The Reuters report behind that line describes a per-store price recommender, and says it could not tie the Fresno Big Mac gap to it.
“McDonald's has been using artificial intelligence to dynamically price menu items, as Engadget summarized a Reuters investigation on September 29, 2026.”
Engadget, summarizing a Reuters investigation into McDonald's pricing engine, 29 September 2026
Recorded 30 September 2026. Our ruling means: literally true, materially misleading.
a company-run store in Fresno, California sells a Big Mac for $5.69, but another company-run restaurant two miles away sells the same sandwich for $6.89, a 21% premium.
But in recent months the engine has pushed more conservative pricing - including some decreases - causing friction between franchisees and corporate headquarters.
Its pricing portal is "a tool, not a mandate, designed to provide restaurant-specific recommendations to help franchisees deliver value for customers and make informed business decisions," McDonald's said.
McDonald's said in a statement costs and other factors vary across its stores, and that restaurants even a few miles apart can belong to distinct markets.
Screenshots of the interface franchisees use, reviewed by Reuters, show messages including: "Your restaurant is showing medium sensitivity to price" based in part on "customer willingness to pay in your area."
The engine has widened existing price differences for the same product between restaurants, including from neighbourhood to neighbourhood within the same area, three franchisees told Reuters.
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