Chris Kempczinski of McDonald’s Shares Insights on Key Food Trends for 2026
Maslansky + Partners President Lee Carter comments on President Trump addressing affordability at the McDonald’s summit and Disney dropping diversity terms from their business report on ‘The Bottom Line.’
McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski recently shared his insights on the future of the food industry in a video posted on Instagram. He outlined three key trends he anticipates will shape the market by 2026.
In his video, Kempczinski emphasized the importance of fiber-rich offerings, the popularity of sweet-and-spicy flavor combinations, and a surge in beverage innovation. “No. 1, fiber is going to be big,” he stated. “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.”
MCDONALD’S CEO DELIVERS BLUNT CAREER ADVICE THAT MAY ‘HURT YOUR FEELINGS’ IN NEW INSTAGRAM VIDEO
McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski is offering a glimpse into what he believes will shape the food industry in 2026. (McDonald’s Corporation)
Reflecting on his previous predictions, Kempczinski noted that he successfully identified key trends for 2025. “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 to be AI, it was going to be sauces,” he remarked. “I think I went three-for-three. That’s pretty good.”
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCD | MCDONALD’S CORP. | 306.88 | -2.52 | -0.82% |
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Chris Kempczinski speaks about fresh beef expansion at a McDonald’s event in Oak Brook, Illinois, on March 5, 2018. (Richa Naidu/Reuters)
Since taking over as CEO in November 2019, Kempczinski has maintained an active presence on social media. His Instagram account, boasting over 57,000 followers, features videos where he shares career advice, discusses impostor syndrome, and samples various McDonald’s menu items.
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The McDonald’s logo is displayed at a McDonald’s restaurant on July 22, 2024, in Burbank, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
In a recent video titled “Tough Love with the McDonald’s CEO,” Kempczinski encouraged viewers to take charge of their careers rather than waiting for opportunities to come their way. “The advice I would give is: remember, nobody cares about your career as much as you do,” he advised. “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.”
Maslansky + Partners President Lee Carter comments on President Trump addressing affordability at the McDonald’s summit and Disney dropping diversity terms from their business report on ‘The Bottom Line.’
McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski recently shared his insights on the future of the food industry in a video posted on Instagram. He outlined three key trends he anticipates will shape the market by 2026.
In his video, Kempczinski emphasized the importance of fiber-rich offerings, the popularity of sweet-and-spicy flavor combinations, and a surge in beverage innovation. “No. 1, fiber is going to be big,” he stated. “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.”
MCDONALD’S CEO DELIVERS BLUNT CAREER ADVICE THAT MAY ‘HURT YOUR FEELINGS’ IN NEW INSTAGRAM VIDEO
McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski is offering a glimpse into what he believes will shape the food industry in 2026. (McDonald’s Corporation)
Reflecting on his previous predictions, Kempczinski noted that he successfully identified key trends for 2025. “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 to be AI, it was going to be sauces,” he remarked. “I think I went three-for-three. That’s pretty good.”
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCD | MCDONALD’S CORP. | 306.88 | -2.52 | -0.82% |
MCDONALD’S PULLS ‘CREEPY’ AI-GENERATED CHRISTMAS AD AFTER VIEWER BACKLASH
Chris Kempczinski speaks about fresh beef expansion at a McDonald’s event in Oak Brook, Illinois, on March 5, 2018. (Richa Naidu/Reuters)
Since taking over as CEO in November 2019, Kempczinski has maintained an active presence on social media. His Instagram account, boasting over 57,000 followers, features videos where he shares career advice, discusses impostor syndrome, and samples various McDonald’s menu items.
MCDONALD’S BRINGS BACK MONOPOLY AFTER NEARLY A DECADE WITH $1M CASH PRIZE UP FOR GRABS
The McDonald’s logo is displayed at a McDonald’s restaurant on July 22, 2024, in Burbank, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
In a recent video titled “Tough Love with the McDonald’s CEO,” Kempczinski encouraged viewers to take charge of their careers rather than waiting for opportunities to come their way. “The advice I would give is: remember, nobody cares about your career as much as you do,” he advised. “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.”
