McDonald’s is increasing its focus on fried chicken to capture more of the expanding global chicken market, as health concerns and higher beef prices influence consumer choices. It aims to gain 1.5 percentage points of chicken-market share by 2030, while maintaining its leading position in beef and competing more aggressively with KFC, Popeyes and Wingstop.

The company says its chicken share is currently in the high teens, compared with about 45% in beef, but chicken is growing twice as quickly and represents a larger market. Beef prices have risen by more than 20% in the US and UK over two years, while McDonald’s plans to spend about $8.5bn supporting franchisees and improving restaurants. In the UK, 39% of consumers used chicken shops in 2025, rising to 52% among Gen Z.