McDonald’s is testing third-party ads on digital menu boards and ordering kiosks in select company-owned US restaurants. The trial targets the gap between payment and collection across a domestic footprint of more than 13,700 outlets.

Drive-thru boards and self-service kiosks display commercial promos once a customer completes an order. Reserving that post-purchase window for outside brands lets the chain build a high-margin ad business without slowing down the ordering queue.

Sales growth has decelerated sharply. Second-quarter global comparable sales rose 1.3 per cent for the period ended June 30. Domestic comparable sales slowed to 0.8 per cent, down from 3.9 per cent in the first quarter.

The system relies on idle visual time. After an order is logged and paid for, the display switches from item selection to third-party commercials while the kitchen prepares the meal.

McDonald’s reaches roughly 26 million daily customers in the US. It interacts with nearly 90 per cent of the country’s population each year. That physical footfall provides an audience density rival digital networks struggle to match at the point of sale.

“This limited menu board advertising pilot at select company-owned restaurants is exploring ways to share post-purchase content that customers may find helpful, relevant, or interesting, while ensuring the McDonald’s experience remains at the center of every visit.”

Supermarket operators have spent years converting aisle footfall into retail media revenue. Media margins now generate between 3 per cent and 10 per cent of total operating profit for grocers, according to McKinsey & Co.

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