McDonald’s launched an aggressive promotion offensive, including 5-dollar meals and 6-dollar combo deals, but these initiatives failed to restore growth. Comparable sales in the United States rose only 0.8 % in the last quarter, compared to an 8.5 % increase for rival Burger King, whose Whopper sales surged 20 %. McDonald’s shares have dropped 32 % from their February record high, and visits to its U.S. restaurants are estimated to have fallen 4.5 % in the first half of 2026. CEO Chris Kempczinski acknowledged that the pace of launches overwhelmed staff and damaged service quality, while franchisees, who own 95 % of all restaurants, remain skeptical about investment requests. The company announced an 8.5-billion-dollar ten-year plan to support franchisees facing rising food and labor costs.
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