McDonald's Reports First U.S. Sales Drop Since Early 2025

McDonald's reported a decline in U.S. customer visits during the third quarter, marking the first domestic sales retreat for the chain since early 2025. The company stated that elevated gasoline prices and persistent high living costs forced diners to cut back on spending.

U.S. same-store sales, which track locations open for at least a year, slipped 0.2% between July and September. This contraction was smaller than the 0.5% drop predicted by Wall Street analysts. Total revenue for the quarter rose 1% to $7.16 billion, a figure that fell short of the $7.28 billion forecast. Net income increased 9% to $2.49 billion, with adjusted earnings reaching $3.57 per share, a result that exceeded the $3.38 per-share estimate.

Chris Kempczinski, the company's chairman and CEO, told investors last month that the business must continuously deliver value in the current economic climate. He noted that the pressure from living costs is not expected to disappear. The chain responded to the slowdown by reintroducing in-app deals and shifting its marketing focus toward affordability. These measures helped push U.S. same-store sales into positive territory by September.

The drop in foot traffic was not isolated to McDonald's. Revenue Management Solutions, a restaurant industry consulting firm, reported that U.S. fast food industry foot traffic fell 2.6% in the third quarter. The company's international performance showed a different trend, with global same-store sales climbing 1.3% over the same period.

Strong results in Germany and Australia helped offset weaker performance in France. The French business was affected by protests that began in September. The contrast between the domestic and international figures illustrates the varying impact of local economic conditions on fast food operators.