McDonald’s is about to shake things up in a big way. The world’s most famous fast food chain is rolling out changes that will affect everything from how much you pay with cash to what shows up on the menu. Some of these shifts might make your McDonald’s run easier, while others could leave you scratching your head at the register. Whether you’re a daily visitor or someone who swings by once a month, these changes are going to impact your experience at the Golden Arches in ways you probably didn’t see coming.
Paying with cash just got more complicated and expensive
If you’re someone who still uses cash at McDonald’s, get ready for some confusion at checkout. The U.S. Treasury is stopping penny production in early 2026 because it actually costs almost four cents to make each penny. This created an $85.3 million loss in 2024 alone, which forced the government to pull the plug. McDonald’s had to create new rounding rules that could add extra cents to your order. The system works like this: if your total ends in one or two cents, it rounds down to zero, which sounds good. But if it ends in three or four cents, you’re paying up to five cents instead.
Orders ending in six or seven cents round down to five cents, while eight or nine cents round up to ten cents. Only exact change applies when your total ends in five or zero cents. Many customers are already calling this system confusing and asking why McDonald’s doesn’t just change the menu prices instead of doing math at every register. The simple answer is that credit and debit cards aren’t affected by any of this, so you’ll pay exactly what the menu says. This might push more people away from cash entirely, especially when a few pennies here and there start adding up over multiple visits throughout the year.
New menu items will show up way faster than before
McDonald’s is completely changing how it creates and launches new menu items. The company announced a new Restaurant Experience Team that’s specifically 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 chains are introducing new items all the time. The new system aims to cut that timeline down significantly, which means you might see new options appearing on the menu every few months instead of waiting years.
This change means customers can expect more frequent menu additions and limited-time offers throughout 2026. The faster development process will help McDonald’s respond more quickly to food trends and what people are actually asking for on social media. Instead of waiting forever for items everyone’s been requesting, the streamlined approach could bring new options to restaurants within months of initial development. This is good news if you’re someone who gets bored with the same menu and wants to try new things. It also means McDonald’s can test out items and see what works before committing to permanent menu spots.
Technology upgrades will make ordering less frustrating
McDonald’s is putting Jill McDonald, who currently runs their international division, in charge of fixing all the technology issues across restaurants. As the first chief restaurant experience officer, she’ll focus on improving everything from ordering kiosks to delivery apps and supply chain management. If you’ve 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, you know exactly why this is needed. The goal is to make sure all the technology actually works well for both customers and the people running the restaurants.
This technology overhaul will likely mean smoother app ordering, better kiosk functionality, and more reliable delivery tracking. McDonald’s wants to eliminate the frustration many customers experience when technology doesn’t work right and they end up standing at a broken kiosk while their lunch break ticks away. The company recognizes that poor technology experiences drive customers to competitors who have better working systems. They’re investing heavily in improving digital interactions across all touchpoints, which should make your experience less annoying whether you’re ordering at the counter, through a kiosk, on the app, or through delivery services.
Chicken options are about to explode across the menu
McDonald’s is doubling down on chicken with plans to capture more market share by the end of 2026. The company sees huge potential in expanding its chicken offerings beyond current favorites like McNuggets and McChicken sandwiches. CEO Kempczinski specifically mentioned the return of Snack Wraps, which were discontinued years ago but remain one of the most requested items by customers on social media. The Snack Wrap comeback is finally happening, though they’re keeping the exact timing under wraps. This focus on chicken makes sense as more people look for lighter alternatives to beef burgers.
The chicken expansion isn’t just about bringing back old favorites, though. McDonald’s plans to introduce entirely new chicken products throughout 2026, keeping specific details secret for now. They’re aiming to add another point of chicken market share by the end of next year, which means a lot of new options coming your way. This could mean new types of chicken sandwiches, different styles of nuggets, or completely new menu categories. The protein continues to be popular with people who want something different from beef, and McDonald’s clearly wants to give customers more reasons to choose it over other fast food chains that focus heavily on chicken.
New drinks and desserts will compete with specialty chains
McDonald’s is developing new beverages and desserts specifically to compete with coffee shops and specialty drink chains. Charlie Newberger, who currently runs the CosMc offshoot, 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 go to Starbucks or Dunkin’ for drinks. They want to become a one-stop destination where you don’t need to make additional stops at other chains. This represents a significant shift toward competing directly with coffee and smoothie places rather than just other burger restaurants.
