McDonald’s will spend $8.5 billion on restaurant renovations and expand its chicken menu

McDonald’s will spend billions of dollars on implementing artificial intelligence and modernizing its restaurants, hoping to accelerate business growth and strengthen its position amid weak sales. At the same time, the world’s largest fast-food chain is banking on a new chicken-based menu, aiming to increase its share of the global market for this product.

As part of its new strategy, McDonald’s will allocate approximately $8.5 billion worldwide through 2036 to help franchisees cover rent and capital expenditures, the company announced on September 23. The funds will be used to update the menu and implement AI-based technologies. The company estimates that these measures will improve restaurant profitability. Specifically, McDonald’s plans to introduce ArchIQ, a voice-activated AI assistant, to take orders and will use chatbots to answer employees’ questions, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The company expects to increase the cash flow of an average restaurant by approximately $100,000 per year through the implementation of a platform based on generative AI.

As part of its new strategy, McDonald’s also announced its intention to expand its chicken menu offerings. The company plans to increase its selection of chicken sandwiches and wraps. The menu will likely be expanded to include dishes featuring hand-battered, crispy chicken, noted Bernstein analyst Danilo Garziulo, as cited by the Financial Times. This preparation method will require more staff, specialized equipment, and additional food safety measures, Garjiulo added.

By 2030, McDonald’s expects to increase its share of the global fast-food chicken market by 1.5 percentage points. The company previously estimated its share of this market to be between 10% and 20%, while its share of the beef burger segment is about 45%, according to the FT. Expanding its chicken offerings will intensify McDonald’s competition with Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane’s.

The shift toward chicken is linked to changes in consumer demand: in recent years, global demand for chicken has grown faster than demand for beef, and beef prices in the U.S. have more than doubled since 2021. In addition, chicken is perceived as a leaner source of protein, the FT notes.

At the same time, McDonald’s aims to increase its share of the global beverage market by 1.5 percentage points by 2030. In 2026, the company already launched a new line of signature carbonated beverages and energy drinks made with Red Bull.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor