Survey finds grim outlook among McDonald’s franchisees

The latest canvass by financial analyst Mark Kalinowski finds considerable dismay about near-term business prospects and interactions between franchisor and franchisee.

McDonald’s franchisees are more pessimistic about their business prospects for the next six months than they’ve been at any other time in the 11 years they’ve been periodically surveyed by Kalinowski.

In his most recent canvass of McDonald’s franchisees, the Janney Capital Markets analyst also found that relations with the franchisor are at the lowest levels they’ve been in at least 11 years.

The 32 franchisees who responded to Kalinowski’s survey say their same-store sales for March fell year-over-year by 3.7 percent, a worse performance than the consensus among stock analysts. The franchisees forecast April comps at -1.5 percent.

In his analysis, Kalinowski noted that McDonald’s is being challenged by new competitors and cited Chick-fil-A as a particularly potent rival.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Leadership

Restaurants bring the industry's concerns to Congress

Neary 600 operators made their case to lawmakers as part of the National Restaurant Association’s Public Affairs Conference.

Financing

Podcast transcript: Virtual Dining Brands co-founder Robbie Earl

A Deeper Dive: What is the future of digital-only concepts? Earl discusses their work to ensure quality and why focusing on restaurant delivery works.

Financing

In the fast-casual sector, Chipotle laps Panera Bread

The Bottom Line: The two fast-casual restaurant pioneers have diverged over the past five years, as the burrito chain has thrived while Panera hit a wall. Here's why.

Trending

More from our partners