McDonald’s is about to look very different over the next couple of years. The fast food chain just announced some seriously big plans that will change how many of us grab our burgers and fries. From thousands of new restaurants popping up around the world to a completely new drink menu being tested right now, the Golden Arches is getting ready for its biggest transformation in company history. And if you thought your local McDonald’s was busy before, just wait until you see what’s coming.
Over 8,000 new McDonald’s restaurants opening worldwide
Remember when you used to have to drive across town to find a McDonald’s? Those days are about to become even more distant memories. McDonald’s CEO announced the company will open more than 8,000 new locations by the end of 2027. That’s right, eight thousand new restaurants in just a few years. This represents the fastest growth period in McDonald’s entire history, which stretches back to 1940. The company currently has about 41,800 locations worldwide, and they’re pushing hard to hit 50,000 restaurants globally by late 2027.
Most of these new spots won’t be in the United States though. Only about 900 of these new restaurants are planned for America, while the rest will open in international markets. China is getting a huge chunk of these new locations as McDonald’s battles against a Chinese company called Mixue Bingcheng, which actually overtook McDonald’s as the world’s largest fast food chain in 2024. The company isn’t just sitting around letting competitors take their crown. They’re fighting back with an aggressive expansion that will put McDonald’s within reach of millions more customers who’ve never had easy access to a Big Mac before.
New beverage platform testing in 500 locations
Your McDonald’s drink options might get way more interesting soon. The company is currently testing a completely new beverage menu in more than 500 restaurants across Colorado and Wisconsin. We’re not talking about just adding another soda option either. This test includes cold coffees, refreshers, crafted sodas, and energy-based drinks. McDonald’s CEO mentioned that the beverage category globally is worth more than 100 billion dollars and growing much faster than regular fast food sales. The company tried this idea first with a spinoff concept called CosMc’s, but that didn’t work out. Now they’re bringing the best ideas directly into regular McDonald’s restaurants.
Early results from this test are apparently exceeding expectations. People are coming to McDonald’s at different times of day just for these drinks, and they’re spending more money when they add these beverages to their orders. The company is watching closely to see if they can make these drinks without slowing down service or making things too complicated for workers. They’re also trying to figure out the right prices so the drinks feel like a good deal compared to specialty coffee shops or other chains. If everything goes well in Colorado and Wisconsin, expect to see these new drink options spreading to McDonald’s locations nationwide and maybe even around the world.
Better burgers rolling out almost everywhere
McDonald’s knows people come for the burgers, and they’re making big changes there too. The company has something called the Best Burger initiative, which includes improvements to how they make their most popular sandwiches. McDonald’s plans to deploy this upgraded burger system to nearly all markets around the world by 2026. What does this mean for you? Expect your burgers to taste fresher, hotter, and overall better than they do now. The changes involve how they cook the patties, toast the buns, and assemble everything together.
The company has seventeen menu items that each bring in over a billion dollars in sales every year. The Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, and Chicken McNuggets lead the pack, representing about 65 percent of all McDonald’s sales worldwide. Instead of constantly chasing trendy new menu items, McDonald’s is focusing on making these classic favorites even better. Some locations have already rolled out these improvements, and customers have noticed the difference. The burgers come out hotter because of changes in the kitchen workflow, and the overall quality feels more consistent from one visit to the next. By 2026, pretty much every McDonald’s should have these improvements in place.
McCrispy chicken expanding to nearly every country
Chicken is becoming just as important to McDonald’s as beef. The company now sells about as much chicken as it does burgers, which is pretty incredible considering McDonald’s built its reputation on hamburgers. The McCrispy chicken sandwich has been a huge hit wherever it launched, and McDonald’s wants to offer McCrispy in nearly all markets around the world by the end of 2025. But they’re not stopping there. By 2026, they plan to expand McCrispy into wraps and tenders, giving people even more ways to enjoy this crispy chicken.
This focus on chicken makes sense when you look at how much people love chicken sandwiches and tenders these days. Other chains have seen massive success with chicken, and McDonald’s isn’t about to let them have all the fun. The chicken category is growing fast, and McDonald’s already has billion-dollar chicken products like McNuggets, McChicken, and McSpicy working in their favor. Adding more McCrispy options gives them another weapon in the chicken wars. Whether you want a sandwich, a wrap for lunch, or tenders to share, McDonald’s wants to be your first choice for chicken by 2026.
Google Cloud technology coming to thousands of restaurants
McDonald’s is teaming up with Google to bring new technology into their kitchens. Starting in 2024 and continuing through 2026, thousands of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide will get connected to Google Cloud technology. This isn’t just about having faster wifi for customers. The system will help managers quickly spot problems with equipment before it breaks down completely. Ever shown up to McDonald’s only to find out the ice cream machine is broken? This technology aims to reduce those frustrating moments by alerting managers when equipment needs attention.
