Yesterday, McDonald's announced that its second quarter profit for 2011 was up 19%, thanks to not only its usual McNuggets and Big Mac on the menu but its McCafe beverage drinks (which are high-margin items) as well as...Fruit and Maple Oatmeal. Yes, apparently America is looking for healthy items at McDonald's.
McDonald's, which said it was hiring 50,000 workers this year, is also pleased by the surge in "better" burgers from competition like Five Guys and Shake Shack. Why? President Don Thompson said, "it’s good for us; it’s a benefit," because higher-priced competition means McDonald's can offer higher-priced/higher-margin burgers on their menus. But will they ever offer BBQ-filled McNuggets?
Overall, McDonald's announced, "Global comparable sales increased 5.6%, with the U.S. up 4.5%, Europe up 5.9% and Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa up 5.2%." With Europe driving growth, let us take the time to mention that there is a Revs/Cost photograph, taken by our own Jake Dobkin, at the McDonald's Louvre location, and there's a weird story on how it got there.
