The news: McDonald’s is testing ads from other brands on its digital menu boards, Bloomberg reported.

The ads appear after diners place their orders, giving brands the opportunity to engage the fast-food chain’s customers as they wait for their food.

The pilot is live at “select company-owned restaurants,” a McDonald’s spokesperson told Bloomberg.

The opportunity: McDonald’s limited pilot could pave the way for a deeper push into commerce media. The fast-food chain has ample screens across its stores, from digital menu boards to touch-screen kiosks, that could be used to deliver targeted messaging to its customers. The company’s mobile app could offer additional advertising opportunities, in addition to the ability to layer in deeper insights using McDonald’s loyalty data.

McDonald’s app had 41.9 million unique visitors in March 2026, making it by far the most popular quick-service restaurant (QSR) app, according to Comscore data provided to EMARKETER.

Its large footprint and customer base is another advantage. McDonald’s has over 13,700 restaurants across the US and claims to serve around 26 million customers per day, with nearly 90% of the US population visiting a McDonald’s at least once a year.