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McPlant and more: Beyond Meat inks McDonald's, Yum deals
Beyond Meat on Thursday announced distribution agreements with McDonald's as well as with Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. Beyond Meat had limited partnerships with McDonald's and Yum Brands before, testing its products in limited geographies or with only an item or two. Chicago-based McDonald's will use the Beyond Meat partnership to roll out what it is calling the โMcPlantโ burger, as well as eventually plant-based pork, egg and chicken products. AdYum will use Beyond Meat to expand its โBeyond Fried Chickenโ products, as well as pizza toppings at Pizza Hut. Burger King has partnered with Impossible Foods to provide products that use plant-based products as well.
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Black franchise owner sues McDonald's, cites persistent bias
Washington, the Black owner of 14 McDonald's franchises in Ohio has sued the corporation in federal court asserting numerous instances of unfair treatment compared with white owners. โBy relegating Black owners to the oldest stores in the toughest neighborhoods, McDonaldโs ensured that Black franchisees would never achieve the levels of success that White franchisees could expect,โ the lawsuit said. โBlack franchisees must spend more to operate their stores while White franchisees get to realize the full benefit of their labors." He blames his advocacy on behalf of Black McDonald's owners for his troubles with the company. According to the lawsuit, the number of Black McDonald's franchise owners in the U.S. has fallen from 377 in 1998 to 186 today.
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McDonaldโs bringing back Hi-C drink after outcry
McDonaldโs announced it is bringing back Orange Hi-C. The non-carbonated, but even more sugary than soda, drink had been a favorite for about 60 years before the fast-food chain removed it four years ago. Since then, Hi-C fans have made plenty of noise on social media. Mickey Dโs even created a special website where you can track when the drink arrives at a restaurant near you. They can choose either carbonated Fanta orange or the less bubbly Hi-C, whose full name is Hi-C Orange Lavaburst.
McDonaldโs is bringing back its Shamrock Shake in February
Even though St. Patrickโs Day is more than a month away, McDonaldโs is already preparing to bring back its Shamrock Shake. Beginning Feb. 15, the fan-favorite will go on sale at locations for a limited time, as well as the Oreo Shamrock McFlurry. McDonaldโs first started selling the Shamrock Shake in 1970. [TRENDING: Even colder air on the way | Latest on $1,400 economic relief payments | Bars, nightclubs continue to disobey local COVID-19 rules]The Shamrock Shake is part of a big month for McDonaldโs, which is expected to roll out three new chicken sandwiches on Feb. 24.
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McDonald's US sales strong in Q4, but COVID drags elsewhere
U.S. same-store sales jumped 5.5% in the October-December period, pumped up by new menu items like spicy Chicken McNuggets and a meal deal collaboration with Colombian singer J Balvin. For the full year, McDonald's said U.S. same-store sales __ or sales at stores open at least a year __ were up less than 1%, their sixth consecutive year of growth. But worldwide, same-store sales were down 1.3% for the quarter, reflecting store closures and limited operating hours in various markets across Europe, Latin America and Asia. For the full year, global same-store sales were down 7.7%, a bigger decline than the 7% drop Wall Street had forecast, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Earlier this week, Starbucks said its global same-store sales fell 5% in the October-December period.
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McDonaldโs giving away free food during the holidays
The season of giving is nearly upon us and McDonaldโs is preparing to give away free food with its new meal deal starting Monday and running through Christmas Eve. | Intruders cut womanโs hair, leave]That includes things like medium fries for Rudolph and coffee for Scrooge, just to name a couple. To get the deal, you have to make a $1 minimum purchase and place the order through the McDonaldโs app. On Christmas Eve, McDonaldโs is giving away free chocolate chip cookies in honor of Santa, without the $1 minimum purchase. Free daily deals schedule is as follows:Dec. 14 - The Griswolds: Free Double CheeseburgerDec. 15 - The Abominable Snow Monster: Free Big MacDec. 16 - The Grinch: Free Egg McMuffinDec. 17 - John McClane: Free McDoubleDec. 18 - Rudolph: Free Medium FriesDec. 19 - Gizmo: Free 6 piece McNuggetsDec. 20 - Buddy the Elf: Free HotcakesDec. 21 - Scrooge: Free any size hot or iced coffeeDec. 22 - Frosty the Snowman: Free any size McFlurryDec. 23 - Frank Costanza and the rest of us: Free bakery itemDec. 24 - Santa Claus: free 2 pack or 3 pack chocolate chip cookies
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McRib makes saucy return to McDonaldโs nationwide for first time since 2012
McRib lovers, today is your day. McDonaldโs announced the McRib is back nationwide for the first time since 2012. In October 2019, the McRib only had a limited return. To our customers, itโs become more than a delicious, saucy momentโฆ itโs a season, and itโs taking the internet by storm. Thatโs why this year, weโre proud to serve the McRib nationwide for everyone to enjoy.โnationwide for the first time since 2012 if u can believe it โ McRib is Back (@McDonalds) October 30, 2020After debuting in 1982, McDonaldโs says the McRib is one of its most anticipated, limited-time menu items it offers around the world.
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Beyond Meat shares plummet on weak 3Q, McDonald's questions
Beyond Meat's stock plummeted Monday after company executives struggled to explain the company's weaker-than-expected third quarter sales and answer questions about whether it will make plant-based burgers for McDonald's. On top of that, McDonald's raised questions earlier in the day about its relationship with Beyond Meat. McDonald's tested a Beyond Meat burger in Canada earlier this year, and Beyond Meat President and CEO Ethan Brown insisted that his company continues to work with McDonald's on the McPlant. Brown said U.S. retail sales of Beyond Meat slowed in the July-September period despite increased availability in stores. At the same time, Beyond Meat said sales to restaurants and other venues continue to struggle.
