McDonald’s ‘NEXT’ strategy targets value perception after price hikes

McDonald’s announced on Monday that it’s rolling out a new corporate strategy that aims to make its stores easier to run for franchisees.

The announcement, called “McDonald’s > NEXT,” focuses on increasing automation, raising standards for hospitality, leaning on social media for marketing and making its food items taste better.

It comes as the fast food giant tries to hold on to lower-income consumers who’ve cut back on restaurant visits amid years of elevated prices.

McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski outlined the new strategy in a message sent to the McDonald’s System and said that it aims to “unlock our next phase of growth and productivity, by bringing in more customers more often and improving unit economics.”

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“NEXT is the what. Our shared destination. You’ll write the how, with your own path shaped by your market, your customers, and your crew,” Kempczinski wrote.

McDonald’s chief restaurant experience executive Jill McDonald said in a statement that the new strategy will make its restaurants “easier to run and more enjoyable to visit.”

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The restaurant chain’s last corporate strategy overhaul came in 2020 and was called “Accelerating the Arches,” and focused in part on digital sales and increased marketing.

The share of U.S. customers who said the chain offers good value fell from 55% to roughly 40% between 2020 and 2024, and has largely remained there since, according to surveys from UBS Evidence Labs shared with Reuters last month.

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Kempczinski’s message noted that as customers’ experiences become increasingly automated, there’s less opportunity for connection between guests and the crew at McDonald’s franchises. He explained that with “fewer interactions, the bar for hospitality that makes people feel seen, welcomed, and valued only goes up.”

“Customers also depend on us for compelling, predictable value, and even more so with unprecedented inflation,” the CEO wrote. “While perceptions of our value have rebounded in most markets, it’s a reminder that we need to earn, and re-earn, each and every visit.”

McDonald’s shares were down more than 1% on Monday and are down more than 9% year to date.

Reuters contributed to this report.