McDonald’s unveiled a media network initiative on Wednesday as part of its investor day presentation, marking an expansion into advertising similar to moves made by major retailers Amazon and Walmart. The company began displaying third-party advertisements on digital drive-thru order boards at 450 of its company-owned U.S. restaurants in August as a pilot program.
The advertising venture has not yet been rolled out to franchisees who operate the majority of McDonald’s roughly 14,000 U.S. locations. Morgan Flatley, the company’s global chief marketing officer and executive vice president of new business ventures, stated that commerce media represents one of the fastest-growing segments in advertising, with projections to surpass $100 billion in the U.S. alone by 2028. Executives characterized the initiative as a means to generate high-margin revenue with minimal additional expenses and no impact on customer experience.
McDonald’s positioning in the market gives it distinct advantages for this venture, according to company leadership. CFO Ian Borden noted that the company serves approximately 85% of the U.S. population at least annually and operates 14,000 locations across the nation. The media network could provide a stable revenue stream as the company manages rising input costs and pursues billions in restaurant improvements over the coming decade.
Retailers have already demonstrated the profitability of media networks. Amazon reported $68.6 billion in advertising service revenue in 2025, representing just under 10% of total company revenue, with ads appearing across its platforms including shopping pages, Prime Video, and Twitch. Walmart’s Connect advertising unit saw sales growth of 43% in its fiscal second quarter, with advertisements displayed on its app, website, in stores, and on external platforms including Instagram.
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