McDonald's Doing GREAT In Europe...

Yup...it's true...all you snobby epicures disdain McDo's but sales are
BOOMING...so *somebody* is lovin' it...!!!

:-)


http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...i-business-hed


McDonald's sales rise on Europe's 8.8% gain

By Chris Burritt
Bloomberg News
Published September 12, 2006, 10:37 AM CDT


McDonald's Corp., the world's largest restaurant chain, said August
comparable sales rose 6 percent, paced by a seventh straight monthly gain in
Europe.

Sales at European restaurants open at least 13 months increased 8.8 percent
from a year earlier, the Oak Brook, Illinois-based company said today in a
statement. In Asia, the Middle East and Africa, sales gained 6.1 percent,
led by strong results in Japan.

McDonald's lifted Europe's sales to their biggest gain since a 9.3 percent
increase in April with discount menus and more-expensive sandwiches such as
the U.K.'s Deluxe Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese. The debut of a $1.29
chicken snack wrap and better-tasting coffee increased sales 3.5 percent in
the U.S., the chain's largest market by revenue.

``It's encouraging that Europe has put a string like that together,'' said
Herb Achey, an analyst at New York-based U.S. Trust in Charlotte, North
Carolina. The firm manages $109 billion including 1.9 million McDonald's
shares as of June 30. ``The U.S. is doing OK.''

McDonald's shares have risen 3.4 percent since Aug. 31, the day before it
disclosed in a securities filing that activist investor Bill Ackman planned
to buy more than $793.8 million of the company's shares. The stock has
increased 11 percent this year. It rose 32 cents to $37.44 at 9:37 a.m. in
New York Stock Exchange composite trading.

European sales have recovered in 2006 after trailing the performance in the
U.S., where McDonald's Chief Executive Officer Jim Skinner lengthened
restaurant hours and increased advertising for the stronger coffee blend, an
Asian chicken salad and other new products.

McDonald's said it's is appealing to local tastes by selling porridge in the
U.K., pasta salads in Italy and croissants in France.

``Being a global brand shouldn't mean we can't find local relevancies,''
Denis Hennequin, the chain's European president, said today in an interview
after a press briefing in Brussels. Europe contributes about 40 percent of
McDonald's revenue and operating income, Hennequin said.

Hennequin has overseen an increase in coupons to spur sales in Germany and
the U.K. since he took charge in June 2005. He also opened restaurants to
public tours to try and ease nutritional concerns about McDonald's food.
McDonald's is extending restaurant hours in Europe, Skinner, 61, told
analysts on July 25.

Three funds managed by Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management LP may
acquire McDonald's stock ``significantly in excess'' of $793.8 million,
according to a Sept. 8 securities by Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., the
burrito chain being sold by McDonald's.

McDonald's said in a filing Sept. 1 it had been notified of the
stock-purchase plans by Ackman, Pershing Square's principal. The funds
planned to file for regulatory approval to buy more than $793.8 million of
McDonald's stock, the company said in the filing.

--With reporting by Andrew Clapham in Brussels. Editor: Harrington.



Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

I ate one yesterday; it tasted strange like something from a parallel
universe where I lived in another lifetime; I don't think I will go
back to a McDonalds. The kids seem to like it tough.

you are, morrow, it's the only place where you can watch girls and talk up
boys

"Gregory Morrow" a écrit dans
le message de news: et...
Yup...it's true...all you snobby epicures disdain McDo's but sales are
BOOMING...so *somebody* is lovin' it...!!!

:-)


http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...i-business-hed


McDonald's sales rise on Europe's 8.8% gain

By Chris Burritt
Bloomberg News
Published September 12, 2006, 10:37 AM CDT


McDonald's Corp., the world's largest restaurant chain, said August
comparable sales rose 6 percent, paced by a seventh straight monthly gain
in
Europe.

Sales at European restaurants open at least 13 months increased 8.8
percent
from a year earlier, the Oak Brook, Illinois-based company said today in a
statement. In Asia, the Middle East and Africa, sales gained 6.1 percent,
led by strong results in Japan.

McDonald's lifted Europe's sales to their biggest gain since a 9.3 percent
increase in April with discount menus and more-expensive sandwiches such
as
the U.K.'s Deluxe Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese. The debut of a $1.29
chicken snack wrap and better-tasting coffee increased sales 3.5 percent
in
the U.S., the chain's largest market by revenue.

``It's encouraging that Europe has put a string like that together,'' said
Herb Achey, an analyst at New York-based U.S. Trust in Charlotte, North
Carolina. The firm manages $109 billion including 1.9 million McDonald's
shares as of June 30. ``The U.S. is doing OK.''

McDonald's shares have risen 3.4 percent since Aug. 31, the day before it
disclosed in a securities filing that activist investor Bill Ackman
planned
to buy more than $793.8 million of the company's shares. The stock has
increased 11 percent this year. It rose 32 cents to $37.44 at 9:37 a.m. in
New York Stock Exchange composite trading.

European sales have recovered in 2006 after trailing the performance in
the
U.S., where McDonald's Chief Executive Officer Jim Skinner lengthened
restaurant hours and increased advertising for the stronger coffee blend,
an
Asian chicken salad and other new products.

McDonald's said it's is appealing to local tastes by selling porridge in
the
U.K., pasta salads in Italy and croissants in France.

