Low prices pay off at McDonald's

The emphasis on "affordability" has helped improve foot traffic at the American chain's restaurants, with budget menus and other McValue products continuing to appeal to budget-conscious consumers.

Nearly all markets where the Golden Arches stand recorded positive sales growth in the fourth quarter. This momentum was driven in Europe, particularly by the United Kingdom and Germany. Sales even experienced their fastest growth in over two years in the United States.

“McDonald’s leadership in value is paying off,” said CEO Chris Kempczinski. “By listening to our customers and taking action, we’ve increased foot traffic and improved our value and affordability metrics. This focus has enabled us to grow global system sales by 8%.”

Over the past few quarters, McDonald's has been working to rebuild its image as an affordable brand, which had been damaged by post-Covid price increases. This has included introducing more attractively priced products, such as items under €3 in Belgium, and meals starting at $5 in the domestic market. The periodic results released this Wednesday show that this strategy is paying off.

Business growth was driven by an increase in both customer numbers and average spend, primarily thanks to "successful promotional campaigns," the fast-food chain emphasized. Across the Atlantic, the Grinch menu and the Monopoly game were particularly popular. McDonald's also plans to launch new beverages this year, following the successful test of its small-format drink concept, CosMc's.

It should be noted that the Chicago-based company recorded an exceptional charge of $80 million related to restructuring costs as part of its strategic modernization. This impacted its profitability. Despite this, McDonald's appears to be gaining market share in a context where consumers are adjusting their spending in response to inflation, whether perceived or actual.

On the competitive front, Restaurant Brands (Burger King) and Wendy's are due to release their results this Thursday. Yum! Brands has already announced sales exceeding expectations thanks to Taco Bell, while Chipotle reported a strong start to 2026.