---
title: "McDonald’s sales rose last quarter, thanks to value and marketing"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/0db27e51-fe49-4259-bf8c-4c18dc8a9d03
source: "Nation's Restaurant News"
original_url: https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/mcdonald-s-sales-rose-last-quarter-thanks-to-value-and-marketing
author: "Jonathan Maze"
category: "Burger"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Burger"
topics: ["Marketing"]
published: 2026-05-07T11:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T13:17:27.223Z
image: https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/bltea7aee2fca050a19/blt7d783286d025fe80/69fbbd76fd88b82ef04501f3/McDonald_s_company_3.jpg?width=1280&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale
---

# McDonald’s sales rose last quarter, thanks to value and marketing

**TL;DR:** McDonald's reported a 3.9% increase in U.S. same-store sales last quarter, driven by strategic value offerings and marketing initiatives. The company's revenues increased 4% to $6.5 billion, with net income rising 1% to $2 billion.

*By Jonathan Maze, originally published in Nation's Restaurant News on 2026-05-07. [Read the original](https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/mcdonald-s-sales-rose-last-quarter-thanks-to-value-and-marketing).*

## Story

McDonald’s same-store sales rose 3.9% in the U.S. last quarter, the company said on Thursday, as value and marketing efforts proved effective with the brand’s customers.

The Chicago-based fast-food giant said that its U.S. results were driven by positive average check growth.

It is the fourth straight positive domestic same-store sales result for McDonald’s and comes despite a difficult economic backdrop, driven by high gas prices and low consumer confidence.

Same-store sales also increased internationally, in most major markets and geographic regions. Same-store sales in its International Operated Markets, featuring major markets like Canada and Australia, increased 3.9% while the metric rose 3.4% in its International Developmental Licensed Markets.

Revenues at the company increased 4% to $6.5 billion. Net income rose 1% to $2 billion, or $2.78 per share. Both revenue and earnings beat Wall Street’s expectations, according to the website Earnings Whispers.

McDonald’s loyalty program also continued to drive sales. Over the past 12 months, members of My McDonalds’ Rewards spent $38 billion at the company’s restaurants in its 70 markets in which the program is in place. They spent $9 billion last quarter.

Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s CEO, said in a statement that the company’s performance in the quarter “shows how we executed with discipline, proving that we can drive results even in a challenging environment.”

“And it’s in our commitment to going three-for-three that sets McDonald’s apart. Our value leadership, breakthrough marketing and menu innovation continue to serve up what customers want.”

Value has been a big push for the company in the past couple of years. McDonald’s lowered prices on its bundled Extra Value Meals last year in a bid to lure more customer traffic. It also has its McValue Menu, which combines national, digital and local offers.

The company last month changed one of its major deals on that menu, adding a new $3 and Under menu that features lower prices on items like the McDouble and the McChicken.

McDonald’s also added a large new burger, the Big Arch, in March. The burger, featuring two half-pound patties, is the biggest burger the chain has promoted in the U.S. and is aimed at heavy fast-food users.

McDonald’s at the end of the quarter also aadded a K-Pop Demon Hunters meal in collaboration with Netflix.

## Entities

- QSR (sector)
- McDonald's (company)
- Nation's Restaurant News (publication)
- menu innovation (topic)
- canada (location)
- same store sales (topic)
- Australia (location)
- Netflix (company)
- Jonathan Maze (person)
- Chris Kempczinski (person)
- marketing initiatives (topic)
- qsr performance (topic)

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Originally reported by Jonathan Maze, Nation's Restaurant News (https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/mcdonald-s-sales-rose-last-quarter-thanks-to-value-and-marketing). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/0db27e51-fe49-4259-bf8c-4c18dc8a9d03).