McDonald's unveils NEXT plan to win back more customers

McDonald’s launched McDonald’s > NEXT at its franchisee convention in Las Vegas, a four-part growth reset built around new restaurant design, better-tasting food and drinks, consumer-led innovation and improved customer service.

Chief executive Chris Kempczinski said the company wants to become customers’ first choice as traditional rivals upgrade menus and specialist chains push harder on taste and quality across chicken, beef and beverages. He also said the company is trying to unlock its next phase of growth and productivity by getting customers in more often and improving unit economics.

McDonald’s first-quarter 2026 results showed global comparable sales rose 3.8%, systemwide sales climbed 11% to more than $34 billion, and sales to loyalty members topped $38 billion over the trailing 12 months across 70 markets. Value perceptions had rebounded in most markets, even as McDonald’s faced a smaller pool of restaurant customers amid high gas prices and years of elevated inflation.

A new restaurant design brings remodel disruption, equipment changes and new station layouts. Better-tasting food and drinks bring more training, more menu complexity and more room for mistakes in the kitchen or at the counter. Consumer-led innovation adds more limited-time items, while improved customer service puts more pressure on shift leaders to keep drive-thru, front counter and delivery orders moving without slowing down the line.

McDonald’s rolled out Accelerating the Arches in November 2020, making NEXT its latest major strategic reset. The company has used menu innovation and value promotions such as the Big Arch Burger, new sauces, an Extra Value Menu and an Under $3 Menu, and it has posted four straight quarters of U.S. comparable sales growth.