)—trust, openness, involvement, investment, and commitment—functioned as practical levers that were strategically engaged and nurtured. Frontline communication at the register emerged as the critical enactment point for CSR, while mid-level managers provided continuity via accountability routines and champion promotion; owner-operators’ adoption accelerated once operational concerns were addressed. The relationship-centered strategy coincided with Round-Up proceeds increasing from ~$50,000 (2021) to ~$770,000 (2024). Conceptually, the study extends RMT to a meso-level, showing how nonprofit–corporate partnerships embed a cause into everyday retail culture. Practically, generalizable and implementable design strategies are highlighted for employee-driven CSR: sustained presence, local impact framing, recognition rituals, and lightweight governance structures that maintain CSR momentum.