🍻 Our final KaiPA pint glasses are available NOW to anyone who donates to our nonprofit newsroom. Donate now

What’s behind the boost to McDonald’s burger sales?

Renata Sago Jun 25, 2019
HTML EMBED:
COPY
A McDonald's sign outside a restaurant in San Francisco, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

What’s behind the boost to McDonald’s burger sales?

Renata Sago Jun 25, 2019
A McDonald's sign outside a restaurant in San Francisco, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
HTML EMBED:
COPY

McDonald’s is selling a lot more burgers. The company announced this week that it sold 40 million more Quarter Pounders in the first quarter of 2019 compared to a year earlier. That’s a 30% spike. 

The fast food giant credits its rising burger sales to a major supply chain switch. Last May, it switched from serving frozen to fresh beef patties. 

Analysts say the move was no cheap endeavor and took years of preparation to pull off. Franchisees had to add new refrigerators and adjust cooking temperatures to meet food safety laws. Suppliers had to make sure they had enough fresh beef available, as well as changing packaging and delivery methods.

McDonald’s has embraced fresh beef to better compete with rivals like Wendy’s and Burger King.

There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.