10 Big Changes Coming To McDonald's In 2026

McDonald's is heading into one of the biggest transitional years in its history. From massive global expansion to new technology that fundamentally reshapes how your meal is prepared, McDonald's is rapidly evolving to meet a new era of customer expectations, operational efficiency, and digital-forward convenience. These changes are not coming quietly, either. The company has been openly signaling a major shift, rolling out bold announcements, instituting new policies, and preparing franchise owners around the world for what appears to be the most aggressive modernization effort since the early 2000s.

If you have not been paying close attention, it may be easy to miss how quickly the fast-food giant is reinventing itself. But 2026 stands to be the year when everything becomes visible, from menu updates and improved experiences to behind-the-scenes innovations. And these changes will not just impact the U.S. market. McDonald's is preparing to stretch deeper into international territories, reshape digital ordering habits, and double down on its most successful menu categories.

Whether you love McDonald's, avoid it entirely, or fall somewhere in between, its influence on the fast-food world is undeniable. And with so many updates rolling out at once, 2026 could mark a significant turning point, not just for the company, but for the entire restaurant industry. After all, when McDonald's makes a move, everyone else watches. So, if you are curious about what's happening behind the scenes or wondering how these changes will affect your wallet, your ordering routine, or your go-to meals, here is a deep dive into the 10 biggest changes coming to McDonald's in 2026.

One of the most striking changes on McDonald's 2026 agenda is the company's unprecedented push to open more than 8,000 new locations worldwide. This expansion is part of a larger ambition to reach at least 50,000 restaurants globally by the end of 2027, marking the largest growth effort the company has undertaken in decades. For context, McDonald's currently operates just over 40,000 restaurants, so adding 8,000 more in such a short window represents an enormous logistical and financial endeavor.

Much of this expansion will focus on regions where fast-food consumption is growing rapidly, including Asia, the Middle East, and certain underserved parts of Europe and South America. These new locations will not just copy existing layouts either, but showcase the future of the company. Many will feature McDonald's updated experience-led restaurant designs, which prioritize streamlined setups and reasonably priced menus. Domestically, the U.S. will also see an additional 7% growth, though on a smaller scale compared to international markets. 

McDonald's leadership has emphasized the importance of diversifying global revenue streams, especially as updated menus and digital loyalty programs continue to rise in popularity. The expansion also allows McDonald's to deploy newer technologies from the ground up, rather than retrofitting older locations. If everything stays on track, the first wave of new restaurants will appear in early 2026, with thousands more planned through 2027. Whether you view the expansion as a sign of economic optimism or corporate domination, one thing is undisputed: McDonald's is positioning itself to become bigger and better than ever before.

In 2026, McDonald's will begin rolling out one of its most controversial updates yet, with a rounding system for all cash payments. Because the U.S. Treasury will no longer produce new pennies starting in 2026, businesses nationwide will need to adjust. McDonald's has already confirmed that instead of altering its menu prices, it will round cash transactions either up or down, depending on the total. Credit and debit card transactions, however, will remain exact. This means customers paying with cash may occasionally pay a few cents more than the listed price. While these differences seem small, they add up, especially for customers who prefer to use cash or rely on strict budgeting. 

Critics argue that the rounding system will allow McDonald's and any other company that uses it to pocket extra change from each transaction, while supporters say that this is already the standard way of payment in countries like Canada. McDonald's has also pointed out that the rounding system will be consistent across all locations to avoid confusion and ensure transparency. But for some customers, the psychological impact of seeing their burger cost more when paying with cash may be enough to push them toward card and mobile payments.

This update reflects a broader shift in the restaurant industry, with the slow and steady decline of cash as the preferred form of payment. And with McDonald's pioneering the most aggressive response to the penny phase-out, other major chains and stores will likely follow suit. Love it or hate it, the change is coming, and it will directly affect your wallet beginning in 2026.

In 2026, McDonald's kitchens will start undergoing a dramatic technological transformation thanks to a new partnership with Google Cloud and the leadership of Jill McDonald, who is stepping in as the company's first Chief Restaurant Experience Officer. The goal is to fundamentally modernize kitchen operations, reduce downtime, and ensure consistent food quality worldwide.

Through Google Cloud, McDonald's will integrate AI-powered tools that monitor kitchen equipment, alert managers when machines malfunction, and even optimize cooking times based on real-time order volume. Instead of waiting for machines to break, the new system will predict issues before they become problems. This proactive approach could drastically reduce equipment outages, saving franchisees money and keeping customers happier. Another major improvement will be data-driven forecasting. AI tools will help employees prepare ingredients and manage cooking schedules. That means faster service during peak hours and reduced waste during slow periods.

