Zu hohe Rindfleischpreise, veraltete Lokale und kaum Poulet: McDonald’s-Restaurants brauchen Milliardenhilfe

McDonald's, the world's largest fast-food chain with over 46,000 outlets in over a hundred countries, faces significant challenges due to skyrocketing meat prices and outdated restaurants, according to a recent report. The company's CEO, Chris Kempczinski, admitted that consumer frequency in many markets has stagnated during an investor conference.

The rising energy costs, mainly due to the Iran war, and increased mortgage and consumer loan interest rates in the US are putting pressure on McDonald's sales. Furthermore, Wendy's, a major competitor of McDonald's, recently had to file for bankruptcy protection due to declining customer footfall, high meat prices, and a poor marketing campaign from its previous management.

McDonald's is struggling to compete with specialized chains like Chick-fil-A, Dutch Bros, and 7 Brew, which have gained popularity among American consumers, particularly for chicken and healthier beverage options. In response, McDonald's has introduced new items such as a chicken bowl and Red Bull energy drinks in some American locations.

However, analysts at J.P. Morgan are skeptical about McDonald's strategy of emulating specialized chains, as they are labor-intensive and time-consuming. McDonald's has already seen a 20% drop in its stock price, resulting in a 30% loss compared to its all-time high in early March. The company announced a $8.5 billion plan to support franchisees by 2036, citing increased food and energy costs, as well as the high living expenses of franchisees who often take on significant debt.

McDonald's, which operates about five percent of its restaurants directly, relies heavily on franchisees who are responsible for staffing and pay monthly franchise fees. Despite their devotion and hard work, many franchisees have struggled with rising labor and food costs, and many failed to build sufficient reserves for the ongoing restaurant modernization programs, which cost around $1 million per location.

The latest facelift program began in 2016, and the current modernization, dubbed 'Next,' is expected to cost an average of over $1 million per restaurant.