What does building an unmanned helicopter have in common with designing a tiny, screenless fitness tracker? And why did NBA superstar Stephen Curry’s elite athleticism actually break Google’s sleep-tracking algorithm?
On this episode of the Made by Google Podcast, host Rachid Finge sits down with Andy Abramson, Head of Product for Fitbit and Health, to explore the design and engineering behind Google’s newest health tools: the redesigned Google Health app, the screenless Fitbit Air, and the Gemini-powered Google Health Coach.
Andy explains why Google is returning to Fitbit's screenless roots, how the team reacted when Reddit users tried to make their own custom bands, and snapping a few photos can go a long way in keeping your fitness plan on track, thanks to Gemini.
You can now set a per-agent reasoning effort level on custom agent configurations. When omitted, the backend chooses its default; an explicit value overrides the backend default for that specific agent without affecting the parent session. (#1981)
agent-framework-azure-cosmos-memory: Add an alpha Azure Cosmos DB semantic-memory context provider with fact extraction, user profiles, samples, and integration coverage (#6719)
agent-framework-azurefunctions, agent-framework-core, agent-framework-durabletask: Add HITL response-URL addressing for requests raised from inside workflows (#7001)
agent-framework-core: Add cross-session origin attribution to context-injected messages (#7041)
agent-framework-core, agent-framework-tools: Warn when auto-approved tools have name collisions (#7090)
agent-framework-core: Add a session_provider option to MCPSkillsSource and MCPSkill (mutually exclusive with client) that resolves the MCP session on every fetch, keeping cached skills reconnect-safe when the underlying session is replaced (#7135)
agent-framework-hosting-mcp: Add app-owned MCP hosting helpers for exposing agents and workflows as native MCP tools (#7209)
agent-framework-hosting-responses: [BREAKING] Add Responses conversation ID creation and parsing helpers, and distinguish conversation IDs from previous response IDs (#7234)
agent-framework-hosting-telegram: Add Telegram hosting helpers and samples (#7047)
samples: Add a Microsoft OpenTelemetry Distro observability sample (#5632)
agent-framework-azurefunctions, agent-framework-devui, agent-framework-foundry, agent-framework-hosting-responses, agent-framework-lab, agent-framework-mistral, agent-framework: Clean up dependency groups and compatibility handling (#7046)
agent-framework-foundry-hosting: Promote the package to beta and add it to the main installation surface; make the Foundry Toolbox MCP skills sample self-contained (#7099)
agent-framework-azure-contentunderstanding, agent-framework-gemini, agent-framework-mistral, agent-framework-monty, agent-framework-tools: Promote the packages to beta, add them to the main installation surface, expose lazy-loading namespaces, and move package-local samples into the root sample tree
agent-framework-github-copilot: Forward GitHubCopilotOptions verbatim when creating sessions (#7155)
agent-framework-core: Preserve explicit null arguments during automatic function calling (#7108)
agent-framework-core: Count non-ASCII text correctly during compaction (#7124)
agent-framework-core: Forward header_provider headers to streamable HTTP MCP transports (#7218)
agent-framework-core: Prevent compaction from emitting empty projections (#7219)
agent-framework-core: Return MCP tool-use sampling results to the requesting server (#7189)
agent-framework-foundry-hosting: Make FoundryToolbox.as_skills_provider() cache toolbox skill discovery by default so skill://index.json is read once instead of on every agent run, give disable_caching an observable effect, and add a cache_refresh_interval option (#7135)
agent-framework-hosting, agent-framework-hosting-responses: Isolate stored session snapshots from later mutations (#7141)
agent-framework-ollama: Generate distinct call ids for parallel tool calls (#6822)
agent-framework-orchestrations: Prevent the Magentic manager from duplicating conversation history (#6297)
samples: Correct the concurrent agents sample's handling of workflow output (#6548)
Determining app development costs is a critical early step in your development process, given that some apps cost as little as $5,000 to develop, while others cost over $1 million. Key elements such as app type, features, location, development team size, security requirements, and user interface design all influence expenses. You can estimate costs using calculators that provide a detailed breakdown of feature expenses. Additionally, you should account for ongoing maintenance, development stages, and hiring expenses to ensure long-term sustainability. By carefully evaluating these factors, you can make informed decisions and create a successful app within your budget.
How much does it cost to develop an app?
