McDonald’s is about to shake things up in ways that will affect your wallet, your order, and even where you can find a location. The fast food giant has announced a series of massive changes rolling out in 2026 that go way beyond just adding a new burger to the menu. We’re talking about how you pay, what you can order, and how many restaurants you’ll see popping up in your neighborhood. Some of these changes might actually save you money and time, while others could make things a bit more complicated when you’re just trying to grab a quick meal.
Paying with cash will cost you more money
Starting in 2026, pulling out cash at McDonald’s might actually cost you extra pennies on your order. The U.S. Treasury is stopping penny production because it costs nearly four cents to make each penny, which resulted in an $85.3 million loss in 2024 alone. This means McDonald’s had to create new rounding rules for cash transactions that could add a few extra cents to your meal depending on the total. The whole system sounds pretty confusing when you break it down.
Here’s how it works: if your meal ends in one or two cents, it rounds down to zero (lucky you). But if it ends in three or four cents, it rounds up to five cents (not so lucky). Orders ending in six or seven cents round down to five cents, while eight or nine cents round up to ten cents. Items ending in five or zero cents stay exactly the same. A lot of customers are already calling this system way too confusing and asking why McDonald’s doesn’t just change their menu prices instead of making everyone do math at the register. If you want to avoid the whole mess and pay the exact price, you’ll need to use a credit card, debit card, or mobile payment app.
New menu items will show up way faster
McDonald’s is completely changing how they create and launch new menu items by forming a Restaurant Experience Team that’s designed to move ideas from concept to your local restaurant much faster. CEO Chris Kempczinski pointed out that their recent burger upgrades took years to implement, which is way too slow when other fast food chains are constantly rolling out new stuff. This new system aims to cut that timeline down significantly so you’ll see more frequent menu additions and limited-time offers throughout 2026.
The faster development process means McDonald’s can respond more quickly to food trends and what customers are actually asking for on social media. Instead of waiting years for new items to hit the menu, the streamlined approach could bring new options to restaurants within just months of initial development. This is good news if you’re tired of seeing the same menu items every time you visit. You can expect more variety and more chances to try something new without having to wait forever. The company wants to stay competitive with other chains that seem to drop new items every other week.
The ordering kiosks and app should actually work better
McDonald’s is putting someone in charge of making sure all their technology actually works the way it’s supposed to. Jill McDonald, who currently runs their international division, will be the first chief restaurant experience officer focused on improving everything from ordering kiosks to delivery apps and supply chain management. Anyone who’s ever dealt with a glitchy kiosk that won’t accept your order or an app that crashes right when you’re trying to use a deal knows how frustrating the current system can be. The goal is to make the tech side of ordering smooth for both customers and the people working at the restaurants.
This tech overhaul will likely mean smoother app ordering, better kiosk functionality, and more reliable delivery tracking when you order food to your house. McDonald’s recognizes that poor technology experiences drive customers to competitors who have their digital ordering figured out. The company is investing heavily in improving digital interactions across all touchpoints, which basically means whether you’re ordering at a kiosk, through the app, or getting delivery, it should all work without making you want to throw your phone. This is especially important since more people are using apps and kiosks instead of ordering at the counter.
Chicken menu options are getting a major expansion
McDonald’s is going all-in on chicken with plans to capture more market share by the end of 2026. The company sees huge potential in expanding their chicken offerings beyond current items like McNuggets and McChicken sandwiches. CEO Kempczinski specifically mentioned the return of Snack Wraps, which were discontinued years ago but customers have been begging for them to come back on social media. Those tortilla-wrapped chicken snacks were perfect for a quick bite and cost less than a full meal, so their return is great news for people watching their spending.
The chicken expansion isn’t just about bringing back old favorites though. McDonald’s plans to introduce entirely new chicken products throughout 2026, though they’re keeping specific details under wraps for now. This focus on chicken offerings comes as the protein continues to be popular with people who see it as a lighter alternative to beef burgers. With beef prices jumping by 12% recently and sitting at an average of $6.12 per pound, chicken items might also help keep menu prices more affordable. More chicken options give you more variety when you’re tired of burgers.
New drinks and desserts will compete with coffee shops
McDonald’s is developing new beverages and desserts specifically to compete with coffee shops and specialty drink chains like Starbucks. Charlie Newberger, who currently runs the CosMc offshoot restaurant brand, will lead this effort to create products that give customers fewer reasons to visit competitors. The company recognizes they’re losing customers who come for food but then drive to another place to get their coffee or specialty drink. Why make two stops when you could get everything in one place, right?
