According to a Reuters report covered by Engadget, McDonald's has been using AI to recommend menu prices at U.S. and some global locations. The system calculates an "optimal price" based on what customers in each area are willing to pay, so prices can vary significantly even between nearby restaurants. For example, a Big Mac was $5.69 at a Fresno store and $6.89 at another two miles away.
McDonald's says the pricing portal is a tool, not a mandate, and franchisees are free to set final prices. But some franchisees told Reuters that corporate pressures them to use the AI recommendations. The company tracks adherence and has included "pricing non-compliance" in contract renewal conversations, according to the report. One former store owner said, "You don't really have much of a choice anymore."
The report also notes potential antitrust concerns. The pricing portal's terms warn users about antitrust laws and suggest seeking legal counsel. McDonald's has dismissed the reporting as "speculative and uninformed." The article adds that similar dynamic-pricing efforts at Wendy's and Instacart drew public backlash, and that McDonald's makes money by taking a percentage of store revenue, giving it an incentive to push higher prices.