McDonalds UK Growth Goes Large

McDonald's say that UK annual sales rose by 11 per cent last year, beating the burger chain's global average growth of 3.8 per cent almost threefold.

McDonald's UK chief executive told The Scotsman newspaper that "It's a real strong set of results, and it's the strongest year in what's been a four-year run now. We have seen the business add £465 million (in like-for-like sales]."

European average sales growth came in at 5.2 per cent, the Middle-East, Asia and Africa at 3.4 per cent, whilst growth in the US was the weakest at 2.6 per cent.

The notion that growth has been aided by cash-strapped Brits choosing to go for a happy meal rather than dine out somewhere more salubrious is a misconception, he says.

"I'm not concerned about the fading of the recession. It has been a popular myth that we have benefited from the recession," he is quoted as saying.

Personally I think they have a solid business plan: spotty, ill-mannered, semi-retarded youths serving cheap food to other spotty, ill-mannered, semi-retarded youths. You don't even need to speak, what's the point of risking it, just point and grunt.