McDonald's tests showing commercial ads on drive thru screens
Your McDonald’s order may soon come with a side of advertising you didn’t exactly ask for. The fast-food giant is testing digital ads from other companies on its drive-thru menu boards, turning one of the last places where you could stare at a giant picture of a Big Mac in peace into another piece of advertising real estate.
The test launched in August at 450 company-owned McDonald’s restaurants across the U.S. According to the company, the ads are part of an attempt to build its own advertising business.
Drive-thru screen as an ad platform
McDonald’s says the limited test is designed to show “post-purchase content” that customers might find useful, relevant or interesting. The ads promote other companies, according to CNBC, and are part of the chain’s planned McDonald’s Media Network.
At the company’s 2026 Investor Day on Sept. 23, Global Chief Marketing Officer Morgan Flatley said the commerce-media business could become a $1 billion opportunity for McDonald’s. Flatley described it as a way to generate revenue with little additional cost or operational complexity.
The burgers still come first
McDonald’s insists the advertising experiment will not take over the restaurant experience. According to the company, the pilot is intended to share content customers may find helpful, relevant or interesting while keeping the McDonald’s experience at the center of each visit. Whether customers see it that way is another question.
It all boils down to the 'NEXT' plan
The advertising experiment is part of a strategy called McDonald’s NEXT, which the company unveiled Sept. 23. The plan covers everything from menu innovation and restaurant design to technology, customer relationships and employee training.
McDonald’s also wants to use more technology to make its restaurants easier to operate. One example is ArchIQ, an AI program designed to improve efficiency inside restaurants.
According to the company, investments made since launching its Accelerating the Arches strategy in 2020 have modernized its technology infrastructure and made it easier to test and deploy new ideas.
Not McDonald's first tech-meets-marketing experiment
The chain has been leaning heavily into digital experiences for years, particularly through its app and loyalty program. Even its Monopoly promotion has become increasingly digital.
For the 2026 game, which runs from Oct. 6 through Nov. 1, Rewards members can collect game pieces from participating menu items and scan them into the McDonald’s app for prizes. Those prizes include free food, points and property pieces that could lead to bigger prizes, including a 2027 Jeep Cherokee. There is also a Chance Card Game with a $1 million cash grand prize.
