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McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski predicts major 2026 food trends
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McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski is offering a glimpse into what he believes will shape the food industry in 2026.
In a video shared on Instagram this week, Kempczinski outlined three trends he expects to gain momentum in the year ahead, pointing to fiber-focused offerings, sweet-and-spicy flavor combinations and increased beverage innovation.
“No. 1, fiber is going to be big,” he said. “No. 2, sweet and spicy, together, is going to be a big food trend. And No. 3, you’re going to see a lot of beverage innovation. Those are my three picks — things to look out for in 2026. I feel confident.”
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McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski is offering a glimpse into what he believes will shape the food industry in 2026. (McDonald’s Corporation)
The McDonald’s chief also reflected on his predictions from last year, saying he went “three-for-three” in his 2025 forecast.
“I do have to do a little bit of a victory lap because this time last year I was asked for my 2025 predictions, and I did say what was going to be big. It’s going to be protein, it’s going be AI, it was going be sauces,” Kempczinski said. “I think I went three-for-three. That’s pretty good.”
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCD | MCDONALD’S CORP. | 307.40 | -2.01 | -0.65% |
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Chris Kempczinski speaks about fresh beef expansion at a McDonald’s event in Oak Brook, Ill., March 5, 2018. (Richa Naidu/Reuters)
Kempczinski, who took over as CEO in November 2019, maintains an active presence on social media.
His Instagram account, which has more than 57,000 followers, recently featured videos offering career advice, addressing impostor syndrome and sampling McDonald’s menu items.
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The McDonald’s logo is displayed at a McDonald’s restaurant July 22, 2024, in Burbank, Calif. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
In a video posted last month, titled “Tough Love with the McDonald’s CEO,” Kempczinski encouraged viewers to take ownership of their professional paths rather than waiting for opportunities to be handed to them.
“The advice I would give is: Remember, nobody cares about your career as much as you do,” Kempczinski said.
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“So, this idea that there’s somebody out there who’s looking out for you, who’s going to make sure that you get that opportunity, who puts you in the right thing — great if it happens — but at the end of the day, nobody cares more about your career than you do.”