Developing an app can be very lucrative, but your app development cost may vary dramatically depending on the app’s complexity and the features and functionalities required.
Simple apps with basic functionality, such as a calculator or flashlight app, can cost from $10,000 to $100,000 or more to develop.
More complex apps, such as social media or e-commerce apps, can cost between $100,000 and $500,000 or more.
High-end apps with complex functionality and enterprise-level features, such as banking or healthcare apps, can cost $500,000 or more, with the most advanced applications reaching several million dollars.
Mobile application development cost
The cost of mobile application development depends less on whether you choose iOS or Android than on the app’s features, backend services, integrations, and security requirements. As a general guideline, a production-ready iOS or Android app typically costs $40,000 to $150,000, while a cross-platform mobile app built for both operating systems generally ranges from $60,000 to $250,000.
Cross-platform frameworks such as React Native and Flutter can significantly reduce development time and cost by allowing much of the application’s codebase to be shared across iOS and Android. However, apps requiring advanced device features, high-performance graphics, or extensive platform-specific functionality may still benefit from native development.
Web application development cost
The web application development cost varies widely depending on the application’s functionality. A simple informational website or basic business portal may cost $10,000 to $40,000, while a full-stack web application with user accounts, databases, APIs, and third-party integrations typically ranges from $50,000 to $250,000. An enterprise web platform with advanced workflows, security, compliance, and high scalability can cost from $250,000 to well over $1 million.
Ultimately, web app development cost is driven more by the complexity of the application, backend architecture, integrations, and ongoing infrastructure requirements than by the technology stack itself.
It’s also important to note that the cost of developing an app is not a one-time expense. Ongoing maintenance, updates, and improvements will also require additional time and resources.
How much does it cost to develop an AI app?
The cost of developing an AI app varies based on complexity, AI capabilities, development approach, and infrastructure needs. A basic AI-powered app, such as a chatbot or a simple image recognition tool, generally costs between $20,000 and $100,000. These apps typically rely on pre-built machine learning models and third-party APIs such as OpenAI’s GPT or Google’s Vision AI, which help reduce development costs. The main expenses for such applications include UI/UX design, API integration, and basic testing.
Development costs for mid-range AI applications that require custom machine learning models, more advanced natural language processing (NLP), or predictive analytics generally range from $100,000 to $500,000. These apps demand significant data collection, preprocessing, and model training, which increase costs. Additionally, cloud computing services such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure may be needed to handle large datasets and AI model deployments, adding server and scaling costs.
A highly advanced AI app with deep learning, real-time processing, or sophisticated automation can cost between $500,000 and $2+ million. These applications often involve extensive R&D, ongoing model improvements, and large-scale infrastructure support. AI-powered healthcare, finance, or autonomous applications require high precision, regulatory compliance, and continuous maintenance, all of which drive up costs. The long-term expenses of AI apps also include retraining models, optimizing algorithms, and updating software to keep up with advancements.
App development cost factors
Application development costs can be influenced by various factors, including the type of application being developed, the region where development is taking place, the hiring of app developers, and hidden costs. We’ve highlighted each factor below:
App type and complexity
The type of application being developed can significantly impact custom app development costs. For example, mobile apps typically require development for both iOS and Android, which can add complexity and costs. Generally, apps can be divided into these categories with examples:
Social media apps: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
E-commerce apps: Amazon, Sephora, eBay
Gaming apps: PUBG Mobile, Among Us, Candy Crush Saga
Education apps: Duolingo, Coursera, Udemy
Healthcare and fitness apps: Zocdoc, Medscape, MyFitnessPal
Travel apps: Airbnb, Tripadvisor, Google Maps
Productivity apps: Trello, Evernote, Asana
On-demand apps: Uber, Lyft, Postmates
Here’s the estimated time and cost to develop an app by type. You can fine-tune your estimate using an app development cost calculator.
App Type
Estimated Time to Develop
Estimated Cost
Social Media
8-15 months
$150,000-$1,000,000+
E-commerce
6-12 months
$100,000-$750,000+
Gaming
3-18 months or more
$50,000-$2,000,000+
Education
4-8 months
$75,000-$400,000
Health and Fitness
4-8 months
$100,000-$500,000
Travel and Hospitality
4-10 months
$100,000-$500,000
Productivity
4-8 months
$75,000-$400,000
On-demand
6-12 months
$150,000-$750,000
Development region and team location
The region where you develop your app can also affect costs. In general, app development costs tend to be higher in regions with higher labor costs, such as North America and Western Europe, compared to regions with lower labor costs, such as Asia and Eastern Europe.
