McDonald's AI Pricing Engine Puts Big Mac Prices Under Scrutiny

McDonald's is increasingly using machine learning to guide restaurant- and item-level menu prices, turning the Big Mac into a visible test case for algorithmic pricing in everyday retail. In September, prices visible in the McDonald's mobile app showed one company-operated Fresno, California, location charging $5.69 for a Big Mac while another company-operated restaurant two miles away charged $6.89, a 21% premium, though the gap has not been independently tied to the AI tool.