McDonald's Corp, the world's largest hamburger chain, said US sales rose 9.9 percent in July, driven by demand for new salads and McGriddle breakfast sandwiches.
Sales at US restaurants open at least 13 months increased for the fourth straight month after declining for more than a year, the Oak Brook, Illinois-based company said in a statement.
New products
The introduction of the Mc-Griddle breakfast sandwiches, a new line of US$3.99 salads served with actor Paul Newman's dressings, and increased advertising for the Big Mac, increased sales.
McDonald's has boosted employee training to help win back customers who have left for rivals such as Burger King Corp.
Meanwhile, McDonald's Holdings Co (Japan), the nation's biggest fast-food chain, said first-half profit fell 91 percent because demand for its burgers and meals contracted, prompting it to cut its full-year forecasts.
The unit of McDonald's Corp had group net income of Japanese Yen 133 million (US$1.1 million) for the six months ended June 30, compared with ?1.4 billion the previous year, the company said in a release through the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Sales fell 7.2 percent to Japanese Yen 146.6 billion, from Japanese Yen 158 billion a year ago.
Mad cows
McDonald's Japan has struggled to win back customers after sales slumped last year as consumers avoided beef following the discovery of Japan's first mad-cow case in September 2001 and didn't recover amid a stagnant economy.
Sales fell for a 22nd straight month in July, by 4.4 percent, the company said today.
The company cut its full-year net income forecast 47 percent to Japanese Yen 2 billion from a February prediction of 3.96 billion yen.
It now expects to post sales of Japanese Yen 303.4 billion, 7.5 percent lower than its earlier forecast of Japanese Yen 328 billion.
The hamburger chain is closing some locations to improve profits at nearby outlets, introducing new menus and revamping stores to try to lure customers back.
McDonald's has so far tried a meatier burger and a tofu sandwich and is now relying on a new spicy Korean-style burger to raise sales.
Change of command
In May, the company appointed McDonald's Corp executive Pat Donahue as its first non-Japanese chief executive officer after reporting its first annual loss in three decades in February.
McDonald's Corp chief executive James Cantalupo was brought out of retirement in January to replace Jack Greenberg, whose expansion strategy hurt sales by shifting McDonald's attention away from quality control at existing restaurants, investors said.
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