North America and Western Europe: Development teams in these regions generally have the highest hourly rates.
Eastern Europe: Development teams in Eastern Europe tend to have lower hourly rates than in North America and Western Europe.
Asia: Development teams in countries such as India, China, and the Philippines generally have the lowest hourly rates.
You can see the average hourly rate for app developers per region below.
While offshore development can significantly reduce labor costs, the lowest hourly rate doesn’t always translate into the lowest total project cost. Factors such as communication, time zone differences, language proficiency, project management overhead, and familiarity with your business domain can all affect development speed and product quality.
Onshore teams typically offer the easiest collaboration and communication, but at the highest rates. Nearshore teams often provide a good balance of cost, quality, and time zone overlap. Offshore teams usually have the lowest hourly rates but may require more coordination due to language, cultural, and time zone differences. The best choice depends on your budget, project complexity, and the level of collaboration your application requires.
In-house vs. freelance vs. agency
Experienced and skilled developers typically come at a higher cost but can also ensure a higher-quality end product. On the other hand, hiring less experienced developers may result in lower costs but may also lead to a less polished end product. Here’s a quick comparison of costs associated with hiring in-house developers vs. freelancers:
In-house developers: Hiring an in-house development team to build an app can be one of the most expensive options. The average salary for an app developer in the U.S. is around $121,983 per year.
Freelancers: Hiring a freelance developer can be a cost-effective option for smaller projects or when you need specific expertise. According to Upwork, the average rate for a freelance app developer is around $13 to $60 per hour.
Development agency: Hiring a development agency typically costs $150 to $300 per hour, but this includes the added benefits of project management, QA, and design.
Ultimately, the choice of hiring option depends on your budget, project needs, and your level of involvement in the development process. It’s important to carefully consider all options before making a decision that can affect app development cost and quality.
Hidden app development costs
Hidden app development costs are expenses that may not be immediately apparent during app development. These costs can often be overlooked or underestimated, but they can significantly impact the overall cost of app development. Examples of hidden app development costs include:
Backend infrastructure: Building an app requires more than just creating the user interface. A robust backend infrastructure is necessary to ensure the app works smoothly and efficiently. Maintaining this can involve server hosting, database management, and other related expenses.
Integration with third-party services: Many apps require integration with third-party services such as payment gateways, social media platforms, or APIs. Integrating these services can incur additional costs, such as licensing or API usage fees.
Security features: Security should be a top priority for any app development project. However, implementing security features such as encryption, two-factor authentication, and Mutual TLS verification can incur additional costs.
App store fees: If you plan to distribute your app through app stores such as Apple’s App Store or Google Play, you’ll need to pay fees to these platforms. These fees can include charges for app submission, updates, and hosting.
Maintenance and updates: After launching an app, ongoing maintenance and updates are necessary to keep it running smoothly and to address any bugs or issues. Maintenance can include costs for engineering support time, server costs, and other related expenses.
Marketing: Promotions and ads help you reach your audience and create a successful app.
It’s important to keep these hidden app development costs in mind when budgeting for your app development project to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of the total cost of your app.
App development cost breakdown by stage
Creating a successful app is more complex than it seems. It requires a well-planned and well-executed development process that includes five main stages: planning, design, development, testing, and deployment. Each stage is mandatory and contributes to the overall success of the app.
The image below shows the average cost per stage in a development lifecycle. As you can see, the development stage consumes the highest cost, which will be clarified later.
Cost of app development per lifecycle
Stage
% of total cost
1. Planning
10%
2. Design
15%
3. Development
60%
4. Testing
10%
5. Deployment
5%
Planning stage
This stage defines the app’s purpose and target audience, and determines its features, functionality, and requirements. It’s essential to create a clear, concise app concept that is easy for everyone involved in the development process to understand. In addition, the planning stage involves researching the competition and determining the app’s unique value proposition. Once the planning stage is complete, the app’s overall scope and direction are established, and the team can move on to the design stage.
The cost can vary depending on the app’s complexity and the required level of research. Simple apps, such as a basic to-do list app, may only require a small team to brainstorm and develop a plan for the app’s core features. However, more complex apps, such as mobile banking apps, may require a larger team to conduct extensive research into user needs and market trends to ensure the app’s success. A rough estimate for the planning phase is 10% of the total cost of app development. For a $100,000 project, planning would consume approximately $10,000 of your budget.
