McDonald’s posts largest US gross sales drop since Covid-19 pandemic | EUROtoday

McDonald’s has suffered its largest drop in US gross sales because the peak of Covid, a fall that it mentioned was pushed by wider considerations in regards to the US financial system.

The world’s largest burger chain’s income at US shops open a minimum of a 12 months sank 3.6% within the first three months of 2025 in contrast with the identical interval in 2024, as clients decreased their visits.

It marked the steepest decline in like-for-like gross sales within the US because the three months to the top of June 2020 when many pandemic restrictions have been nonetheless in place.

Chief government Chris Kempczinski mentioned clients have been “grappling with uncertainty” however assured buyers that the agency may “navigate even the toughest of market conditions”.

McDonald’s has been working for months to attempt to re-ignite its enterprise, after dealing with backlash from clients, particularly decrease revenue households, over rising costs.

The agency’s newest drop in gross sales coincided with a contraction within the US financial system, which shrank at an annual price of 0.3% within the first three months of 2025.

It marked the primary quarterly decline since 2022.

The figures mirrored simply over two months of Donald Trump’s presidency – as many companies and customers reacted with confusion to his barrage of tariff bulletins – however not his “Liberation Day” tariff plans on 2 April

Over the identical three-month interval, the droop in McDonald’s US gross sales dragged its general like-for-like income down 1% at the same time as gross sales in Japan, Australia, and the Middle East grew.

Mr Kempczinski mentioned: “Consumers today are grappling with uncertainty, but they can always count on McDonald’s […] for exceptional value”.

“McDonald’s has a 70-year legacy of innovation, leadership, and proven agility, all of which give us confidence in our ability to navigate even the toughest of market conditions and gain market share,” he added.

Businesses have had a mixture of reactions since Trump started revealing and imposing his plans for tariffs, that are a tax payable by an individual or agency shopping for an excellent from abroad.

This week, expertise large Intel mentioned prices would rise and a recession was extra seemingly due to Trump’s tariffs.

Sportswear model Adidas mentioned they’d result in increased costs within the US for common trainers together with the Gazelle and Samba.

Meanwhile, supply large DHL paused deliveries value greater than $800 (£603) resulting from US commerce coverage earlier than lifting them after negotiating “adjustments” to customs rues.

Trump and his allies have mentioned the insurance policies will assist to deliver extra jobs to the US as companies base factories and operations the nation to keep away from the brand new taxes.

However, many corporations and economists have mentioned this will likely be tough to attain and can seemingly imply job losses and financial ache a minimum of within the quick time period.

Reacting to yesterday’s financial figures, Trump mentioned he wanted “a little bit of time” – calling the numbers a mirrored image of the “Biden economy”, a reference to the previous president.