Expect to see energy drinks, refreshers, and more sophisticated dessert options hit McDonald’s menus in 2026. The company wants to become a one-stop destination where you don’t need to make additional stops at other chains for your afternoon coffee or sweet treat. This beverage expansion represents a significant shift toward competing directly with coffee and smoothie chains rather than just other burger restaurants. If McDonald’s can nail the specialty drink game, it could save you both time and money compared to hitting multiple drive-thrus.
McDonald’s locations will be everywhere soon
McDonald’s has ambitious expansion plans that will add 6,500 new restaurants by 2027, jumping from 43,500 locations to 50,000 locations worldwide. Much of that growth is happening in 2026, which means many communities that don’t currently have convenient McDonald’s access will get new locations. This represents one of the most aggressive growth periods in the company’s recent history. If you’ve ever lived somewhere without a nearby McDonald’s and had to drive 20 minutes for a Big Mac, this expansion could be a game changer.
The new restaurants won’t just be traditional locations either. McDonald’s is exploring different formats and sizes to fit various markets and customer needs. Some locations might be smaller express formats in high-traffic areas like airports or downtown business districts, while others could be larger restaurants with expanded seating and services. This massive expansion means more convenience for customers but also more competition with other fast food chains that are also growing rapidly. You might soon have multiple McDonald’s options in your area to choose from.
Bigger burgers are coming to satisfy hungry customers
If Big Macs and Quarter Pounders aren’t filling you up anymore, McDonald’s has been testing an extra-large sandwich called the Big Arch. This monster burger features two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of cheese, crispy onions, pickles, lettuce, and a new tangy Big Arch sauce. McDonald’s started testing it in several international markets including Canada, Portugal, and Germany over the summer of 2024. Those tests went so well that the company is accelerating its plans to bring the Big Arch to more parts of the world in 2026.
While company executives didn’t reveal exactly where they plan to introduce the Big Arch, McDonald’s has previously designated America as one of the markets where there’s an opportunity to offer bigger burgers. This is in response to customer demand for more satisfying, substantial burgers that actually fill you up. With beef prices being higher than ever, it’ll be interesting to see how McDonald’s prices this bigger option. Customers can keep their fingers crossed for a potential Big Arch launch in the United States further down the road.
Value menu options will help you save money
McDonald’s is rolling out a new McValue menu in early 2025 that will continue through 2026 to help customers deal with rising food costs. The menu includes the popular $5 Meal Deal that comes with a 4-piece order of Chicken McNuggets, fries, a drink, and your choice of either a McChicken sandwich or a McDouble. This deal was introduced in June 2024 and was so popular that many franchisees extended it because customers couldn’t get enough of it. Having affordable options matters more than ever when grocery prices and restaurant prices keep climbing.
The menu will also feature a Buy One, Add One offer that lets you purchase any full-priced McValue item and add another item for just $1. During breakfast hours, you can add a Sausage McMuffin, Sausage Biscuit, Sausage Burrito, or Hash Browns for a dollar. During lunch and dinner, the lineup includes Double Cheeseburgers, McChicken sandwiches, six-piece Chicken McNuggets, and small fries. McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger said they worked closely with franchisees to create a new platform that lets customers define value on their own terms, which is a fancy way of saying they want to give you more ways to save money.
Ice cream machines should actually work more often
McDonald’s famously broken ice cream machines have frustrated customers for years, but a recent government decision might finally fix the problem. In October 2024, the U.S. Copyright Office granted an exemption that allows third parties to fix commercial food preparation equipment like McDonald’s ice cream machines. Previously, copyright law prohibited anyone except the manufacturer (a company called Taylor) from getting past the software locks to fix them. The wait times for authorized repairers were super long, and restaurants could lose hundreds of dollars in sales daily while their soft serve machines were down.
Thanks to the new exemption, McDonald’s operators can now break through the software locks and hire third parties to fix their machines instead of waiting for Taylor. Hopefully, this will result in much faster fixes for broken machines and ensure customers won’t have to hear that dreaded “the ice cream machine is broken” line as often. This change should mean more consistent access to McFlurries, soft serve cones, and milkshakes when you’re craving something cold and sweet. It’s about time someone fixed this ongoing problem that’s become a running joke across the internet.
These changes coming to McDonald’s in 2026 represent some of the biggest shifts the chain has made in recent years. While some changes like improved technology and more chicken options should make your experience better, others like the cash rounding rules will probably annoy a lot of people. The massive expansion means more convenience with locations popping up everywhere, and the value menu options should help your wallet. Whether these changes make McDonald’s better or just different remains to be seen, but 2026 is definitely shaping up to be an interesting year for anyone who regularly hits the drive-thru.
