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The fast food giant just posted Q4 numbers that crushed expectations.
Global systemwide sales jumped 7% for the full year to over $139 billion.
But here's the real story.
This time last year? McDonald's was in crisis mode.
An E. coli outbreak linked to slivered onions on Quarter Pounders sickened over 100 people across 14 states and killed one person.
The damage was immediate. U.S. same-store sales dropped 1.4% in Q4 2024.
Traffic plunged 10% nationwide right after the outbreak hit the news.
Fast forward to Q4 2025 and U.S. sales surged 6.8%.
What changed? McDonald's went all-in on value.
The company launched its $5 Meal Deal in June 2024 for what was supposed to be a limited run.
Then it kept extending it, and made it permanent as part of the McValue platform that launched January 2025.
The deal includes your choice of a McDouble or McChicken, small fries, 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, and a small drink. All for five bucks.
CEO Chris Kempczinski told analysts the company's "relentless focus on delivering leadership in value and affordability" was working.
Translation: cheap food brings people back.
McDonald's didn't stop at one promotion. They brought back Extra Value Meals in September.
Added a Buy One, Add One for $1 offer. Kept pushing app deals.
The Grinch Meal was such a hit that McDonald's became the largest seller of socks in the world for nearly a week.
Kempczinski said they sold 50 million pairs globally in the first few days.
Analysts at QSR Magazine pointed out that even with inflation and the E. coli mess, U.S. franchisees still pulled in over $500,000 per unit in cash flow.
McDonald's is planning to open about 2,600 new locations in 2026, including roughly 750 in the U.S.
New beverages are coming later this year - energy drinks, fruity refreshers, and crafted sodas. Lessons learned from the now-shuttered CosMc's spinoff.
The company's also testing hand-breaded chicken strips and wings in Chicago-area locations.
Bottom line? McDonald's proved you can recover from a food safety crisis if you give customers what they actually want: affordable food that doesn't suck.
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