(NEWSnet/AP) — McDonald’s has reported higher-than-expected sales in the first quarter as store traffic grew despite higher prices.

Global same-store sales rose 12.6% compared to the January-March period in 2022, the Chicago burger giant said Tuesday. That's well above what Wall Street had been forecasting, compared to the lower numbers of early 2022 amid a coronavirus impact.

Good weather in January helped increase sales, the company said. There was a steady recovery in China after COVID restrictions were lifted. Marketing campaigns, like a Valentine’s Day promotion in the U.S., also boosted interest.

CEO Chris Kempczinski said the company is starting to notice reactions to price increases in many markets. Examples include customers deciding not to add fries to an order.

But McDonald's also has to account for higher prices for food, paper and workers. The company laid off several hundred corporate workers this month.
McDonald's is hoping menu tweaks will continue to drive store traffic this year.

U.S. restaurants will soon make sandwiches with softer buns and meltier cheese and change cooking settings to make burgers juicier. Customers have already responded well to those changes in Australia and Canada.

Copyright 2023 NEWSnet and The Associated Press. All rights reserved.