McDonald’s U.S. marketing chief steps down a day after Q3 dip

Alyssa Buetikofer, who led McDonald’s U.S. marketing through the Snack Wrap comeback and the “record-breaking” Grinch Meal, leaves Dec. 18. The news landed one day after the chain reported its first U.S. sales decline since early 2025.

McDonald’s is losing its top U.S. marketer. Alyssa Buetikofer, chief marketing and customer experience officer for McDonald’s USA, is leaving the company after 15 years, McDonald’s said in a Thursday, Nov. 5 message to its system.

She’ll stay through Dec. 18 to help with the handoff. The message says she “has chosen to leave the company to spend more time with her family.”

The timing caught the trade press’s eye. On Wednesday, Nov. 4, McDonald’s reported that U.S. same-store sales fell 0.2% in the third quarter. Marketing Dive put the two together in its headline: “McDonald’s US CMO steps down as sales decline.”

McDonald’s didn’t link the two. Buetikofer took the U.S. job on Feb. 15, 2025, so her run lasted less than two years.

Bloomberg covered McDonald’s last big U.S. leadership change, in August:

Who is replacing McDonald’s U.S. marketing chief?

Nobody permanent yet. McDonald’s says a search for a new U.S. chief marketing officer is underway. Until then, the job is split up:

• Morgan Flatley becomes interim chief creative officer for the U.S. business. She keeps her jobs as global CMO and head of new business ventures. She ran U.S. marketing from 2017 to 2021, and McDonald’s credits her with the “Famous Orders” celebrity meals.

• Charlie Newberger becomes interim senior vice president and U.S. chief marketing and commercial officer. The 17-year McDonald’s veteran most recently led the global beverages and desserts category.

• Danica Cunningham takes over that beverages and desserts category on an interim basis.

The message was signed by Skye Anderson, president of McDonald’s USA, plus Flatley and Jill McDonald, the global chief restaurant experience officer. They called it “a clear interim plan with proven leaders” and said the changes will help the company “move faster and execute with greater precision” heading into 2027.

What did Alyssa Buetikofer do at McDonald’s?

McDonald’s credited her with:

• The return of Snack Wraps

• The return of Monopoly

• A new beverage platform

• The “record-breaking” Grinch Meal

She joined McDonald’s in 2011 and was chief marketing officer of McDonald’s Canada before moving to the U.S. job, The Wall Street Journal reported when she was promoted. She replaced Tariq Hassan, who had followed Flatley in the role.

So the marketer behind the Grinch Meal is leaving a week before Christmas. The Grinch would approve of the timing.

How are McDonald’s U.S. sales doing?

Not great, but not falling off a cliff either. Here’s what McDonald’s reported for July through September:

• U.S. same-store sales: down 0.2%, the first decline since early 2025. Wall Street had expected a 0.5% drop.

• Customer visits: down. Higher average checks made up some of the difference.

• Global same-store sales: up 1.5%.

Across U.S. fast food, foot traffic fell 2.6% in the quarter, according to Revenue Management Solutions. U.S. same-store sales at McDonald’s turned positive again in September and October, The Associated Press reported.

This is the second big U.S. shake-up in about three months. In August, McDonald’s named Anderson president of the U.S. business after second-quarter U.S. growth of 0.8%, its slowest in more than a year, The Daily Upside reported.

Why has McDonald’s marketing struggled this year?

Nation’s Restaurant News pointed to a rough spring and summer. A $3 and Under value menu didn’t catch on. Promotions for K-Pop Demon Hunters and the FIFA World Cup came and went. In October, McDonald’s stepped away from its World Cup sponsorship, Marketing Dive noted.

CEO Chris Kempczinski described the problem in August. “It’s tough to drive awareness when you’re sort of jumping around,” he said, per NRN.

Flatley has also said McDonald’s needs to move away from “borrowed IP,” NRN reported, even with hits like the Grinch Meal. McDonald’s hasn’t announced any change to its movie and character tie-ins.

What deals is McDonald’s testing now?

Value bundles. McDonald’s started an eight-week test of $3.50 to $4 bundles at about 1,900 U.S. restaurants. Customers pick two items from the McDouble, McChicken, six-piece Chicken McNuggets and fries.

If the test works, McDonald’s plans a national version in early 2027. Prices vary by market, and franchisees own about 95% of U.S. locations.

Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.

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Hat Tips:

• McDonald’s (Nov. 5, 2026), the system message on Buetikofer’s exit, the interim roles and her credited work

• Marketing Dive (Nov. 5, 2026), the internal note, her tenure and the Q3 sales context

• Nation’s Restaurant News (Nov. 5, 2026), Kempczinski’s August comments, Flatley’s “borrowed IP” remark and the spring and summer promotions

• Restaurant Dive (Nov. 6, 2026), the follow-up on the interim leadership

• The Associated Press (Nov. 4, 2026), Q3 sales, fast food traffic and the September and October rebound

• The Wall Street Journal (Jan. 27, 2025), Buetikofer’s promotion, start date and background

• The Daily Upside (Aug. 5, 2026), Skye Anderson’s appointment and Q2 growth

• Bloomberg Podcasts (Aug. 2026), the video

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