Design stage
The cost of an app’s design phase varies with project complexity, the number of screens, the design style, and the design team’s experience. A rough estimate for the design phase is 15% of the total cost of app development. For a $100,000 project, design would consume approximately $15,000 of your budget.
Development stage
In this stage, the app is built. Building the app includes coding, debugging, and integrating various features. A couple of factors can determine how much time and money this stage will require, such as the number of features, the platforms it will be developed for, and the development team’s experience level. A rough estimate for the development phase is 60% of the total app development cost. For a $100,000 project, development would consume approximately $60,000 of your budget.
Testing stage
Once the app is built, it should be thoroughly tested to identify bugs, errors, or glitches. The cost of the testing stage can be affected by the number of features in the app, the testing tools used, and the size of the testing team. A rough estimate for the testing phase is 10% of the total cost of app development. For a $100,000 project, testing would consume approximately $10,000 of your budget.
Deployment stage
After testing is successfully completed, the app or website is launched to the public or a targeted audience, making it available for use. The platforms that will host the app and the deployment strategy can affect the cost of this stage. A rough estimate for the deployment phase is 5% of the total cost of app development. For a $100,000 project, deployment would consume approximately $5,000 of your budget.
App maintenance costs: What to budget after launch
App maintenance costs are typically estimated to be between 15% and 20% of the original development cost per year, although the actual amount varies depending on factors such as the complexity of the app, the platform it’s built on, the number of features and integrations, the size of the user base, and the size of the development team. As applications grow, ongoing maintenance becomes increasingly important to ensure reliability, performance, security, and compatibility with new operating system releases, devices, and third-party services.
These costs can include things like:
Fixing bugs
Ensuring the security of user data
Updating servers and software
Providing customer support
The cost of hosting
Updating your app to ensure it stays relevant and provides a great user experience
Hosting refers to the storing of your app’s data and files on servers accessible to users. The cost of hosting depends on factors such as the size of your application, traffic levels, storage requirements, geographic distribution of users, and the type of hosting service you choose.
Beyond routine maintenance, organizations should also plan for ongoing enhancements such as adding new features, improving performance, integrating with new third-party services, and keeping pace with evolving security and privacy requirements. As user expectations change, regular updates help improve engagement, reduce churn, and ensure compatibility with the latest mobile operating systems, browsers, and devices.
Infrastructure decisions also play a significant role in long-term app maintenance costs. Organizations that choose a managed Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS) like Couchbase Capella can offload many operational responsibilities to the cloud provider, including software upgrades, backups, scaling, monitoring, high availability, and disaster recovery. While managed services typically have higher subscription fees than self-managed infrastructure, they often reduce operational overhead by minimizing the need for dedicated database administrators and infrastructure engineers.
By contrast, self-managed databases generally offer greater control over configuration and deployment but require internal teams to handle ongoing maintenance tasks such as patching, capacity planning, performance tuning, security updates, backups, and failover management. For organizations without specialized database expertise, these operational costs can exceed the savings from lower infrastructure licensing fees. When estimating the total cost of ownership (TCO) of an application, it’s important to consider not only hosting expenses but also the personnel, time, and operational effort required to keep the application’s infrastructure secure, available, and performing at scale.
App development cost calculators
There are several popular app development cost calculators you can use to get a general idea of your app’s cost. These include:
Inoxoft: Estimates the app development cost based on your choices of platform, design, security, and features. It provides the estimate immediately.
Litslink: Calculates the app development cost through 27 detailed questions about product design, key features, communication, interactivity, security, ownership, and promotion, but it blocks the cost unless you enter your data.
Buildfire: Offers many options and filters to estimate your app development costs. It includes platform, users, features, maintenance and hosting, monetization, integrations, and Buildfire services.
Cloud-provided cost calculators like AWS, Azure, and GCP can give a rough estimate of the cost of hosting the app infrastructure and data in the cloud.
App development cost case study: Marriott and Couchbase
Many customers have reduced their app development and maintenance costs simply by re-platforming their infrastructure and migrating from legacy systems to modern technologies. One of these customers is Marriott.
