McDonald's plans its own advertising network

McDonald's said on Wednesday that it plans to build its own media network, moving into a business model already used by retailers such as Amazon and Walmart. The company has started testing ads from other brands on digital drivethru order boards at 450 companyowned U.S. restaurants. The pilot is still limited and has not yet expanded to franchise locations, which make up most of McDonald's roughly 14,000 U.S. restaurants. Executives said the effort could eventually become a $1 billion business and generate revenue with relatively low added costs. McDonald's says its scale, brand recognition and nationwide restaurant footprint make it well suited for advertising. The company introduced the plan during its investor day in Chicago, where it also discussed restaurant upgrades and other growth initiatives.