Adult Happy Meals, McRib, feed McDonald's sales in Q4

Source: Associated Press/DEE-ANN DURBIN

Adult Happy Meals and other limited-time promotions boosted traffic at McDonald’s restaurants during the fourth quarter despite higher prices. But the company warned that inflation __ particularly in Europe __ will continue to weigh on its operations this year.

Global same-store sales __ or sales at stores open at least a year __ rose 12.6% in the October-December period, the Chicago company said Tuesday. That beat Wall Street expectations for an 8.8% increase, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

U.S. same-store sales rose 10.3%. Sales soared in October after McDonald’s launched adult Happy Meals featuring limited-edition toys designed by the streetwear brand Cactus Plant Flea Market. Half of the toys for those meals were gone in the first four days of the promotion.

A “farewell tour” for the cult favorite McRib sandwich drew in more U.S. customers in November and World Cup promotions fueled double-digit increases in delivery sales in McDonald’s ten largest markets.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-corp-chicago-business-76db0744b64240b5c06149baabaa279a

---

I used to work at McDonald's in the days when we had to weigh shakes and they had to be 11 oz. I got so good at it I could feel when it was the right weight. I remember a supervisor coming over to check on me and they were impressed the shakes were the right weight. I think it's all automated now, pretty much.