What the test is
McDonald's is trying out third‑party advertising on its digital menu boards, with spots playing after customers place their orders. "This limited menu board advertising pilot at select company-owned restaurants is exploring ways to share post-purchase content that customers may find helpful, relevant, or interesting, while ensuring the McDonald's experience remains at the center of every visit," a McDonald's spokesperson wrote in an email. With that kind of captive moment, selling ads could open up a fresh income stream.
How big the audience could be
In the US, McDonald's has over 13,700 locations, and independent operators manage the majority of them. The company has said it serves about 26 million people in the US each day and reaches nearly 90% of Americans over the course of a year. The chain has spent the last decade modernizing with digital displays, adding indoor menu screens and self‑service kiosks, and by 2019 had installed digital boards in more than 11,000 US drive‑thrus.
Why McDonald's is trying this now
Rising costs and lighter foot traffic are pressuring the US business, and comparable sales last quarter advanced at their slowest clip in over a year. In response, McDonald's is sharpening its value offers and rolling out plans to refresh restaurants, upgrade food quality, and improve service. Any extra dollars from in‑store screens could help support those efforts without tinkering with menu prices.
The context and the investor angle
Over many years, supermarkets have assembled ad businesses that sell in‑store and online placements, leveraging shopper data to target and measure campaigns. Executives surveyed by McKinsey & Co. say retail media contributes 3% to 10% of total profit at grocers. By comparison, quick‑service brands lag retailers at converting their data and customer moments into advertising enterprises, Forrester Consulting reports.
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On Wednesday, Chicago‑based McDonald's will gather investors for the company's first such event in three years, and shareholders are seeking details on how it plans to reignite US growth. For everyday investors, the takeaway is simple: if McDonald's can turn those screens into meaningful dollars without hurting the experience, that could become a new lever for earnings over time.
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