McDonald's Unveils $8.5B Revamp Amid Stagnant Fast-Food Demand

McDonald's has announced an $8.5 billion modernization plan to renovate and retool its worldwide locations over the next ten years.

The company's executives cited stagnant fast-food demand and increasing competition among chains as reasons for the investment.

The plan includes the rollout of Archy, an AI-driven system that handles customer orders in both English and Spanish with a 90% accuracy rate, as well as ArchIQ, a Google-partnered platform that uses artificial intelligence to manage back-of-house tasks such as inventory tracking and employee scheduling.

McDonald's also plans to test hand-breaded chicken in more U.S. cities and Ireland, having already deployed it across 10,000 locations in Asia with positive results.

The company aims to attract customers seeking higher-protein options by introducing grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps, as well as testing items like egg bites and bowls.