# McDonald's is testing ads on drive-thru menus

> The fast food chain is showing third-party brand ads on digital menu boards after customers order, opening a new revenue stream.
- Title: McDonald's is testing ads on drive-thru menus · The Verge
- Summary: The fast food chain is showing third-party brand ads on digital menu boards after customers order, opening a new revenue stream. McDonald's is experimenting…
- Keywords: mcdonald's, drive-thru, digital advertising, menu boards, revenue stream, pilot program, us sales, brand partnerships, technology, culture, testing, ads
- Source: The Verge — https://theverge.com/tech/999295/mcdonalds-drive-thru-menu-ads
- Author: Emma Roth
- Published: 2026-09-23T13:52:39+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: mcdonald's, drive-thru, digital advertising, menu boards, revenue stream, pilot program, us sales, brand partnerships, technology, culture
## McDonald's tests drive-thru ads
The chain is showing ads from other brands on digital menu boards at company-owned restaurants after customers place orders.

> Ads from other brands will show up on digital menu boards after customers place their orders.
## Limited pilot at select locations
The test is running at a limited number of company-owned McDonald's restaurants as part of an early exploration phase.
## Post-purchase ads customers may want
McDonald's says the ads will show content that's helpful, relevant, or interesting to customers waiting for their food.

> ways to share post-purchase content that customers may find helpful, relevant, or interesting.
## New revenue stream amid slowing sales
Selling ads on menu boards could generate additional income for McDonald's as the company faces slowing sales in the United States.
## AI assistant also in the works
McDonald's is also rolling out ArchIQ, an AI-powered ordering assistant that can take orders in English and Spanish and remember repeat customers.
## Key takeaway

McDonald's is experimenting with advertising from other brands on drive-thru menu boards to boost revenue while US sales slow.