MCD · Earnings call · 2026Q3T · Full report

Digital Channel and Delivery Growth

MCDONALDS CORP · 2026-11-04 · Importance 44 · Surprise 24

McDonald’s partially restored national digital offers in Q3, contributing to improved baseline traffic momentum among high-frequency customers and loyalty members. U.S. loyalty members represent almost 30% of the customer base, and their frequency rises about 2.5 times in the 12 months after joining. About one-third of sales are digital, with a significant portion app-based, and management said frequent customers are particularly sensitive to digital offers. Management said delivery globally continues to grow at mid- to high-single digits, McDonald’s is seeing share gains, and its restaurant proximity and scale make it a preferred venue for third-party providers.

Key facts

• McDonald’s expects Archy to be deployed across a majority of U.S. restaurants by the end of 2027, with further international pilots through 2027.
• McDonald’s planned to let customers review their restaurant experience in the app at the end of Q4.
• McDonald’s has about a third of its sales as digital sales.
• McDonald’s partially restored a broader range of regional and national digital offers to increase active loyalty-member visit frequency and attract new and lapsed loyalty members.
• Examples of restored U.S. digital offers included a $2 breakfast sandwich and free fries with a $1 minimum purchase.
• McDonald’s offers digital deals through its app to more than 45 million U.S. loyalty members.
• Initial responses to mass digital offers exceeded expectations for incremental guest counts and sales and helped reverse baseline-trend declines from Q2 and early Q3.
• McDonald’s is expanding Archy smart-ordering tests across more U.S. and Australian drive-throughs.