If you got invited to a birthday party at McDonald’s, it was like being invited to the Met Gala, if the Met Gala involved giggling, screaming children running around the indoor playground and an appearance by Ronald McDonald. My parents only took me as a rare treat — they weren’t keen on how unhealthy chicken nuggets and fries were, or on the idea of letting us have our way too often — but this only added to its allure. Even as a teenager and in my early twenties, McDonald’s still held a special place in my heart.
It is, after all, the world’s most famous fast-food joint, having been a constant presence since 1940. The brightly lit stores, many of which stay open 24/7, became beacons — either as conveniently cheap places to meet friends and talk for hours, or reliable late-night spots to feed drunken, hungry bellies. I had always looked upon those golden arches with fondness — but not so much anymore.
This year, I’ve only been to McDonald’s once. It’s not just me. In July, McDonald’s shared that its sales had fallen by 1% worldwide across every company segment from April to June.
It might not sound like a lot, but this marks the first decline in sales that the fast-food behemoth has seen since the final quarter of 2020. Back then, they could blame the pandemic for forcing them to close their doors. Now, a decline of just 1% in sales has led to the company’s net income falling by 12% to $2bn (£1.
55m). According to the company, the reason for the decl.