For employees, the upgrades are expected to reduce stress by automating tedious or unpredictable tasks. For customers, these changes translate to more consistent meals, fewer delays, and fewer disappointing "machine broken" moments. While some critics worry about over-automating food service, McDonald's argues that these enhancements will support staff rather than replace them, allowing workers to focus on service, accuracy, and speed. Whether this proves true remains to be seen, but McDonald's kitchens in 2026 will clearly operate very differently from the ones of today.

McDonald's drive-thru has long been a defining part of the brand, but in 2026, the company plans to elevate it to an entirely new level. After removing AI ordering systems from drive-thrus in 2024 due to frequent errors, McDonald's is reintroducing AI once again, and this time with significantly improved technology powered by Google Cloud. The new system aims to reduce order mistakes, improve wait times, and streamline the overall experience. AI will assist with order-taking, predicting technology and equipment problems, and flagging potential inaccuracies before they happen. Unlike earlier versions, the 2026 AI system will benefit from real-time cloud updates, better voice processing, and improved accuracy in noisy environments.

Beyond the AI revival, McDonald's is also expanding multi-lane drive-thrus at many locations. While the double-lane system already exists at numerous U.S. stores, the next generation will include up to three lanes in high-traffic locations, along with fast lanes for mobile-order pickups. These upgrades reflect how heavily McDonald's customers rely on drive-thru service. About 70% of all McDonald's orders come through the drive-thru windows. The company wants to ensure that these customers receive faster, smoother service with fewer complications, especially as competitors like Chick-fil-A invest heavily in drive-thru innovation as well.

In short, McDonald's wants to transform waiting in line into a seamless, high-tech experience. If the new AI technology performs as promised, the 2026 drive-thru could be one of the most radically improved features that customers notice immediately.

As McDonald's pushes deeper into digital modernization, mobile ordering will receive several upgrades in 2026. Because restaurant operations will be linked with Google Cloud, the same AI tools improving kitchen efficiency will also help streamline mobile orders. This means more accurate order tracking, faster preparation times, and improved communication between the app and restaurant staff.

These improvements come at a time when digital orders are skyrocketing, with McDonald's reporting hundreds of millions of mobile orders in a single quarter of 2023 alone. With cash payments becoming less convenient due to rounding, McDonald's anticipates that even more customers will migrate to card and mobile payments. Making the app smoother, faster, and more reliable is a key part of preparing for that shift.

For franchise owners, the updated digital system could reduce miscommunications between mobile orders and kitchen staff, which can be a challenge during peak hours for any restaurant. For customers, the improvements may mean faster pickup times, fewer order issues, and better loyalty rewards. As McDonald's leans harder into technology, mobile ordering is set to become the chain's most important tool, not just a convenience, but a cornerstone of the entire customer experience.

While McDonald's has accepted credit and debit cards for decades, 2026 will mark the year these payment methods become the clear default for most customers. With pennies no longer being produced and cash transactions subject to rounding, card payments will offer exact pricing without any unexpected adjustments.

This shift aligns perfectly with McDonald's broader digital strategy. Card users, especially those who pay through the McDonald's app, will benefit from faster checkout, exclusive loyalty rewards, and improved order tracking. The company is already updating its payment terminals and digital infrastructure to ensure transactions are quick, reliable, and compatible with nearly all modern tap-to-pay methods, with the hope of improving mobile orders to become 30% of all orders by the year 2027.

For customers who still prefer cash, the experience will not disappear, but it will be less of a focus amidst the new updates and improvements. McDonald's probably expects fewer cash transactions overall, based on the new rounding system. In short, the penny phase-out did not cause McDonald's digital transformation, but simply accelerated it. Card and mobile payments are no longer just convenient; they are becoming central to how the company wants customers to interact with its restaurants.

McDonald's Rewards has quickly become one of the most successful fast-food loyalty programs in the world, and the company plans to expand it dramatically by 2027. The goal is to increase active loyalty users from 150 million to 250 million, and the changes coming in 2026 will play a major role in hitting that target.

Expect the mobile app to feature more personalized deals, new menu items, and expanded point-earning opportunities. McDonald's is particularly interested in rewarding digital engagement, meaning customers who order through the app, scan in-store codes, or participate in limited-time promotions will accumulate points faster than ever. This expansion aligns with McDonald's long-term goal of building deeper relationships with its most loyal customers. With more data, the company can better understand customer habits, which in turn helps refine menu offerings and promotions.

