• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health

2

Sam Altman says a 'cool use case' for ChatGPT is a daily AI podcast about your kids. The replies were brutal

3

Electric air taxis are finally ready for takeoff

1

Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health

2

Sam Altman says a 'cool use case' for ChatGPT is a daily AI podcast about your kids. The replies were brutal

3

Electric air taxis are finally ready for takeoff
TechMcDonald's

Meet the Tech King of McDonald’s

Michal Lev-Ram
By
Michal Lev-Ram
Michal Lev-Ram
Special Correspondent
Down Arrow Button Icon
Michal Lev-Ram
By
Michal Lev-Ram
Michal Lev-Ram
Special Correspondent
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 29, 2016, 1:00 PM ET
Photograph by Benjamin Rasumssen for Fortune
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Age: 42

He’s lovin’ it: Rafiq left Amazon two years ago to become the fast-food chain’s (MCD) first chief digital officer. His mission? Transform its business with technology. “We know where we have strength and what people know us for. We’re not trying to get into something that’s foreign to us.”

Special Sauce: The former Kindle Direct Publishing chief built a digital unit from scratch, recruiting hundreds of techies from Google (GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN), and others. He also sparked partnerships with Silicon Valley players like Postmates, which will deliver McNuggets straight to your McHome.

New ways to love: Recent initiatives include hands-free payments and automated kiosks where customers can order their food. “We’re constantly looking at major trends.”

Supersized: Rafiq’s rapidly expanding team now includes offices in Chicago, San Francisco, and other major cities.

He believes in magic: In March, Rafiq created a virtual-reality experience that let people step into a Happy Meal. “VR is relevant to us.”

A version of this article appears in the April 1, 2016 issue of Fortune with the headline “Atif Rafiq, Chief Digital Officer, McDonald’s.”

About the Author
Michal Lev-Ram
By Michal Lev-RamSpecial Correspondent
Twitter icon

Michal Lev-Ram is a special correspondent covering the technology and entertainment sectors for Fortune, writing analysis and longform reporting.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Tech

The AI race isn’t about models, it’s about infrastructure—and the U.S. is still far ahead
CommentarySemiconductors
The AI race isn’t about models, it’s about infrastructure—and the U.S. is still far ahead
By Alex CapriAugust 4, 2026
50 minutes ago
Alex Karp, wearing a hat, gives a peace sign
AIpalantir
Palantir CEO Alex Karp celebrates 93% revenue growth as stock soars after blockbuster earnings: ‘For the first time people believe us’
By Preston ForeAugust 3, 2026
5 hours ago
Palantir CEO Alex Karp
AIpalantir
Palantir shares jump 13% as U.S. AI demand sends revenue soaring past targets
By Preston ForeAugust 3, 2026
8 hours ago
Exclusive: Former OpenAI exec Fidji Simo discusses her battle with POTS and her startup’s plans to cure it with AI and 3,500 vials of blood (so far)
HealthOpenAI
Exclusive: Former OpenAI exec Fidji Simo discusses her battle with POTS and her startup’s plans to cure it with AI and 3,500 vials of blood (so far)
By Emily ForliniAugust 3, 2026
10 hours ago
A physical Bitcoin coin held between an index finger and a thumb.
CryptoBitcoin
Bitcoin owners rocked by $116 million hack: What we know about the Coldcard exploit
By Camila Grigera NaónAugust 3, 2026
13 hours ago
broker
InvestingMarkets
Wall Street bulls are starting to admit the earnings bubble is real—and the 60/40 portfolio may be the first casualty
By Nick LichtenbergAugust 3, 2026
13 hours ago

Most Popular

Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
North America
Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
By Catherina GioinoAugust 2, 2026
2 days ago
Sam Altman says a 'cool use case' for ChatGPT is a daily AI podcast about your kids. The replies were brutal
AI
Sam Altman says a 'cool use case' for ChatGPT is a daily AI podcast about your kids. The replies were brutal
By Holly Van Leuven and Morning BrewAugust 3, 2026
18 hours ago
Electric air taxis are finally ready for takeoff
Magazine
Electric air taxis are finally ready for takeoff
By Alexei OreskovicAugust 3, 2026
22 hours ago
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
Economy
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
By Jason MaAugust 1, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of August 3, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of August 3, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerAugust 3, 2026
18 hours ago
He was homeless at 16. Now he sits on the board of David Beckham's wellness company and his business is about to hit $1 billion in revenue
Success
He was homeless at 16. Now he sits on the board of David Beckham's wellness company and his business is about to hit $1 billion in revenue
By Emma BurleighAugust 2, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.