McDonald’s US sales slowdown leads to new US chief
McDonald’s reported that comparable sales in its United States restaurants grew only 0.8 % in the second quarter, well below Wall Street expectations of around 1 % or higher. Chief Executive Christopher Kempczinski said the shortfall stemmed from execution lapses, an overload of simultaneous value‑deal promotions and the removal of digital discounts, which slowed service and lengthened wait times. Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden noted that only about 65 % of outlets applied the recommended pricing for the under‑$3 menu, and the company estimated that two‑thirds of the missed sales target were due to these promotional issues.
In response, the company announced a leadership change. Joe Erlinger, who has led the U.S. division since 2019 and oversaw the response to the 2024 E. coli outbreak, stepped down immediately. Skye Anderson, a 26‑year McDonald’s veteran and former chief operating officer for U.S. operations, was appointed as the new head of the U.S. business. Anderson will focus on correcting the cheap‑menu flop and improving operational execution over the next two quarters.
Globally, McDonald’s posted second‑quarter revenue of $7.1 billion and profit of $2.4 billion, with comparable sales up 1.3 % on a consolidated basis. The modest U.S. performance prompted a modest pre‑market stock gain of about 1.5 %. The chain plans to roll out new app‑based promotions and increase marketing spend on proven value offerings while simplifying its promotional strategy.
Entities: Christopher Kempczinski · Ian Borden · Joe Erlinger · McDonald's Corporation · McDonald’s Corporation · Skye Anderson · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] CFO Ian Borden said only about 65 % of restaurants used the recommended pricing architecture for the under‑$3 menu. (CFO remarks)
- [● 2 SOURCES] McDonald’s reported global Q2 revenue of $7.1 billion and profit of $2.4 billion. (financial results)
- [● 8 SOURCES] McDonald’s US comparable sales grew 0.8 % in the second quarter of 2026. (company earnings report)
- [● 6 SOURCES] Two‑thirds of the missed sales target were attributed to the flawed promotion strategy. (company analysis)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Skye Anderson, a 26‑year McDonald’s veteran and former U.S. COO, became the new head of the U.S. business. (company announcement)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The 0.8 % growth fell short of Wall Street expectations of about 1 % or higher. (company statements and analyst expectations)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Joe Erlinger, U.S. president since 2019, left his role immediately. (company announcement)
- [● 6 SOURCES] CEO Christopher Kempczinski said the slowdown was due to execution lapses and too many simultaneous promotional offers. (CEO remarks)