McDonald’s to Launch New and Returning Menu Items Worldwide in 2026

Arguably, the most iconic food chain in the history of the world, McDonald's is a brand that has long been known to people everywhere. In fact, McDonald's is such a well-known entity that several of the menu items that the fast food chain sells have become iconic for generations of people.

As a result of how well-known McDonald's and its menu items have been for decades, there are a lot of people who are very interested in knowing when the chain makes changes. Most notably, many McDonald's fans care when the fast food company adds or removes menu items. That is why it is fascinating to know that changes are planned for McDonald's menus in countries around the world.

These Changes Are Coming to McDonald’s Menus in America

On January 7th, 2025, Newsweek published an article detailing reported plans that McDonald's has for its menus in different countries around the world. That article reported that McDonald's restaurants in America are reportedly set to focus on special edition and nostalgia items in the year to come. Most notably, Newsweek pointed to an article from The Street about the fast food chain launching a Happy Meal that will inspire memories for many people.

On January 6th, 2025, The Street reported that McDonald's will be selling a Pokémon Happy Meal that will remind customers of offerings the fast food chain has been selling related to the anime series since 1999. The McDonald’s x Pokémon TCG Happy Meal, which is designed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the anime series, is expected to launch in February or March 2026. The Happy Meals will come packaged with four-card Pokémon booster packs.

Newsweek's article also stated that changes are planned for McDonald's breakfast and burger menus in America that will be based on customer feedback. However, no details about those planned changes that are expected to come in 2026 have been confirmed yet. It is important to note that some of the changes detailed below will also affect McDonald's menus in America since some of them will be instituted worldwide.

These Changes Are Coming to McDonald’s Menus in Canada, The UK, Ireland, and All Other Markets

According to Newsweek's aforementioned article, McDonald's has already or will be making changes to their menus across the world in 2026. For example, the outlet stated that McDonald's in Canada launched the Double Cheesy Melt Burger, which comes with two patties and cheese sauce, in January 2026. The article also revealed that The International Business Times has reported that McDonald's in the UK and Ireland will be offering a "Secret Menu" of food items based on social media hacks. That report listed items like the Surf N’ Turf burger, Chicken Cheeseburger, Apple Pie Mini McFlurry, Espresso Milkshake, and Big Mac sauce to dip fries and nuggets in.

That article also stated that McDonald's has permanently brought back the Big Arch, a Double Quarter Pounder with special sauce and toppings, in The UK and Ireland. A statement about the Big Arch's permanent return was also quoted in The International Business Times' article. "The Big Arch is back for good. When we first introduced it, customers voted with their feet and made it clear they loved the unmistakably McDonald's taste, the generous use of ingredients and the iconic Big Arch sauce. This burger that has earned its permanent place on the menu alongside the Big Mac."

Newsweek's article ended by detailing three changes that are planned for McDonald's restaurants worldwide. First off, the company's “Accelerating the Arches” plan will be adopt its "Best Burger" policy worldwide, which is detailed on McDonald's official website. That policy calls for upgrading the quality of the ingredients and improving the preparation methods for McDonald's burgers. Newsweek also cited a report from Mashed, which stated that several of the unique drinks sold in the company's spin-off brand, CosMc's, will soon be sold in more than 500 traditional McDonald's locations in 2026. Finally, Newsweek reported that McDonald's has teamed up with Crayola to launch Planet McDonald’s Happy Meals designed to engage kids' creativity in more than 60 countries.