McDonald's 2023: 9 Exciting Transformations Ahead

McDonald's is upgrading its burgers with softer buns, melted cheese, seared onions, and more special sauce. The company is also paying more attention to the cooking process.

Upgraded burgers from bun to beef

McDonald's is testing AI-powered voice bots in some drive-thrus. The bots are not perfect, and some customers have had hilarious experiences with them.

Robots at the drive-thru

McDonald's plans to open 1,900 new restaurants worldwide in 2023, including 400 in the United States. The company's domestic sales were up over 10% in 2022. The locations of the new restaurants have not yet been announced.

Hundreds of new locations

McDonald's is restructuring its operations to become more collaborative and innovative. The company is hoping that this will lead to a better customer experience.

Faster, more efficient operations

McDonald's is innovating its menu by elevating existing items and adding new chicken sandwiches. The company is hoping that this will appeal to current customers and attract new ones.

Old classics, with a twist

McDonald's has been partnering with celebrities to create exclusive menu items, which has been a successful marketing strategy. The company hopes to continue this trend in the future.

More celebrity collaborations

McDonald's is testing a new drive-thru design in Fort Worth, Texas that features a food conveyor belt, an order ahead lane, and a pickup room for delivery workers.

More digital and automated services

McDonald's is testing strawless lids in some U.S. markets as part of an effort to reduce plastic waste. The company is also considering phasing out plastic toys.

Plastic waste reduction

McDonald's is testing a partnership with Krispy Kreme to sell donuts at select locations. The company is hoping that this partnership will be successful and that it will lead to more partnerships with other brands in the future.

Donuts (and other outside company crossovers)