Marriott wanted to create personalized customer experiences, improve online reliability, and release new apps faster. Marriott chose Couchbase to replace its legacy infrastructure and move to an open-source solution. This decision resulted in reduced infrastructure costs, which in turn reduced app development and maintenance costs.
For more context, Marriott maintains a central reservation system called “MARSHA” that processes $38 billion in reservations annually. It’s essential that it’s available 24/7, which makes maintaining this component very costly. After moving to Couchbase, Marriott was able to improve scalability and maintenance in a much more cost-effective way.
How to reduce app development costs
Developing an app can be expensive, but there are many strategies you can use to reduce costs. Here are seven ways to do that:
Choose the right platform: Developing multiple platforms can increase development time and costs. Consider your target audience and the nature of your app to determine which platform to prioritize. Building a cross-platform app using tools like React Native or Flutter can be more cost-effective, as they let you reach a wider audience with a single codebase.
Keep the design simple: While it’s important to create an attractive and engaging design, adding too many complex design elements can increase development time and costs. Focus on a simple, clean design that still meets your target audience’s needs. Use pre-built design templates or hire a designer with experience creating simple designs to save time and money.
Use third-party APIs: Instead of building custom solutions for every feature, consider using third-party APIs or services. These can help you save time and money on development while still providing robust functionality. Research and evaluate third-party solutions to ensure they meet your needs, are well-documented, and have a strong developer community for ongoing support.
Optimize for scalability: Design your app with scalability in mind. Building an app that can easily scale to handle more users and features will save you money in the long run by reducing the need for major rewrites or updates. Use scalable technologies and infrastructure, like cloud-based solutions or microservices architecture, to help your app grow over time.
Work with an experienced development team: Experienced developers can provide valuable insights and guidance to reduce development costs without sacrificing quality. Look for a team with a proven track record of building successful apps within your budget. Consider working with a development partner who can provide end-to-end services, from design to maintenance and updates, to save time and money.
Plan for updates and maintenance: Building an app is just the first step. You’ll also need to plan for ongoing updates and maintenance to keep your app running smoothly. Use a modular development approach, where individual features can be updated or replaced without affecting the entire app, to make future updates more cost-effective. Consider building in-house expertise or working with a development partner who can provide ongoing support at a reasonable cost.
Choose infrastructure that scales without cost spikes: Select infrastructure that can grow with your application without requiring costly migrations or extensive rearchitecting as usage increases. Managed cloud services and DBaaS platforms can automate tasks such as scaling, backups, monitoring, and software updates. This will reduce operational overhead and help avoid unexpected infrastructure costs as your user base grows.
App development costs become much easier to estimate when you break the project into a few key decisions.
1. Define the type of app – Start by identifying whether you’re building a simple utility app, an e-commerce app, a social platform, an AI-powered application, or an enterprise-grade system. This establishes the baseline cost range and development timeline.
2. List your must-have features – Features such as user accounts, payments, messaging, real-time updates, AI capabilities, integrations, and admin dashboards are often the largest cost drivers.
3. Choose your platform and infrastructure – Decide whether you need iOS, Android, cross-platform, web, or AI functionality, and determine whether you’ll use managed cloud services/DBaaS or self-managed infrastructure. These choices affect both upfront development costs and long-term maintenance costs.
4. Select your development model – Compare in-house teams, freelancers, agencies, onshore, nearshore, and offshore options. Consider not only hourly rates but also communication, time zone overlap, project management overhead, and expected quality.
5. Validate your estimate with app cost calculators – Use tools such as Inoxoft, Buildfire, and Litslink to generate a feature-based estimate, then use AWS, Azure, or GCP cloud calculators to estimate hosting and infrastructure costs. Finally, add 15–20% of the development budget per year for maintenance, updates, support, and scaling.
Quick rule of thumb
Simple app: $10,000-$100,000+
Business or consumer app: $100,000-$500,000+
Enterprise or AI-heavy app: $500,000-$2M+
Many successful projects start with a minimum viable product (MVP) in the $50,000-$250,000 range, validate market demand, and then expand features over time. Combining a clear scope with the app cost calculators above will usually give you a far more accurate estimate than relying on industry averages alone.
App development cost FAQs
How much does a mobile app developer license cost? An Apple Developer Program license costs $99 per year for individuals and companies, while the Google Play Developer account requires a one-time $25 fee. Microsoft charges $99 for companies, while individuals can now register for free. Other platforms like Amazon Appstore, Samsung Galaxy Store, and Huawei AppGallery offer free developer registration.
