McDonalds Golden Arches signs are seen, March 31, 2026, in Los Angeles. ( AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File ) License this photo

McDonalds is facing a federal lawsuit that alleges its AI-enhanced pricing tool violates antitrust laws because it shares nonpublic data with franchisees who might be competing in the same market.

The lawsuit, which was filed Friday in Illinois, said McDonalds pricing tool uses artificial intelligence to collect data that competing franchises wouldnt normally share, like store-level sales. The Chicago-based burger giant has said it makes the tool available to U.S. franchisees to help them set prices at their individual restaurants.

The lawsuit also blames the pricing system for raising McDonalds U.S. prices.

McDonalds has built and for years deployed its own information-sharing pricing platform, which draws on data from its millions of daily transactions to set menu prices across thousands of U.S. restaurants, the lawsuit states. The result is algorithmic price-fixing aimed at customers who are already stretched thin.

McDonalds said Tuesday that the lawsuit is filled with inaccuracies and it would vigorously defend itself.

AI does not set menu prices at McDonalds restaurants C McDonalds franchisees do, the company said in a statement. Optional tools are available to franchisees to help them make the best decisions for their businesses and customers, but these tools do not automate, coordinate or fix pricing in any way.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a consumer, Michael Thomas, of DeKalb, Illinois. According to the lawsuit, Thomas frequently visits McDonalds and orders a Quarter Pounder with cheese, french fries and a Coke. The lawsuit said Thomas noticed price differences between McDonalds stores near his home.

McDonalds said it has used an AI-enhanced pricing tool for more than a decade. The program determines the optimal price for menu items based on a stores sales, location and other factors, including competitors prices.

McDonalds said that long before adopting the AI-enhanced tool, it collected data and recommended prices to its franchisees, who own and operate 95% of McDonalds 14,000 U.S. stores.

All we do is provide the context of whats going on, a McDonalds spokesman told The Associated Press. We dont have any way to affect the menu pricing in a restaurant.

But the lawsuit said McDonalds has significant leverage over its franchisees and can pressure them to follow its pricing recommendations.

The Associated Press left a message Tuesday with the National Owners Association, which represents McDonalds franchisees.

McDonalds has been experimenting with various value strategies in the U.S. and other markets for several years as it tries to win back lower-income consumers, whose visits to fast-food chains have dropped.

But franchisees dont always follow its guidance. During a conference call with investors in August, McDonalds Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said only 60% of its U.S. restaurants were offering McDonalds proposed menu of 10 items for under $3.

As you know, in our system, thats not something that we just flip the switch on, Kempczinski said. It requires conversations with franchisees.

The lawsuit asks the judge to certify the case as a class action and to require McDonalds to pay damages to the class. It also seeks to prevent McDonalds from enforcing agreements that restrict competition.

麦当劳正面临一项联邦诉讼，该诉讼指控其人工智能增强定价工具违反了反垄断法，因为该工具与可能在同一市场竞争的特许经营商共享非公开数据。

这起于上周五在伊利诺伊州提起的诉讼称，麦当劳的定价工具利用人工智能收集竞争对手特许经营店通常不会共享的数据，例如门店层面的销售数据。这家总部位于芝加哥的汉堡巨头表示，它向美国特许经营商提供该工具，以帮助他们在各自的餐厅制定价格。

该诉讼还指责定价系统推高了麦当劳在美国的售价。

诉讼称：" 麦当劳建立并多年来部署了自有信息共享定价平台，该平台利用其每日数百万笔交易的数据，为全美数千家餐厅设定菜单价格。其结果是针对本已捉襟见肘的顾客进行算法定价操纵。"

麦当劳周二表示，该诉讼 " 充满不实之词 "，并将积极为自己辩护。

麦当劳公司在一份声明中表示：" 人工智能不会为麦当劳餐厅设定菜单价格——设定价格的是麦当劳的特许经营商。特许经营商可以使用可选工具来帮助他们为业务和顾客做出最佳决策，但这些工具绝不会自动定价、协调定价或以任何方式固定价格。"

这起诉讼是由伊利诺伊州迪卡尔布市的一名消费者迈克尔 · 托马斯提起的。诉状称，托马斯经常光顾麦当劳，点购吉士双层堡、薯条和可乐。诉讼指出，托马斯发现其住所附近的麦当劳门店之间存在价格差异。

麦当劳表示，其使用一种人工智能增强的定价工具已超过十年。该程序会根据门店的销售额、位置以及其他因素（包括竞争对手的价格）来确定菜单项目的最优价格。

麦当劳表示，早在采用这一人工智能增强工具之前，它就已经收集数据并向其特许经营商推荐定价。这些特许经营商拥有并经营着麦当劳在美国 14000 家门店中的 95%。

" 我们所做的只是提供当前情况的背景信息，" 麦当劳的一位发言人对美联社表示。" 我们没有任何办法影响餐厅的菜单定价。"

但诉讼称，麦当劳对其加盟商拥有 " 显著的支配力 "，并能施压要求他们遵循其定价建议。

美联社周二向全国业主协会留言，该协会代表麦当劳的特许经营商。

多年来，麦当劳一直在美国及其他市场尝试各种价格策略，以期赢回低收入消费者，而这一群体前往快餐连锁店的次数已经有所下降。

但加盟商并不总是遵循公司的指导。在 8 月与投资者举行的一次电话会议中，麦当劳董事长兼首席执行官克里斯 · 肯普钦斯基表示，其美国门店中只有 60% 在提供麦当劳提议的 10 款低于 3 美元的菜单。

" 如你所知，在我们的体系中，这不是我们随便按个开关就能做到的事，" 肯普钦斯基表示。" 这需要与加盟商进行沟通协商。"

该诉讼请求法官将此案认定为集体诉讼，并要求麦当劳向集体成员支付赔偿金。此外，诉讼还寻求阻止麦当劳执行限制竞争的相关协议。