McDonald's says its focus on value -- and a must-have Minecraft meal --
boosted second-quarter sales
[August 07, 2025] By
DEE-ANN DURBIN
A focus on value — along with hot products like a “Minecraft”-themed
meal — helped McDonald’s turn around its sagging sales in the second
quarter.
McDonald's Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said Wednesday that the
company's McValue menu, which was introduced in January, is bringing
some U.S. traffic back to its stores even as industrywide fast food
visits have slowed. The menu lets customers buy one item for $1 when
they buy a full-priced item, and it draws in different customers than
McDonald's $5 meal deal, Kempczinski said.
McDonald's is also seeing a strong response to value meals in Europe and
other regions, Kempczinski said.
But the company remains concerned about continuing declines in traffic
from consumers with household incomes of $45,000 or less. Fast food
visits by lower-income consumers dropped by double-digit percentages
industrywide in the U.S. the April-June period.
Kempczinski said lower-income consumers are feeling uneasy about tariffs
and their impacts and about the employment outlook. McDonald's is
talking with franchisees about ways to reengage those customers, he
said.

“Too often, if you’re that consumer, you’re driving up to the restaurant
and you’re seeing combo meals priced over $10. And that absolutely is
shaping value perceptions in a negative way,” Kempczinski said Wednesday
during a conference call with investors. “So we’ve got to get that
fixed.”
McDonald's had a big win in April with a meal tied to “A Minecraft
Movie,” which was offered in 100 countries, making it the company's
largest ever global campaign. McDonald’s said it sold out of its
collectible figures in less than two weeks.
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A McDonald's restaurant is visible Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in
Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
 McDonald's Chief Financial Officer
Ian Borden said chicken — including new products like McCrispy
chicken strips in the U.S. and McWings in Australia — also boosted
sales. McDonald's increased its chicken market share in each of its
10 biggest markets, Borden said.
It was a far different story than the first quarter, when McDonald's
U.S. and global same-store sales slumped as both lower- and
middle-income consumers cut back. Kempczkinski said visits from
middle-income consumers improved in the second quarter.
Some rivals didn’t fare as well in April-June period. Yum Brands,
the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, reported
lower-than-expected revenue on Tuesday and said KFC’s same-store
sales dropped 5% in the U.S. And last month, Chipotle lowered its
full-year same-store sales guidance after a disappointing second
quarter that saw same-store sales fall 4%.
McDonald's said Wednesday its revenue rose 5% to $6.8 billion in the
April-June period. That was higher than the $6.7 billion Wall Street
forecast, according analysts polled by FactSet.
Same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, jumped
nearly 4%. Analysts had predicted a 1% decline.
McDonald's shares rose 2% in morning trading Wednesday.
McDonald's net income rose 11% to $2.25 billion in the second
quarter. Adjusted for restructuring charges and other one-time
items, the company earned $3.14 per share. That was in line with
Wall Street's forecast.
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