Starting on January 1, 2026, McDonald’s will judge franchisees on their pricing strategies that give customers who don’t have a lot of money a good deal every time. Moreover, the changes to global franchising rules are meant to make sure that every restaurant is responsible, and as a result, customers can always count on affordable prices. For instance, about 95% of McDonald’s locations around the world are run by franchisees who set menu prices with help from consultants. Consequently, the company will now look at all of these choices as a whole to see how much value they provide.
Franchising rules spell out how businesses should run, and if they don’t follow them, franchisees could face penalties like not being able to open new locations or having their franchise end. In addition, Andrew Gregory, the Senior Vice President, wrote an internal memo stressing the need for clearer instructions to help operators keep McDonald’s at the top of the value pricing game. Furthermore, this initiative is a response to the fact that fewer people are eating out because prices have gone up by 40% since 2019. Therefore, it has pushed franchisees to come up with ways to save money.
Overall, this move fits with McDonald’s plans to win back lower-income customers who are unhappy with rising prices. For example, one of these plans was to test expanded value menus. Meanwhile, franchisees get local knowledge to help them run their businesses, and corporate monitoring and pricing consultants help them do this. Ultimately, the risks of noncompliance show that the chain is serious about making things affordable for everyone.
