McDonald's new uniforms for its U.S. locations are prompting some teasing online, with comments saying the grey-toned shirts and aprons make employees look like they're part of totalitarian regimes.

Among the comparisons being made on social media to an image of the new uniforms: characters from Star Wars and The Hunger Games, and even the North Korean government.

The jokes came after McDonald's Corp. had said earlier that the uniforms would start appearing in April.

The Oak Brook, Ill.-based company had said they were developed based on feedback from employees and customers, and that more than 70 per cent of employees said they would be proud to wear the new uniforms.

The uniforms may be worn by about 850,000 employees in the chain's more than 14,000 U.S. locations.