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McDonald's cult classic, the McRib, is coming back
This photo provided by McDonald's shows the McRib sandwich. McDonalds announced that it was bringing its barbeque slathered sandwich with the cult following back for yet another run on Dec. 2. (McDonald's via AP)NEW YORK โ McRib, the fast food sandwich that went viral before viral was a thing, is back. McDonald's announced Friday that for the first time in eight years it will be offering nationwide its barbeque slathered sandwich with the cult following. McDonald's is reintroducing the McRib nationally as it tries to regain its footing during the pandemic, which left many of its dining rooms sparsely populated or empty, though drive-thrus continued to operate.
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Someone created a website that tracks broken ice cream machines at McDonaldโs, and itโs genius
But alas, while you may have gotten your Big Mac or McChicken, the ice cream machine is yet again broken, and your McFlurry dreams have been crushed. Not only are you upset, but so are the kids in the back seat who just wanted an ice cream cone. If only there was some way you could have known the ice cream machine was down, so you could have gone to a different McDonaldโs with a working machine. A version of this scenario inspired 24-year-old software engineer Rashiq Zahid to created McBroken, a new website that tracks whether the ice cream machine at every McDonaldโs is working or not. Only a true @McDonalds fan would go to these lengths to help customers get our delicious ice cream!
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Drive-thru dominates even as dine-in restrictions ease
In contrast, at overseas McDonaldโs locations, where drive-thru windows are less common, same-store sales dipped compared with a year ago. Domino's said its same-store sales overseas climbed 6.2% as stores in hard-hit markets like India and Spain reopened and more business migrated to delivery. Nearly all U.S. McDonaldโs have drive-thru windows and its delivery business is rising. When combined with international sales, McDonald's same-store sales fell 2.2%. Still, that was significantly better than the second quarter, when same-store sales fell 24%.
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52 Black former franchisees sue McDonalds for discrimination
According to the lawsuit, McDonalds steered Black franchisees to stores in inner-city neighborhoods with lower sales volumes and higher security and insurance costs. Once Black franchisees owned a store, they would be asked to rebuild or remodel within a shorter period of time than white franchisees without the rent relief and other financial support given to white franchisees, the lawsuit says. Theyre the same everywhere.Ferraro also noted that the number of Black McDonalds franchisees has fallen by half over the last two decades. The chain had 377 Black franchisees in 1998; it has 186 now. In 1996, McDonalds leadership acknowledged that Black franchisees werent achieving parity with their white counterparts and resolved to make changes.
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McDonald's internal investigation extends beyond ousted CEO
An internal investigation by McDonalds of potential misconduct has extended beyond its former CEO who was forced out late last year. After Easterbrook was became McDonald's CEO in 2015 he named Fairhurst, a friend, to lead the human resource department. Yet in July, McDonalds received information from another company employee suggesting that Easterbrook had multiple affairs with subordinates. The same person also told the company about issues within the human resources department. McDonalds named Heidi Capozzi, who had worked for Boeing, as human resources chief in March.
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McDonalds launches new spicy chicken McNuggets
McDonalds is introducing two new menu items, spicy chicken McNuggets and the Chips Ahoy! Spicy chicken McNuggets is the first new McNuggets flavor in the U.S. since they first hit the menu in 1983. The sauce includes a blend of crushed red pepper, spicy chilies and garlic. As for the Chips Ahoy! McFlurry, it includes vanilla soft-serve ice cream, Chips Ahoy!
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McDonaldโs restaurants celebrate back to school with free coffee for parents
To help lighten the mood as children go back to school in a variety of different ways during the coronavirus pandemic, McDonaldโs wanted to help. Central Florida McDonaldโs locations are celebrating parents by offering them a free cup of hot or iced coffee. No purchase is necessary to cash in on the free brew. The offer is only available on Monday, Aug. 17 from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.โMcDonaldโs appreciates the parents who are working hard to maintain during this pandemic,โ company officials said in an email.
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McDonald's facing uneven recovery, 2Q sales down 30%
Of the chain's 39,000 restaurants worldwide, 96% are now open, compared with 75% at the start of the second quarter. Still, U.S. same-store sales continued to improve throughout July and should end the month slightly positive compared to a year ago. Same-store sales fell 24% for the entire quarter, a point shy of analyst projections. In the U.S., McDonaldโs biggest market, same-store sales fell 9%. Same-store sales fell 41% in international markets.
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McDonaldโs to require face masks in its restaurants
ORLANDO, Fla. โ The fast food chain McDonaldโs announced Friday that it will soon be requiring customers to wear face masks inside of its restaurants in an effort to keep employees and patrons safe from COVID-19. The new policy begins Aug. 1 and applies to anyone entering a McDonaldโs restaurant. โThe intent of this policy is to take a proactive approach and focus on quickly finding solutions when customers are unable or unwilling to wear a face covering. In those situations where a customer declines to wear a face covering, weโll put in place additional procedures to take care of them in a friendly, expedited way,โ Erlinger wrote. โFor 65 years, protecting the safety and comfort of employees and customers has been core to who we are.
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McDonaldโs giving frontline workers free โThank You Mealsโ for 2 weeks
To show its thanks to frontline workers during the coronavirus pandemic, McDonaldโs is offering health care workers and first responders free โThank You Mealsโ from April 22 to May 5. Each meal, whether you choose breakfast, lunch or dinner, is free through the drive-thru or carryout at participating McDonaldโs. The meal choice for breakfast includes an Egg McMuffin, Chicken McGriddles or a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit. โWe are proud to be able support our neighbors who are on the frontlines as first responders and healthcare workers with Thank You Meals.โA valid ID will be required to claim the free meal. To keep up with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6โฒs coronavirus newsletter or go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.