• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
RetailMcDonald's

McDonald’s Struggles to Repeat Success of All-Day Breakfast Launch

By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 23, 2017, 11:50 AM ET
McDonalds To Offer Its Breakfast Menu All Day Long
FAIRFIELD, CA - JULY 23: A McDonald's "Big Breakfast" is displayed at a McDonald's restaurant on July 23, 2015 in Fairfield, California. McDonald's has been testing all-day breakfast menus at select locations in the U.S. and could offer it at all locations as early as October. (Photo illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)Photograph by Justin Sullivan—Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

A year ago, McDonald’s was basking in the glory of a successful all-day breakfast launch that boosted sales at the fast-food purveyor’s U.S. restaurants. That savvy move is becoming a bit of a burden early in 2017.

McDonald’s (MCD) first debuted its all-day breakfast menu in October 2015 and an immediate sales jolt helped boost sales in the U.S. In the fourth quarter of 2015, comparable sales increased 5.7%—the best quarter McDonald’s had reported in nearly four years. Throughout most of 2016, sales continued to hum along smoothly as all-day breakfast lured customers that were persuaded to buy the company’s Egg McMuffin or hash browns for lunch or other parts of the day.

But on Monday, McDonald’s reported a comparable sales decline of 1.3% in the U.S., which the company said reflected “the challenging comparison against the prior year launch of the very successful All-Day Breakfast.” Analysts had anticipated the decline: they projected a slightly steeper 1.4% drop. Looking to 2017, McDonald’s says it will focus on growing guest traffic in the U.S. That’s been problematic across the restaurant industry, as economic uncertainty and falling grocery prices have hurt the sector.

McDonald’s results were again propped up by strong growth abroad, with sales growing in the United Kingdom, China, Japan and some markets in Latin America. Globally, comparable sales were up 2.7%. Total revenue hit $6.03 billion while per-share earnings were $1.44, both above Wall Street’s expectations. While revenue declined from a year ago, it was due to refranchising.

President and CEO Steve Easterbrook struck a bullish tone while discussing the results with analysts, touting last year’s launch of all-day breakfast 2.0—an update that saw the addition of McGriddle and other items—as having lived up to expectations. He said McDonald’s executive team had more strategies in mind to boost traffic in 2017, though those plans won’t be disclosed until the company’s March 1 investor meeting. That’s when McDonald’s will also unveil full-year guidance targets.

When asked about how McDonald’s can reverse persistent traffic declines that have been an issue the past several years, Easterbrook said the topic was something that had dominated conversations internally. “This is all about getting the balance right,” he said, lauding cash-flow generation at McDonald’s but saying that needed to be balanced with some investments into restaurants. Some initiatives that could help: giving customers more options on how they order and pay (that would likely be automation).

Easterbrook also talked about how promotions can be helpful, which is often a popular strategy to boost traffic at fast-food chains like McDonald’s. Looking ahead to 2017, McDonald’s says it will be more competitive in terms of offering guests greater value deals. Some of those offers can be a mix of national launches, as well as regional launches that make sense for those markets.

About the Author
By John KellContributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence

John Kell is a contributing writer for Fortune and author of Fortune’s CIO Intelligence newsletter.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

Red Lobster lost millions on its endless shrimp disaster. Shareholders say it was a ‘car crash’ designed to squeeze profits
LawRestaurants
Red Lobster lost millions on its endless shrimp disaster. Shareholders say it was a ‘car crash’ designed to squeeze profits
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 26, 2026
13 hours ago
The ‘FIFA 15’ is American culinary diplomacy in action
North AmericaFood and drink
The ‘FIFA 15’ is American culinary diplomacy in action
By Catherina GioinoJune 26, 2026
17 hours ago
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power this week
C-SuiteFortune 500 Power Moves
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power this week
By Fortune EditorsJune 26, 2026
21 hours ago
Marketing leaders speak at Fortune's Fuel Up event in Cannes. (L-R) Natalia Ball, Mars Pet Nutrition; Zena Arnold, Sephora; Tati Lindenberg, Unilever; Laura Jones, Instacart; Ruth Umoh, Fortune
RetailCMO
The new CMO playbook: how marketers are balancing broader remits and tighter budgets
By Sam BirchallJune 26, 2026
22 hours ago
AI is overwhelming our senses—Edward Enninful has an answer for that 
EuropeLetter from London
AI is overwhelming our senses—Edward Enninful has an answer for that 
By Kamal AhmedJune 26, 2026
1 day ago
kid
SuccessSocial Media
Kids want to be influencers when they grow up, because they ‘gets lots of money’ and ‘they want to be famous’
By Matthew Simoneau and The ConversationJune 26, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
2 days ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
3 days ago
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Economy
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
By Nick LichtenbergJune 26, 2026
1 day ago
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
Economy
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
By Eva RoytburgJune 25, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 26, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 26, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 26, 2026
21 hours ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.