McDonald’s unveiled its McDonald’s Next growth strategy at an investor day in Chicago on September 23, 2026, while CEO Chris Kempczinski said elevated inflation and largely flat industry traffic should be treated as the company’s baseline rather than a temporary slowdown. The plan seeks 1.5-percentage-point gains in global chicken and beverage market share by 2030, modernizes more than 46,000 restaurants and provides up to $8.5 billion in franchisee support through 2036, including roughly $5 billion through 2030. Menu tests include protein bowls, burger bowls, grilled-chicken snack wraps, egg bites and hand-breaded chicken, alongside expanded beverages and coffee customization. McDonald’s also plans technology upgrades, updated restaurant layouts, a tiered loyalty program and artificial-intelligence tools for inventory, scheduling and ordering. The strategy comes as second-quarter U.S. comparable sales rose 0.8%, July comparable sales were slightly negative, global comparable sales growth slowed to 1.3% from 3.8% a year earlier, and the company moved its 50,000-restaurant target from the end of 2027 to 2028. Shares fell nearly 5% on investor day and were down 22% year to date, although an earlier report cited a 6% afternoon decline.