The Big Mac Dilemma: Can McDonald's Fix Sales? | Fortune Daily

McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski promised the chain wouldn’t get beat on value, yet sales growth has slowed to just 0.8% while Burger King surges ahead at 8.5%. So why are the Golden Arches losing their luster, and can high-end menu bets like the Big Arch burger win budget-conscious customers back? Fortune senior writer Phil Wahba breaks down what went wrong and what it will take to reverse course. Plus, Fortune Editorial Director Kristen Stoller turns the table on Ellie to ask what we can expect at the upcoming Most Powerful Women Summit and what goes into planning Fortune’s premier gathering of female leaders. Finally, Executive Editorial Director Diane Brady hosts our CEO Source segment with Jason Buechel, CEO of Whole Foods Market and VP of Amazon Worldwide Grocery Stores, exploring the evolving future of grocery retail. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Why McDonald’s Is Losing Its Value Crown (ft. Phil Wahba) 11:59 - CEO Source: Jason Buechel, Whole Foods & Amazon 16:32 - Inside the Most Powerful Women Summit Preview Read Phil’s full article - https://fortune.com/2026/10/07/mcdonalds-earnings-growth-customers-meal-deals Subscribe to Fortune: https://fortune.com/subscribe/ Additional images courtesy of Getty Images