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McDonald’s to protein-packed meals to US

By Sohail Khan 24 September 2026, 5:16 pm

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Business News›News›International›Global Trends›McDonald’s to bring grilled chicken sandwiches, egg bites and more protein-packed meals to US as 60 million Americans seek more protein

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McDonald’s to bring grilled chicken sandwiches, egg bites and more protein-packed meals to US as 60 million Americans seek more protein
Synopsis

McDonald’s is planning more protein-focused options in the US, including grilled chicken sandwiches, wraps and egg bites, as millions of Americans look for meals with more protein and smaller portions. McDonald’s research shows that about 60 million Americans are actively looking for more protein in their diets. McDonald's is also planning to spend $8.5 billion for a span of ten years.

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McDonald’s is changing its US menu with grilled chicken sandwiches, egg bites<br> — McDonald’s U.S. franchisees typically spend up to $450,000 over 10 years on remodels required by the company.

In a bid to modernize its restaurants around the world, McDonald’s has decided to focus on its food menu. The company is planning to introduce grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps in the US and other markets, news agency AP reported. McDonald's is also planning to test products such as egg bites and bowls as it tries to appeal to customers looking for more protein and different portion sizes. Skye Anderson, president of McDonald’s USA, said around 30 million Americans are now using GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and many are looking for smaller meals with more protein. However, McDonald’s research shows that about 60 million Americans are actively looking for more protein in their diets. “This is an opportunity. We need to keep giving them more reasons to make McDonald’s their first choice,” Anderson said during the company’s investor day.

McDonald’s said its hand-breaded chicken has helped boost sales and customer ratings in the 10,000 restaurants across Asia where it has been introduced, along with a few locations near Chicago. Hand-breaded chicken is already popular at competitors such as Chick-fil-A and KFC. McDonald’s plans to expand testing of the product to more U.S. markets and Ireland next year.

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McDonald's to spend $8.5 billion in a decade to modernize its restaurants around the world.Fast-food traffic has remained flat in several markets, including the U.S. McDonald’s. Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said the company will need to attract customers from competitors and make its restaurants more efficient if it wants to keep growing.

The company has laid plans to automate more everyday tasks, including inventory management and scheduling, while also improving how its kitchens operate. “The winners will be the companies that create more demand and deliver it more efficiently,” Kempczinski said. McDonald’s shares fell nearly 5% on Wednesday, marking their biggest one-day percentage drop since April 2025. Investors appeared concerned about the huge cost of upgrading the company’s roughly 46,000 restaurants worldwide.

Bigger play areas and new restaurant features

The planned restaurant upgrades in McDonald's will include lockers for delivery orders, more visible coffee preparation areas, larger play areas and redesigned kitchens. McDonald’s is also expanding the use of scales designed to improve order accuracy. The scales are already being used at around 10,000 restaurants worldwide and are expected to be installed at 20,000 locations by 2028.

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The company is also introducing ArchIQ, a system developed with Google that uses artificial intelligence to improve order accuracy and automate tasks such as inventory management and scheduling. Its AI-powered drive-thru ordering system, Archy, can now take orders in both English and Spanish and has reached a 90% accuracy rate. McDonald’s Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said Archy could eventually save at least 50 labour hours a week at a typical restaurant.

This is because there are plenty of customers at McDonald's prefer to communicate with a human, rather than standing in front of touchscreen ordering kiosks. Kempczinski said customers who have tested Archy have generally responded positively because the system can help make their orders more accurate. “It’s not AI is bad or AI is good. We try to be really thoughtful about how we use it,” he said.

McDonald’s said its hand-breaded chicken has helped boost sales and customer ratings in the 10,000 restaurants across Asia where it has been introduced

McDonald’s is also changing how it trains employees. Tiffanie Boyd, the company’s chief people officer, said new training will put greater emphasis on hospitality and food quality.

Instead of relying mainly on traditional training, employees will get more hands-on experience. For example, they could learn what a perfectly cooked Big Mac should taste like and how to create better interactions with customers.

At the same time, McDonald’s says it remains focused on keeping its food affordable. Kempczinski said lower-income consumers, defined as US households earning $45,000 or less, are still eating fast food but are doing so less often than before.

He said McDonald’s has performed well with meal bundles such as its $5 meal deal, but the company is also looking at ways to offer cheaper basic items in the US similar to what it already does in Europe and other markets.

“This is the environment that we’re in right now. You have to be on your game and deliver that value,” Kempczinski said. “The pressure around cost of living isn’t going away.”

Franchisees will also have to invest

McDonald’s US franchisees typically spend up to $450,000 over 10 years on remodels required by the company. Under the new plan, they will eventually need to spend another $800,000, although McDonald’s will help cover part of the additional cost through rent relief and capital support.

Borden said the upgrades will happen gradually, depending on the market and when individual franchisees are ready. Once the improvements are in place, the company expects the increased efficiency to generate about $100,000 in additional annual cash flow for the average US restaurant.

Some of that money could then be invested back into the restaurants. “We’d love to see it going into hospitality to elevate the experience with our customers,” Borden said.

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