Store Wars With Burger King?

Today McDonald's execs presented at an investor conference admitting

that customer traffic will be difficult to grow near term. So, if they can't

make investors happy with increased same-store-sales it's necessary

to increase the number of outlets.

Management announced they will open 1,300 new stores in 2012. How

does that compare to recent years?

Here's the global and USA rate for the past four years:

2008 - 590 (56 USA)

2009 - 511 (62 USA)

2010 - 259 (47 USA)

2011 - 773 (71 USA

These are the number of stores operating at year's end so it includes the

net of openings less closings. We assume the 1,300 discussed by

management is an increase in the total numbers of stores operating.

Hopefully very few of these new stores will be in the over saturated USA.

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