McDonald's is developing a new slate of value menu offerings, with plans to roll out a national value menu program in early 2027 as the company works to counter slowing customer traffic in the United States.

The fast-food giant's quarterly earnings release on Wednesday showed that U.S. comparable sales — a standard industry measure that tracks performance at established locations — declined 0.2% in the third quarter.

Speaking on the company's most recent earnings call, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said that in the last week of October, the chain began an eight-week test of two new everyday affordable price menu constructs across all day parts at roughly 1,900 restaurants in a handful of regions.

One construct involves mix-and-match bundles designed to give customers greater choice, similar to the company's prior "buy one, add one" offers, while the other features fixed bundles with a set combination of items. Running both formats side by side gives the company a direct comparison of the two structures before it commits to a single national program.

Kempczinski added that a group of franchisees representing about 4,000 restaurants is moving forward with similar entry-level bundles in advance of the formal test results. The two groups together, he said, "represent more than 40% of the U.S. system, reflecting strong alignment around the opportunity."

"We use the results of this test to determine which structure resonates most with customers, works best operationally and delivers sustainable incremental traffic and sales for franchisees," Kempczinski said. "Our goal is to launch a new program nationally in early 2027."

"Our goal is straightforward," he continued. "Customers should see a clear and compelling value proposition every time they consider McDonald's, whether they're looking for an affordable individual item, a complete meal or a digital offer in the mobile app."

The value menu initiative follows McDonald's September announcement of "NEXT," a multi-year plan focused on upgrading restaurants, staff training and technology deployment. Under the strategy, the company will spend $8.5 billion through 2036, with about $5 billion of that outlay provided through 2030. NEXT's partnering support for franchisees will include a combination of capital support and rent relief. Together, the two efforts pair the affordability push with a parallel investment in modernizing how restaurants operate.

McDonald's global CFO Ian Borden said on the earnings call that the chain is already putting elements of the NEXT strategy into action. Those steps include rolling out a new beverage platform, starting the "Make It Golden" training initiative and setting up operational pilots for hand-breaded chicken.

Borden added that the company has begun opening remodeled NEXT restaurants around the world, including its first international location in Poland.

Looking ahead, McDonald's will begin remodeling hundreds of U.S. restaurants in 2027 to revise kitchen layouts and equipment to support future menu changes — the same year the national value program is slated to debut. The company aims to ramp up to a global run rate of more than 5,000 restaurants per year in 2028.

Source: Fox Business