``Being a global brand shouldn't mean we can't find local relevancies,''
Denis Hennequin, the chain's European president, said today in an
interview
after a press briefing in Brussels. Europe contributes about 40 percent of
McDonald's revenue and operating income, Hennequin said.

Hennequin has overseen an increase in coupons to spur sales in Germany and
the U.K. since he took charge in June 2005. He also opened restaurants to
public tours to try and ease nutritional concerns about McDonald's food.
McDonald's is extending restaurant hours in Europe, Skinner, 61, told
analysts on July 25.

Three funds managed by Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management LP may
acquire McDonald's stock ``significantly in excess'' of $793.8 million,
according to a Sept. 8 securities by Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., the
burrito chain being sold by McDonald's.

McDonald's said in a filing Sept. 1 it had been notified of the
stock-purchase plans by Ackman, Pershing Square's principal. The funds
planned to file for regulatory approval to buy more than $793.8 million of
McDonald's stock, the company said in the filing.

--With reporting by Andrew Clapham in Brussels. Editor: Harrington.



Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

Cochon Capitaliste wrote:
I ate one yesterday; it tasted strange like something from a parallel
universe where I lived in another lifetime;

What does that mean? Were you on LSD?


I don't think I will go
back to a McDonalds. The kids seem to like it tough.

They like it tough? Do you slap them around or what?

Gregory Morrow schrieb:
Yup...it's true...all you snobby epicures disdain McDo's but sales are
BOOMING...so *somebody* is lovin' it...!!!

:-)


It's an interesting experience visiting MCD in Germany, every different
kind of language being spoken around you except almost no German ...

T.

--
J'ai rêvé qu'on pouvait s'aimer
au souffle du vent

On Wed, 13 Sep 2006 02:04:50 +0200, Tom Peel
wrote:

Gregory Morrow schrieb:
Yup...it's true...all you snobby epicures disdain McDo's but sales are
BOOMING...so *somebody* is lovin' it...!!!

:-)


It's an interesting experience visiting MCD in Germany, every different
kind of language being spoken around you except almost no German ...

So, then, you've been to all the McDs in Germany, have you?

I've noticed the same sort of thing all over Europe, so long as
the McD is in a touristy area, say the Champs Elysee. But at the
neighborhoody McDs the customers all seem to be locals.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

"Hatunen" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 13 Sep 2006 02:04:50 +0200, Tom Peel
wrote:

Gregory Morrow schrieb:
Yup...it's true...all you snobby epicures disdain McDo's but sales are
BOOMING...so *somebody* is lovin' it...!!!

:-)


It's an interesting experience visiting MCD in Germany, every different
kind of language being spoken around you except almost no German ...

So, then, you've been to all the McDs in Germany, have you?

I've noticed the same sort of thing all over Europe, so long as
the McD is in a touristy area, say the Champs Elysee. But at the
neighborhoody McDs the customers all seem to be locals.


Driving into Amberg from a late flight into Frankfurt, about 9 PM, McD's
looked awfully good for a snack before bed. Been there a few times around
noon. Nothing but locals. An occasional beer is nice there also.

Joe in Texas, wishing he was in Bavaria, visiting distant cousins. Maybe
next year.

Driving into Amberg from a late flight into Frankfurt, about 9 PM, McD's
looked awfully good for a snack before bed. Been there a few times around
noon. Nothing but locals. An occasional beer is nice there also.

One more interesting thing: Since 30 years McDonalds is the only
smoke-free restaurant all over Germany (except some organic eco freak
places).
Now there's a huge discussion about smoke free areas in restaurants.
Owners and their lobbyists see their ruin and end of the world as we
know it.

When you walk into a McD late at night you see mega cool people
arriving in still cooler cars, extinguishing their cigarettes before
entering McD without any hesitation. How does McD do this???


Joe in Texas, wishing he was in Bavaria

Walter in Bavaria

Hatunen schrieb:
On Wed, 13 Sep 2006 02:04:50 +0200, Tom Peel
wrote:

Gregory Morrow schrieb:
Yup...it's true...all you snobby epicures disdain McDo's but sales are
BOOMING...so *somebody* is lovin' it...!!!

:-)


It's an interesting experience visiting MCD in Germany, every different
kind of language being spoken around you except almost no German ...

So, then, you've been to all the McDs in Germany, have you?

I've noticed the same sort of thing all over Europe, so long as
the McD is in a touristy area, say the Champs Elysee. But at the
neighborhoody McDs the customers all seem to be locals.

I was thinking of the one nearest me, and it's not touristy. Mostly you
hear Turkish, Italian, Croatian, even some Russian..

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *


--
J'ai rêvé qu'on pouvait s'aimer
au souffle du vent

Hatunen wrote:
On Wed, 13 Sep 2006 02:04:50 +0200, Tom Peel
wrote:
[snip]
It's an interesting experience visiting MCD in Germany, every different
kind of language being spoken around you except almost no German ...

So, then, you've been to all the McDs in Germany, have you?

I've noticed the same sort of thing all over Europe, so long as
the McD is in a touristy area, say the Champs Elysee. But at the
neighborhoody McDs the customers all seem to be locals.

That's been my experience. I've written before of being in a
small town in Austria and following the locals back from a
hockey game outside of town. A stream of them went to the
McD's at 10:00 pm for a bite and a drink.