Expect to see energy drinks, refreshers, and more sophisticated dessert options hit McDonald’s menus in 2026. The beverage expansion could include things like better iced coffee options, fruit-based refreshers similar to what you’d find at other chains, and energy drinks that appeal to younger customers. The dessert side might see new McCafe items, upgraded shakes, or completely new sweet treats. This means you might actually be able to get your morning coffee and breakfast sandwich from the same place without feeling like you’re compromising on the drink quality.
McDonald’s will add 6,500 new restaurants by 2027
McDonald’s has ambitious expansion plans that will add thousands of new restaurants over the next couple of years, with much of that growth happening in 2026. They’re going from 43,500 locations today to 50,000 by 2027. This massive expansion means many communities that don’t currently have convenient McDonald’s access will get new locations. If you’ve ever had to drive 20 minutes to the nearest McDonald’s, there’s a good chance one might open closer to you. The company believes this physical expansion, combined with their other changes, will help them capture more customers from competitors.
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 college campuses, while others could be larger restaurants with expanded seating and services. This restaurant expansion represents one of the most aggressive growth periods in the company’s recent history. More locations mean more convenience for customers, but it also means McDonald’s is betting big that all these other changes will bring in enough business to support thousands of new restaurants across the country and internationally.
Other major chains are expanding rapidly, too
While McDonald’s makes these changes, several other restaurant chains are also planning major expansions that will increase your dining options. Culver’s, known for ButterBurgers and frozen custard, plans to open 50-60 new locations in 2026, expanding into Southern and Southwestern states where they haven’t had much presence before. Paris Baguette aims to open at least 150 new bakery locations, bringing its French-style pastries and coffee to 34 states. Houston, TX Hot Chicken, recently acquired for $1 billion, plans to nearly double in size during 2026 with 15-20 new locations opening across the country.
El Pollo Loco is expanding outside California for the first time in years, while Port of Subs is going national after decades of being a Western-only chain. This restaurant expansion across multiple chains means you’ll have many more dining options in your neighborhood than you do right now. The competition is heating up, which typically means better deals and more variety for customers. It also means chains like McDonald’s need to step up their game with better menus, improved technology, and competitive pricing to keep you coming back instead of trying all the new places opening up around you.
Convenience stores are creating their own cash rounding rules
McDonald’s isn’t alone in dealing with the penny shortage crisis. Major convenience store chains like Sheetz, Kwik Trip, and Love’s Travel Stops are implementing their own cash rounding policies, and they’re all doing it differently. Sheetz decided to round up all cash purchases, which means you always pay more. Kwik Trip rounds everything down to the nearest five cents, so you save money. Love’s Travel Stops rounds change up in favor of customers when stores run out of pennies. This patchwork of different approaches means you’ll need to learn various systems depending on where you shop.
These different rounding systems could make cash transactions more confusing for anyone who shops at multiple places. Some stores favor customers with their rounding, while others favor the business. The inconsistency across different chains is creating a situation where you might want to use cash at one place but definitely want to use a card at another. This penny shortage is creating complications that most people never expected to deal with. The simplest solution is probably just using cards or mobile payment everywhere, but that’s not always an option for everyone, especially older customers who prefer cash or people without bank accounts.
Credit and debit cards are becoming more important than ever
With cash payments becoming more complicated and potentially more expensive, using credit or debit cards at McDonald’s and other restaurants becomes increasingly attractive. Card payments aren’t affected by any rounding rules, so you pay exactly the menu price without worrying about getting charged extra cents. Mobile payment apps like Apple Pay and Google Pay also avoid these complications entirely. You just tap your phone and pay the exact amount shown on the screen. The shift away from cash could speed up as more customers realize they might save money by using cards instead of dealing with rounding rules.
This change particularly affects older customers and those without bank accounts who rely more heavily on cash transactions. McDonald’s and other chains might need to ensure their card readers and mobile payment systems work reliably to handle the increased volume of electronic transactions. The last thing anyone wants is to switch from cash to cards only to find that the card reader is broken or not working properly. As more people make this switch, expect to see faster checkout lines for card users, while cash transactions might slow down as cashiers calculate the rounding. It’s another reason why improving technology across all McDonald’s locations matters so much right now.
These McDonald’s changes represent some of the biggest shifts the chain has made in years. While improvements like better technology and faster menu development should make your visits easier, other changes, like the new cash rounding rules, will likely cause frustration at the register. The massive expansion plans and competition from other growing chains mean 2026 will be an interesting year for anyone who eats fast food regularly. Whether these changes make McDonald’s better or just different remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain: your next McDonald’s run in 2026 will probably feel pretty different from what you’re used to right now.
