Some may call McDonald’s cheap fast food, but one area the company has not skimped on is innovation.
Over the past year, McDonald’s has introduced several new offerings and brought back fan favorites, including the Grinch Meal and Buffalo Ranch, as well as the return of the Snack Wrap and Changeables Happy Meal. The launches went viral and generated significant online engagement, reinforcing the brand’s ability to create cultural moments nearly 86 years after its founding.
In today’s increasingly competitive and fast-evolving restaurant landscape, sticking to the same strategy year after year is no longer enough.
Across the quick-service restaurant industry, brands are finding success by specializing to drive rapid growth, focusing on what they do best rather than stretching across categories without clear differentiation.
Some of McDonald’s biggest rivals have effectively executed this strategy, including Chick-fil-A, with dominance in chicken-based menu items; Dutch Bros, with a niche in beverages; and In-N-Out Burger, with a focus on burgers.
These brands have demonstrated that doubling down on a single core product can accelerate growth and improve operational efficiency.
McDonald’s reveals its 2026 menu plans
McDonald’s revealed during its fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings call that it plans to introduce new offerings in the U.S. and select international markets in 2026 across three major categories: beverages, chicken, and beef.
Beverages: A $100 billion opportunity
Beverages are currently McDonald’s (MCD) fastest-growing category.
In 2025, the company piloted energy drinks, iced coffees, fruity refreshers, and crafted sodas across 500 U.S. restaurants. The test was “highly successful” and exceeded expectations, according to the chain’s executive team.
“The new beverage offerings drove incremental occasions across different dayparts as well as higher average check,” said McDonald’s Chief Restaurant Experience Officer Jill McDonald during the earnings call.
Related: McDonald’s follows Chipotle in growing new food trend
The company estimates that beverages represent a global opportunity worth more than $100 billion.
Beverages typically carry higher margins than food items due to low ingredient costs and high perceived value, often reaching 65-75% margins while maintaining accessibility, according to Restaurant Dive.
Chicken: Expanding in a high-growth segment
McDonald’s has expanded its chicken offerings across its top 10 markets, with the category now around twice the size of its beef lineup. The company plans to grow chicken-based items by at least 1% by the end of 2026 compared to 2023 levels.
“We’re in the early stages of testing new flavor combinations and new ways of cooking as we continue to explore great-tasting recipes for customers to enjoy,” said McDonald.
The expansion positions the company to better compete in a segment where rivals like Chick-fil-A have historically held stronger brand authority. In the American Customer Satisfaction Index 2025 Restaurant and Food Delivery Study, Chick-fil-A was named the top quick-service restaurant for the 11th consecutive year, earning a steady score of 83.
Beef: Protecting its roots
Despite focusing on new categories, burgers remain central to McDonald’s brand identity.
The company will continue rolling out its “Best Burger” initiative, described as “hotter, juicier and even tastier,” now available in more than 85 markets and on track to reach nearly all markets by the end of 2026.
Protecting its core beef products is important. Iconic menu items such as the Big Mac and Quarter Pounder foster global brand recognition and are reliable amid evolving consumer trends, as they remain among the chain’s most popular menu items to this day.
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McDonald’s takes a new approach to innovation
McDonald’s new strategy follows the closure of all its CosMc’s locations last year. While short-lived, the spinoff concept allowed the company to test beverage-focused operations and gather feedback without disrupting its core restaurants.
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- McDonald’s making major drive-thru change
- McDonald’s revives most-requested Happy Meal toys after 39 years
In March 2025, McDonald’s launched its Restaurant Experience Team, combining operations, supply chain, franchising, development, restaurant design, delivery, and Speedee Labs to drive innovation and efficiency. It also created three global Category Management teams dedicated to beef, chicken, and beverages/desserts to further specialize innovation within its food products.
“There’s strong competition within the QSR industry, and success is determined by our ability to gain share,” said McDonald’s in a press release. “In many markets, McDonald’s is competing against specialists. We’re bringing a specialist’s focus into our operations.”
McDonald’s financial results show early momentum
This strategy appears to be paying off.
In the fourth quarter of 2025:
- Global comparable sales increased 5.2% year over year
- U.S. comparable sales rose 6.8%, reversing a 1.4% decline during the same quarter in 2024
- Consolidated revenue climbed 10%
- Systemwide sales were up 11%
McDonald’s attributes this growth to higher check and guest counts, primarily driven by successful marketing promotions.
“By listening to customers and taking action, we have improved traffic and strengthened our value & affordability scores,” said McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski in an earnings report. “The momentum we’ve built reinforces the progress we’ve made with our strategy and has earned us the right to look forward together as a system.”
Although in the early days, the turnaround suggests that the combination of value and targeted innovation is resonating with consumers.
Balancing innovation with brand consistency
Despite McDonald’s push into new categories, analysts believe a balance between consistency and innovation is key.
“McDonald’s product strategy is anchored by iconic menu items with consistent food quality – Big Macs, Chicken McNuggets, and fries – that have made it the fast food industry titan that it is today,” said Commerce Media Network Kard industry analysts. “Seasonal and market-specific items, like the McRib in the U.S., keep customers interested and drive a sense of urgency, keeping visits frequent and customer engagement high.”
Industry experts agree that thoughtful menu innovation can sustain growth when carefully executed.
“Menu innovation can work at fast food outlets: If done well, it drives interest, traffic, and sales,” said GlobalData’s Retail Division Managing Director Neil Saunders on RetailWire. “It’s a good way of keeping things fresh and keeping customers engaged.”
At the same time, McDonald’s continued to emphasize value. In 2025, the company introduced the McValue menu and Extra Value Meals to attract budget-conscious consumers. But analysts stress that value extends beyond price.
“It’s important for restaurants to remember that value is rarely defined only by price,” said Circana Senior VP and Industry Advisor for Food and Foodservice David Portalatin in a statement. “Operational excellence in providing quality, affordability, great experiences, and convenience is what leads winning restaurants and their supply chain partners to greater success.”
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