The technology will also use artificial intelligence to help make kitchen operations smoother and faster. For customers, this should mean fresher, hotter food and shorter wait times. For workers, it means less confusion and complexity in their daily tasks. The system will connect all the different digital platforms McDonald’s uses, from the mobile app to the in-store kiosks to the loyalty program. Everything will run on one universal software system, making it easier for McDonald’s to roll out new features and menu items without creating headaches for restaurant staff. By 2026, this technology should be working behind the scenes at McDonald’s locations worldwide.
Loyalty program growing to 250 million active users
McDonald’s already has one of the world’s largest loyalty programs with 150 million active users. But they’re not satisfied with that. The company wants to grow that number to 250 million active users by 2027. If you’re not already using the McDonald’s app to order and earn points, you’re missing out on deals and free food. The loyalty program currently brings in over 20 billion dollars in sales, and McDonald’s expects that number to jump to 45 billion dollars annually by 2027. That’s more than double what they’re making from loyalty members now.
The app will get better too. McDonald’s is working on something called Ready On Arrival, which they’re testing in the United States and plan to expand to their six biggest markets by 2025. This feature lets workers start making your food before you even get to the restaurant after you place a mobile order. No more waiting around for ten minutes after you arrive. The food will be fresh and ready right when you walk in or pull up to the drive-thru. McDonald’s also wants 30 percent of all delivery orders to come through their app instead of third-party delivery services by 2027, which could mean better deals for customers who order directly.
More drive-thru lanes making service faster
McDonald’s has more than 27,000 drive-thru locations worldwide, making it the biggest drive-thru player in the fast food business. But having a drive-thru isn’t enough anymore. The company is adding extra lanes to many of their drive-thrus to handle more cars at once. You’ve probably noticed some newer McDonald’s locations have two or even three lanes where you can order. This isn’t just about looking fancy. More lanes mean more customers can get through faster, which means less time sitting in your car waiting for a Quarter Pounder.
These improvements to drive-thru layouts create more capacity during busy times like lunch and dinner rushes. McDonald’s did the smart thing decades ago by locking down prime real estate locations before other chains could grab them. Now they’re making those locations work even harder by improving the physical setup. The changes lead to better sales and happier customers who don’t have to wait as long. By 2026, many more McDonald’s locations will have these upgraded drive-thru setups. If you rely on drive-thru for quick meals, these changes should make your life noticeably easier.
Delivery orders moving to the McDonald’s app
McDonald’s does massive delivery business, with 55,000 orders being prepared and delivered at any given moment around the world. Right now, most people order McDonald’s delivery through third-party apps like Uber Eats or DoorDash. But McDonald’s wants 30 percent of delivery orders to come through their own app by 2027. Why does this matter to you? Ordering directly through the McDonald’s app usually means better prices because the company doesn’t have to pay fees to delivery services. Those savings could get passed along to customers.
The McDonald’s app already offers delivery in five of their biggest markets, and they’re expanding this capability to more countries. Ordering through the McDonald’s app also means your loyalty points and rewards all stay in one place. You won’t have to juggle multiple apps or miss out on points because you ordered through a different service. The app will connect better with restaurant systems too, which should result in more accurate orders and better communication about when your food will arrive. By 2026, expect to see more promotions and deals that are only available when you order delivery through the McDonald’s app directly.
New universal software connecting everything together
Starting in 2024, McDonald’s is rolling out brand new software that will run all their digital platforms. This includes the mobile app, the loyalty program, in-store kiosks, and everything else digital at McDonald’s. Right now different systems run different parts of the McDonald’s experience, which can create problems and inconsistencies. The new universal software will make everything work together smoothly. For customers, this means a more consistent experience whether you’re ordering on your phone, at a kiosk, or through the drive-thru.
The new system will also let McDonald’s roll out new menu items and features much faster. Instead of having to update multiple different systems that don’t talk to each other well, everything will run on one platform. This should mean fewer glitches and technical problems when you’re trying to order. The artificial intelligence behind the scenes will get smarter too, learning from millions of orders across the globe to provide better recommendations and personalized deals. By 2026, this behind-the-scenes technology upgrade should make your McDonald’s experience noticeably smoother, even if you don’t realize all the technical improvements happening in the background.
McDonald’s isn’t messing around with these changes. The next few years will bring the fastest expansion in company history, better food quality, exciting new drinks, smarter technology, and improvements to almost every part of the McDonald’s experience. Whether you’re a regular customer or someone who only hits McDonald’s occasionally, these changes will be hard to miss. The company is betting big that people still want convenient, affordable fast food, and they’re investing billions to make sure McDonald’s stays on top.
