McDonald's

Financing

Burger King appears to come out on top of the burger wars

The fast-food chain received a spike in visits last week after the brand’s president went viral for taking a bite of the Whopper, according to data from the food traffic tracking firm Placer.ai.

Financing

McDonald's is again doubling down on value

The fast-food giant is reportedly planning a $3 menu in April along with $4 breakfast meals as it works to lure more lower-income consumers.

McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski was roasted online for taking a small bite of the chain’s new Big Arch Burger on video. Burger King, which just upgraded its Whopper, did not let it pass.

The fast-food giant will introduce the half-pound burger domestically for a limited time starting March 3. The burger had done well in several international markets.

The fast-food giant said that its beverage test has done better than expected, paving the way for an expanded drink lineup this year under the McCafé brand.

The Bottom Line: The fast-food giant argued that its value push helped it win over lower-income customers and it expects franchisees to maintain the company’s low-priced reputation.

The fast-food giant reported its best domestic same-store sales result in more than two years as marketing promotions drove customer counts, particularly its Grinch Meal in December.

The fast-food giant also supports 1 million jobs, including 740,000 people who work in the chain's restaurants, according to a study the company commissioned by Oxford Economics.

The Bottom Line: The National Owners Association, an independent group of the fast-food chain’s operators, has approved a list of 15 standards it considers vital to fair franchising, including the right to set prices.

The Bottom Line: The fast-food giant wants to ensure that its prices represent a good value. But in doing so, it is toying with a key tenet of being a franchisee: The ability to set prices.

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