McDonald’s U.S. sales experienced a notable improvement in the third quarter, driven largely by value meals catering to customers feeling the pinch from rising prices. However, this positive trend might be compromised in the upcoming months due to an E. coli outbreak linked to its Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
During the July to September period, the company reported a modest increase of 0.3% in same-store sales, which reflect performance at locations that have been open for at least a year. To address a challenging second quarter, McDonald’s introduced a $5 value meal in late June, which has hit a chord with customers seeking affordability in their dining options.
The success of this $5 meal has led to its extension through December at many of McDonald’s locations across the U.S.
However, a serious issue emerged last week when McDonald’s temporarily removed Quarter Pounders from the menu at approximately 900 locations. This action was taken after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration traced the source of the E. coli contamination to the raw onions used in the burgers. This outbreak has tragically resulted in one death and caused at least 75 illnesses across 13 states.
In response to the situation, McDonald’s announced on Sunday that it has ceased sourcing onions from the implicated supplier. The company plans to reintroduce the Quarter Pounder, albeit without onions, back on menus across the U.S. in the near future. Nonetheless, the exact impact of this recall on customer demand remains uncertain.
