McDonald’s U.S. Sales Fall as Global Results Grow

McDonald’s reported a 0.2% decline in U.S. comparable sales for the third quarter of 2026, while global comparable sales rose 1.5%, as lower customer traffic at home was partly offset by higher average spending. The company said U.S. results improved later in the quarter after it adjusted its value offers, but did not quantify the change in traffic for September and October. Comparable sales cover restaurants open for at least 13 months. McDonald’s said fewer visits to U.S. restaurants were largely offset by higher average checks, but not enough to produce comparable-sales growth. The U.S. result contrasted with growth in international markets: comparable sales increased 1.4% at company-operated international restaurants and 4.2% at licensed locations. Japan led growth among licensed markets, while China declined; Germany and Australia supported company-operated results, partly offset by weakness in France. Revenue rose about 1% year over year to $7.16 billion, and net income increased to $2.49 billion from $2.28 billion. Earnings were $3.51 per share, compared with $3.18 a year earlier. McDonald’s also reported that systemwide sales across company-operated and franchised...