McDonald’s saw Q3 2025 visits decline 3.5% on a year-over-year (YoY) basis, with same-store visits down 4.0%, according to foot traffic research firm Placer.ai.

“The quick-service category is under pressure from multiple fronts: persistent inflation, shifting consumer behavior, value-menu fatigue and even the growing adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs ... And McDonald’s has not been immune from these challenges,” the research firm wrote, adding the report underscores “how difficult it is to reignite growth in 2025 even with special promotions,” such as the Minecraft Meal and continuing Meal Deals.

Earlier this month, research from Placer.ai found that even with the recent revival of McDonald’s Extra Value Meal, visits to McDonald’s dropped 4.4% year over year (YoY) during the week of September 8 and fell a further 5.2% and 3.7% over the next two weeks.

The report highlighted how these results pale in comparison to the brand’s April 2025 Minecraft Movie Meal collaboration, which reportedly generated consistent traffic boosts throughout its run.

Meanwhile at major competitor Chipotle, overall visits kept pace with the wider fast-casual segment with a 0.5% YoY increase in Q3—though “same-store traffic softened, reflecting sector-wide headwinds,” the research found.

Like McDonald’s, Chipotle has recently been offering special promotions, such as its recent “Wear a College Football Jersey” buy one, get one free offer in September. But its primary strategy has been expansion. Since the start of 2024, Chipotle has opened hundreds of new locations, most featuring a Chipotlane drive-thru pickup lane.

Placer.ai noted that Chipotle’s aggressive growth strategy has helped sustain Chipotle’s momentum, as chain-wide visits were positive YoY in most months of 2025—likely supported by Chipotle’s more affluent customer base. And in Q3, overall visits rose 0.5% YoY, keeping pace with the broader fast-casual segment, which saw visits grow by 0.7%.