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McDonald’s said the coronavirus pandemic sent its sales tumbling nearly 30 percent in the quarter that ended in June.
The burger chain, known for its Big Macs and baked apple pies, saw sales plunge 29 percent in the second quarter as the coronavirus kept diners holed up at home. Same-store store sales were down 24 percent while earnings fell a massive 68 percent to $483.8 million.
The Chicago-based restaurant giant said it will dole out about $200 million mostly in the second half of the year to promote its eateries, and it set aside $92 million to cover the cost of unpaid bills from some of its franchisees. The ad spending is meant to accelerate its recovery later this year and represents a “sizable increase” in its marketing budget for the rest of the year, officials said on the earnings call.
Shares of the company known for its yellow arches recently traded down 2.4 percent, or $4.80 a share, to $196.48.
Despite the second-quarter plunge, McDonald’s CEO, Chris Kempczinski, sounded an optimistic note, saying the worst appears to be over and touting improvements in delivery and drive-thru sales.
“In many markets around the world, most notably in the US, the public health situation appears to be worsening,” Kempczinski said in the company’s earnings call. “Nonetheless, I believe that Q2 represents the trough in our performance as McDonald’s has learned to adjust our operations to this new environment.”
He said both delivery and drive-thru sales have been growing — a trend he expects to continue after the pandemic clouds lift. “Our strong drive-thru presence and the investments we’ve made in delivery and digital over the past few years have served us well through these uncertain times,” Kempczinski said.
McDonald’s, which boasts 39,000 eateries around the world, still plans to close some 200 restaurants this year. In June it closed its former Big Apple flagship in Times Square on 42nd Street.


