McDonald's said sales at its restaurants open more than a year rose 4.2 per cent in July as new salads and McGriddles breakfast sandwiches helped drive robust US results.
The world's largest restaurant company said so-called same-store sales in the United States, its largest market, rose nearly 10 per cent in the month, higher than Wall Street analysts' expectations. It is the chain's third straight monthly increase.
Monthly same-store sales in Europe fell 0.6 per cent, but they marked McDonalds' best performance in the region since July 2002. In major European markets such as Britain and Germany, the company is expanding its menu and discounting to drive up store traffic.
Sales across the McDonald's operation empire which encompasses more than 30,000 company-owned and franchised restaurants, rose 11 per cent to $4.14 billion.
The company is focused on drawing more customers to its existing restaurants. In the United States, it is working to make its 13,600 restaurants more contemporary and to reverse perceptions of flagging service.
Shares of McDonald's rose 24 cents to close at $22.06 on the New York Stock Exchange last night.