McDonald’s Reports 3.8% Same-Store Sales Growth, Beating Q1 Expectations

McDonald’s posted better-than-expected first-quarter results even as elevated gas prices and consumer anxiety weighed on demand. 7% increase that Wall Street analysts polled by FactSet had expected. 98 billion.

74. McDonald’s Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said the company has been making progress bringing lower-income customers back into its stores with value meals. Yet fast food visits by customers with household incomes of $45,000 or less are still declining overall.

S. 55 on Thursday,” according to AAA data. That figure stood 44% higher than a year earlier. Chris Kempczinski said elevated gas prices disproportionately impact low-income consumers, adding, “Clearly, when you have elevated gas prices… that is going to disproportionately impact low-income consumers.

U.S. and some international markets in April, partly because of a surge in sales a year earlier tied to a popular Minecraft meal. S.

This week in hopes of generating fresh interest. Chris Kempczinski said it’s too early to get a read on sales in May and June. “Certainly consumer sentiment is heightened anxiety, let’s just say, and it may have an impact.

But, you know, our focus is on controlling what we can control,” Chris Kempczinski said. The Chicago-based chain has sought to balance its menu with both premium limited-time offerings and aggressive value pricing. S.

In March 2026. S. markets. Chris Kempczinski posted a video of himself taking a nibble from the Big Arch burger, an effort that drew mockery online.

Tom Curtis, president of rival Burger King, responded by posting his own video taking a vigorous bite of the chain’s new Whopper. S. combo meals in September.

U.S. stores began offering 10 items that each cost less than $3. Separately, British fashion and homeware retailer Next said it would raise prices by up to 8% in some countries outside Europe starting in May.

Next is facing an additional £47m in costs this year due to higher fuel prices and disruption to global supply chains from the Middle East conflict. The company had initially anticipated additional costs of only £15m due to the war. 2% over its first quarter.

4% in the first quarter, beating internal expectations. 6% it forecast at the beginning of the year. 0% for the full year.

It has 700 stores worldwide, around 500 of which are in the UK. Next owns brands such as FatFace and Cath Kidston and has stakes in Gap, Victoria's Secret and Reiss. 5m deal and the year before bought maternity clothes label Seraphine out of administration.

Shares in Next are down 5% so far this year. The company said efforts to make cost savings would offset the extra international costs without requiring additional price increases in the UK and Europe.