For customers, the expanded loyalty program means that saving money will be easier, as long as they are comfortable using the app regularly. And since so many other 2026 updates like the penny shortage encourage digital ordering, the loyalty program is positioned to become a central part of the McDonald's experience. In 2026, loyalty will not just be a perk. It will be an integral part of how customers order, save, and explore new offerings at McDonald's.

2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for sweets and beverages at McDonald's, thanks to the growing influence of the company's experimental spinoff brand CosMc's. Originally tested as a space-themed beverage chain, CosMc's quickly gained attention for its colorful drinks, cold foam creations, and dessert-forward menu. Now, McDonald's plans to bring many of those offerings into more than 500 traditional McDonald's locations starting in 2026. Customers can expect new specialty drinks featuring fruity flavors, layered textures, boba-style add-ins, and tons of sweetness. 

These drinks are designed to appeal to younger customers who crave novelty and visually striking beverages, like the kind that go viral on social media. McDonald's even released a sneak peek at a select few of the upcoming CosMc's drinks, including Toasted Vanilla Frappé, Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, Sprite Lunar Splash, Popping Tropic Refresher, and Creaming Vanilla Coldbrew. This shift toward beverages reflects broader trends in the fast-food world. High-margin drink sales have long been a secret weapon for chains like Starbucks and Dutch Bros, and McDonald's wants a bigger piece of that market. 

The success of the McCafé brand proved that customers are willing to buy premium drinks from McDonald's, so expanding into more adventurous dessert and drink categories is a natural next step. Whether these new items become permanent fixtures or remain limited-time experiments, it's clear that McDonald's wants to compete more aggressively in the beverage space, and 2026 will be a major turning point in that strategy.

The Big Mac may be McDonald's most iconic item, but the company believes that there is still plenty of room for improvement. In 2026, McDonald's will roll out a new and improved, ambitious "Best Burger" initiative, a company-wide effort to elevate burger quality across all restaurants worldwide. This initiative includes changes to burger preparation, ingredient handling, and even bun quality. McDonald's has tested several upgrades in select markets, including softer buns, improved searing techniques, meltier cheese, and fresher produce. Early tests have been praised for enhancing flavor without significantly increasing costs or preparation time.

The "Best Burger" initiative is not just about taste, but about consistency. McDonald's wants customers to enjoy the same high-quality burger whether they are in New York, Tokyo, Paris, or anywhere else in the world. With the aid of new kitchen technology, the company hopes to eliminate inconsistencies caused by equipment differences, varied staff experience levels, and local operational challenges. Because burgers are central to McDonald's identity, this initiative is critical to the company's long-term competitiveness. 

With premium chains like Five Guys and Shake Shack raising customer expectations, McDonald's knows it must deliver a better burger without sacrificing speed or affordability. If the improvements seen in test markets are any indication, customers can expect Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, and classic cheeseburgers that taste fresher, hotter, and are more carefully assembled. It is a bold move, but one that could redefine customers' perception of the Golden Arches in 2026 and beyond.

McDonald's has always been known for burgers, but in recent years, McDonald's chicken has quickly risen to become one of the company's strongest-performing menu categories. In fact, McDonald's leadership has stated that chicken sales are now on par with beef, and possibly even stronger in some regions. As a result, the company will prioritize chicken offerings in 2026, expanding options beyond McNuggets and McChickens.

After years of demand, Snack Wraps became a major hit upon their comeback, demonstrating a clear appetite for variety within the chicken category. McDonald's plans to build on that success with new wraps, upgraded crispy chicken sandwiches, and possibly even limited-edition global chicken items. International McDonald's menus feature a huge range of chicken dishes, like McChicken Mozzarella, Century Egg Chicken Porridge, Spicy Buffalo Chicken Poutine, and many more, that could inspire future additions. The company is actively reviewing top-performing international items for potential U.S. rollout.

McDonald's shift toward chicken is not just about popularity. It is also a strategic decision tied to cost management and changing dietary preferences. Chicken tends to be more stable in price compared to beef, and many customers view chicken as a lighter or healthier protein option. As McDonald's continues modernizing its kitchens and improving its menu lineup, chicken will play a major role in defining what the chain looks like in 2026. Burgers may still be the brand's backbone, but McDonald's chicken is quickly becoming its beating heart.