McDonald’s to take on KFC and rivals as Gen Z flock to fried chicken
News Source
•Wed, 23 Sep 2026 17:38:37 GMT
📰 What Happened
McDonald's plans to sell more fried chicken. It aims to win an extra 1.5 percentage points of the global chicken market by 2030, and the same extra share of drinks.
The chain says its share of chicken is in the "high teens", against about 45% for beef. But the chicken market is bigger and growing twice as fast.
McDonald's said the growth will not come at the cost of beef burger sales. It also said it will spend about $8.5bn to help franchisees with rent and improve restaurants.
🔍 The Backstory
Rising beef prices are squeezing the chain. Beef costs have climbed more than 20% over two years in the US and the UK.
Younger diners are driving the change. In the UK, 39% of consumers used chicken shops in 2025, up from 37% in 2023. Among Gen Z it hit 52%, close to pizza at 56%.
Rivals are growing fast. Popeyes, Wingstop and KFC are all expanding. One analyst said chicken is cheaper and seen as healthier, so selling more could steal customers from other fast food chains.
🎯 Why It Matters
Cheaper chicken could keep fast food affordable as beef gets pricier. It also shows how younger tastes and health worries change what big chains sell.
McDonald's plans to sell more fried chicken. It aims to win an extra 1.5 percentage points of the global chicken market by 2030, and the same extra share of drinks.
The chain says its share of chicken is in the "high teens", against about 45% for beef. But the chicken market is bigger and growing twice as fast.
McDonald's said the growth will not come at the cost of beef burger sales. It also said it will spend about $8.5bn to help franchisees with rent and improve restaurants.
Rising beef prices are squeezing the chain. Beef costs have climbed more than 20% over two years in the US and the UK.
Younger diners are driving the change. In the UK, 39% of consumers used chicken shops in 2025, up from 37% in 2023. Among Gen Z it hit 52%, close to pizza at 56%.
Rivals are growing fast. Popeyes, Wingstop and KFC are all expanding. One analyst said chicken is cheaper and seen as healthier, so selling more could steal customers from other fast food chains.
Cheaper chicken could keep fast food affordable as beef gets pricier. It also shows how younger tastes and health worries change what big chains sell.