McDonald’s is trying to step into the Ozempic era.
As part of a newly announced $8.5 billion overhaul slated for the next decade, the fast-food giant aims to meet customers’ ever-shifting tastes.
According to data from Gallup, around 11% of the U.S. population is currently using a GLP-1 medication for weight-loss purposes. Due to its rapid effects, those using drugs like Ozempic or Mounjaro need to prioritize protein intake to prevent muscle loss—a habit that has since led to a boom in protein-packed products.
And now, McDonald’s is looking to jump on board with the protein craze, McDonald’s executives announced during the company’s Investor Day presentation in Chicago on September 23.
Under the plan, the burger chain will roll out new menu items across various markets, including new wraps and grilled chicken sandwiches. It will also experiment with bowls and egg bites, providing customers with high-protein options in various sizes.
“This is an opportunity. We need to keep giving them more reasons to make McDonald’s their first choice,” Skye Anderson, the president of McDonald’s USA, said during the investor day event.
In addition to tapping into a growing customer base seeking protein, McDonald’s is also looking to modernize the restaurants as a whole. For instance, stores are set to be equipped with lockers for delivery orders, improved kitchen layouts, and AI-enabled technology to help improve the restaurant’s productivity.
Developed with Google, the restaurant’s AI system includes the deployment of the ArchIQ system, which helps to track inventory and schedule, as well as take orders in Spanish and English via the drive-through system.
The plan also aims to improve the in-restaurant dining experience, offering larger play areas and more visible coffee preparation areas.
“It’s not AI is bad or AI is good. We try to be really thoughtful about how we use it,” McDonald’s chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said during the presentation.
But the price for the improvements seems to be scaring away some investors, with McDonald’s shares dropping by almost 5% the day following the announcement. For franchise owners, the overhaul will likely be an expensive road ahead, with individual franchises needing to spend almost double their current remodel costs per decade.