How much does it cost to develop an Android app? The cost to develop an Android app ranges from $40,000 to over $300,000, depending on the app’s complexity, features, design, and development team location.
How much does app development cost in India? The cost to develop an app in India ranges from $5,000 to $100,000+, depending on the app’s complexity, features, and development team expertise.
How much does it cost to build an app prototype? The cost to build an app prototype typically ranges from $2,000 to $20,000, depending on design complexity, interactive features, and development approach. A basic clickable wireframe may cost $2,000-$5,000, while a more functional prototype with animations and user interactions can cost more than $10,000.
How much does it cost to build a web app? The cost to build a web app depends on its functionality and complexity. A simple informational website or business portal typically costs $10,000 to $40,000, while a full-stack web application with user accounts, databases, APIs, and third-party integrations generally ranges from $50,000 to $250,000. Enterprise web applications with advanced workflows, security, and high scalability can cost $250,000 to well over $1 million.
What factors affect app development cost the most? The biggest cost drivers are the app’s complexity, feature set, backend infrastructure, third-party integrations, security requirements, AI capabilities, and the development team’s experience and location. You should also include long-term expenses such as cloud infrastructure, maintenance, updates, and customer support in your total cost of ownership estimate.
How much does custom app development cost? Custom app development typically costs more than building an app from a pre-built template because every feature, workflow, and integration is designed specifically for your business. While template-based apps may cost under $50,000 for basic use cases, fully custom applications generally range from $100,000 to $500,000 or more, with enterprise applications often exceeding $1 million.
How long does it take to build an app, and how does that affect cost? Most production-ready apps take 4 to 12 months to develop, while highly complex or enterprise applications can require 12 to 18 months or longer. Longer development timelines typically increase costs because they require more engineering, design, testing, project management, and infrastructure resources throughout the software development lifecycle.
What’s the cheapest way to develop an app? The most cost-effective approach is to build a minimum viable product (MVP) that focuses on the core features users need most. Using cross-platform frameworks such as React Native or Flutter, leveraging third-party APIs, and choosing managed cloud infrastructure or a DBaaS can reduce both development effort and long-term operational costs while making it easier to scale as your application grows.
How much does enterprise app development cost? Enterprise app development typically starts at around $500,000 and can exceed $2 million for applications requiring advanced security, regulatory compliance, real-time data processing, AI capabilities, or integration with existing enterprise systems. The final cost depends on the number of users, business workflows, infrastructure requirements, and the complexity of the application’s architecture.
At Worldwide, feedback from operators, franchisees, and crew on the floor is directly shaping how we build technology that works in real restaurants
Those conversations are pushing us to design differently — prioritizing intuitive experiences, real-world conditions, and tools that support decisions in the moment
The result is technology that feels simpler, scales globally, and holds up during the busiest moments in the restaurant
Every two years, McDonald’s brings together thousands of franchisees, suppliers, and leaders from around the world for its Worldwide Convention. It’s our global rally moment to come together to learn, connect, and look ahead.
For our Global Technology teams, it’s one of the clearest opportunities to test whether what we are building holds up in the reality of the restaurant.
This year, some of the most valuable insights came from the floor, through conversations with operators, franchisees, and crew who experience our technology in real time.
What makes “the floor” different On the convention floor, the conversation becomes more hands-on. The focus turns to how ideas, tools, and experiences translate into what actually works in a busy restaurant.
The floor itself is designed for that kind of exchange. It’s a large, open space filled with interactive booths where teams bring technology to life, from live demos of tools like our AI voice ordering test in the Drive Thru to hands-on walkthroughs of new restaurant experiences. Operators, franchisees, and crew move from space to space, testing, asking questions, and sharing what works (and what doesn’t) in their restaurants.
That environment turns feedback into a two-way conversation, grounded in real scenarios, constraints, and expectations.
That raises the bar. It’s not enough for technology to be innovative in theory. It has to work in the flow of a real restaurant and hold up at McDonald’s scale.
What we heard on the floor Across the floor, a few themes kept coming up again and again. No matter the technology being discussed, the conversation consistently came back to the same question: how do we create experiences that work for more people, in more situations, without adding complexity for restaurant teams?
To see how that showed up on the floor, we asked a few tech leaders to share what they heard, what stood out, and how it’s shaping how we build going forward.
