McDonald’s bets on digital ads to drive billion-dollar revenue

The pilot program launched in August across 450 company-owned U.S. restaurants. While the initiative is currently limited to corporate locations, the company envisions a broader rollout across its 14,000 domestic sites. Morgan Flatley, global chief marketing officer, noted that commerce media represents one of the fastest-growing advertising sectors, projected to exceed $100 billion in the U.S. by 2028.

Executives view this as a low-cost, high-margin opportunity to offset rising expenses for ingredients like beef and to fund massive restaurant upgrades planned for the coming decade. CFO Ian Borden emphasized that the chain’s reach—serving roughly 85% of the U.S. population annually—gives it a unique advantage over competitors. Unlike Amazon, which generated $68.6 billion in ad sales in 2025, or Walmart, which continues to see double-digit growth in its Connect platform, McDonald’s aims to leverage its physical footprint in every community to attract advertisers. The project was unveiled at the company’s Chicago headquarters during an investor day focused on long-term growth.