McDonald's
GLOBAL MENU STRATEGY & KITCHEN OPERATIONS
OPERATIONAL MEMORANDUM
Global Impact & Culinary Execution
TO:
Franchise Operators, Store General Managers, Kitchen Leads & Supply Chain Directors
FROM:
Global Chief Marketing O
ffi
cer & Executive VP, Worldwide Operations
DATE:
September 18, 2026
SUBJECT:
McDonald
’
s Menu Change Memo
1. PURPOSE & STRATEGIC CONTEXT
McDonald
’
s operational success centers on serving high-quality, craveable food with market-leading speed and value.
As customer expectations evolve and dining habits increasingly shift toward drive-thru and digital ordering, kitchen
execution simplicity is directly linked to restaurant pro
fi
tability and customer satisfaction.
This
McDonald
’
s Menu Change Memo
details our core menu optimization strategy under the "Accelerating the
Arches" framework. It standardizes operational cooking enhancements across core classic burgers, de
fi
nes limited-
time offering (LTO) rotational rules, and reinforces SKU discipline to protect drive-thru throughput and crew e
ffi
ciency.
2. CORE CULINARY REFINEMENTS: THE "BEST BURGER" STANDARDS
To elevate our classic beef portfolio, all company-owned and franchised restaurants must ensure kitchen operations
adhere strictly to the following culinary adjustments:
Glazed Brioche-Style Buns:
Transition to softer, bakery-style buns toasted to a golden-brown
fi
nish for exactly 22
seconds to retain heat and structural integrity.
Caramelized White Onions:
Finely diced white onions must be sprinkled directly onto patties while still on the
fl
at-
top grill to capture juices and enhance
fl
avor caramelization.
Optimized Cheese Melt:
Processed cheese slices must be tempered to ambient prep-table holding speci
fi
cations
prior to assembly, ensuring a melted drape over hot patties.
Sauce Calibration:
Standardized Big Mac sauce dispensing calibration is adjusted to provide consistent coverage
from edge to edge on every bun layer.
Operational Focus:
Small, disciplined modi
fi
cations in the grill line produce a transformative improvement in taste
without adding operational complexity or seconds to drive-thru service times.
3. BEVERAGE AND MCCAF
É
STREAMLINING
To eliminate bottlenecks in the service line, McCaf
é
drink stations will continue transitioning to standardized
automated syrup and dairy dispensers. Low-volume specialty beverage lines are consolidated to accelerate order
assembly during peak morning and midday surges.
McDonald's Corporation
—
Franchise & Operations Con
fi
dential
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