1. Designing for intuitive, real-world adoption For Erin Williams, VP, Restaurant Product, Worldwide reinforced a simple but critical truth: even the most advanced technology only works if it feels intuitive in the moment. On the floor, conversations quickly moved beyond what the tools could do to how easily restaurant teams could adopt them day-to-day.
“As a designer, you live for feedback. Showing ArchIQ experiences to franchisees for the first time was a real moment of truth. What stood out to them wasn’t just the complexity and data under the surface, it was how intuitive the experience felt. Owners could immediately picture their teams using it in real restaurants, from AI order taking, to food quality monitoring, and beyond.
That only happens when you design with the people who will use the tools every day. Our team has spent hundreds of hours in restaurants testing and learning, and it shows. And we’re not done. The more we learn from real-world pressure, the sharper the solutions get.”
At its best, great technology doesn’t ask restaurant teams to absorb more complexity. It removes that complexity so the experience feels intuitive, even in the middle of a fast-paced restaurant environment.
2. Designing for real-world complexity For Anusha Ramdas, Director, Product Management, what stood out was the curiosity from operators on how AI performs in real restaurant conditions.
That shift made something clear: even the most advanced technology only matters if it makes things easier for the people using it. On the floor, those conversations were grounded in the realities of speed, noise, and operational pressure.
“Operators didn’t stay at the surface. They quickly moved into how the technology would perform in their restaurants day-to-day — how it holds up under pressure, how it supports accuracy, and how it adapts to the realities of different environments.
That level of engagement reinforced something important: building great technology isn’t just about capability, it’s about how it performs in the complexity of real operations. It challenges us to design for scale from the start, balancing consistency across the system with the flexibility needed to adapt locally.”
For McDonald’s, building for scale only works when it starts with the realities of the restaurant, not abstract use cases.
3. Designing for real-world inclusivity For Stanton Ware, Director, UX Design, the floor made it clear that technology is judged less by its sophistication and more by how well it removes friction for real people in real moments.
“On the floor, you realize quickly that the best technology is measured entirely by how it solves real-world human friction.
One of the biggest moments was seeing operators react to how the ordering experience adapted in real time to different customer needs and interactions, including the language differences they navigate in their restaurants. For many, it clicked instantly. This wasn’t just about efficiency — it was about reaching more customers without adding complexity to their teams.
It made one thing clear: our goal is not just to build smart tools, but to build inclusive ones that adapt to different environments and remove barriers in fast-paced settings.”
The goal of innovation is not just to build advanced features. It’s to build experiences that work for more people, in more environments, without adding friction.
Moments like this stood out because operators could immediately connect the experience to their day-to-day reality.
4. Designing for real-time action For John Colfer, Sr Director, Software Engineering, what stood out most was how expectations have shifted. Operators are no longer just looking for visibility into their restaurants. They are looking for technology that helps them make decisions in the moment, especially during the busiest parts of the day.
“Worldwide validated that operators want products that move from visibility to action, especially when it comes to helping teams make smarter staffing and shift execution decisions in the moment.
One moment that stood out was a conversation with a franchisee who, while looking at a demo, walked through a real scenario from their restaurant and asked how they would make a staffing decision during a peak rush if multiple things were happening at once.
That question quickly became very real. In that moment, shift leaders are balancing staffing gaps, crew positioning, breaks, and unexpected changes, all while trying to keep the restaurant running smoothly.
In discussions like that, the strongest value signal was that restaurant teams do not need more dashboards, but instead want real-time recommendations that help shift leaders decide what to do next during the rush.”
Technology creates the most value when it does more than surface data and helps operators decide what to do next in the moments that matter most.
What it reinforces for tech Across these conversations, a clearer standard is emerging.
First, restaurant reality has to shape the work from day one, not be layered on later.
Second, scale only works when global consistency is built alongside the flexibility to adapt to different environments and ways of operating.
And finally, the most effective technology doesn’t sit on the side. It works in the flow of the restaurant, helping teams make decisions, reduce friction, and stay focused on what matters most.
Bringing it back to “the floor” We spend a lot of time thinking about what’s next, from new platforms to new capabilities. But sometimes, the most important thing we can do is listen.
When we learn from our owner/operators and crew, the people ultimately using these tools day in and day out, we don’t just build better technology. We build technology that can hold up in the reality of our restaurants and at McDonald’s scale.
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