NASDAQ Looks at McDonald's Stock Gains

"Even if the Dollar menu (or other lower priced products) is able to raise
the total sales, McDonald's might be the only beneficiary and its
franchisees could be left to battle low profits. Thus, the company also has
to address the growing discontent among franchisees arising due to this
conflict of interest."

McDonald's Stock Gains This Year Look Overdone As Challenges Remain
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Retail Beef Prices Expected to Rise

Retail Beef Prices Expected to Rise - WSJ.com
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No Relief On Beef Anytime Soon

Restaurant Finance Monitor
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Operator Only Comments

Restaurant analyst John Gordon has apparently seen some info from a
McDonald's "Operator Only" Meeting and he's made some comments on...

Blue MauMau here

Here's John Gordon's profile
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Technomic: Moderate Foodservice Growth Expected in 2014

Finance content from Nation's Restaurant News
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McDonald's Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend

McDonald's Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend - Seeking Alpha
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Thompson: Leave Ronald Alone

MCD CEO: Leave Ronald Alone - WSJ:

Subway Plans 3,000 New Stores in 2013

Subway Plans 3,000 New Stores in 2013 - GlobeSt.com
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Has McDonald’s Menu Gotten Too Big?

"You can’t please everyone, but that doesn’t stop McDonald’s from trying."

Has McDonald’s Menu Gotten Too Big? - Businessweek
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Seattle’s Best in Wal-Mart Parking Lots

Seattle’s Best to Open Stores in Wal-Mart Parking Lots - Bloomberg
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McDonald’s Seen Overhauling U.S. Menu From 145 Choices

                                    Bloomberg Reports HERE
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McDonald’s Employee Spots Her Stolen Car in Drive-Thru

McDonald’s Employee Spots Her Stolen Car in Drive-Thru - ABC News
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Burger King's McRib

Burger King's answer to the McRib- CNN Money:
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Golden Talks Dollar Menu and More

"Golden said every item on the Dollar Menu has remained profitable"

I love it when marketing people try to talk about profitability!

Chicago Tribune Reports

At this time visitors must sign up for a free trial account to see this article
but there will be an unrestricted copy available soon and we'll post that link
instead. 
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McDonald's Ketchup Fee Charged In Some Manhattan Locations

Profit Squeeze?
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Starbucks Markets Itself as Nighttime Destination with "Starbucks Evenings"

"We designed the systems with the goal of eliminating complexity as central to everything we’re thinking about."
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Technomic on Restaurant Rankings

                                                Technomic Article is HERE
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Oak Brook Continues to Damage the McDonald's Brand with Their Twitter Account

If any one McDonald's Operator had embarrassed the brand this many times they would have been defranchised.

Charles Ramsey And McDonald’s Corp: Heroic Twitter Opportunity, Exploitation Of Cleveland Kidnapping Victims?:
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Requiem for the Angus Third-Pounder - WSJ

The Angus burgers “may still play a future role on our menu,” 
Danya Proud said.

Really?

Requiem for the Angus Third-Pounder - Corporate Intelligence - WSJ
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McDonald's to Remove Angus Burgers from Menu | TIME.com

More importantly, as McDonald’s has felt compelled to refocus efforts on its Dollar Menu to boost flagging sales, it’s gotten more difficult to convince customers that a single Angus burger is worth $4 or $5.:

Unbalanced Barbells

Twenty years ago the McDonald's

corporate position on discounting,

couponing, two-fers, etc. was that

these activities devalued the food

and both customers and restaurant

Operators eventually become

addicted to discounts. These days

there can be no doubt that wisdom

of prior generations is true as proven

by:

* McDonald's refocus on the Dollar Menu 

* Wendy's refocus on their value menu.

* The demise of the McDonald's Angus line. This alone proves that QSR customers will not move to higher priced products when there is a loss-leader menu available.

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Wendy's To Adjust Marketing for Remainder of 2013

“We’re not stepping away from the high end; we have some outstanding products coming into the pipeline,” he said. “Our strategy has to put pressure against high-end items but also recognize that 20 percent of the overall business out there in quick service is the price-value shopper. Some of the growth we’ve seen through very strong sales of Flatbread Grilled Chicken have been offset by share losses on the price-value end of the business.”  Wendy's CEO

From Nation's Restaurant News
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New Normal For Fast Food: Price Cuts and Stagnant Sales

                       Wall Street Journal reports HERE

McDonald's April Sales Fall More Than Expected

McDonald's April sales fall more than expected - Yahoo! Finance:

USA better than expected
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Is Political Correctness Worth $1 Million?

McDonald’s Owner Spends $1m of His Own Money for Energy Efficiency
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When Should the Franchisor Be Allowed to Act in Bad Faith?

Updated Info on California Franchise Legislation
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Fired McDonald's Exec Alleges Company Condoned “Illegal Insurance Scheme” - Crain's Chicago Business

"A former McDonald's senior insurance director alleges that the company condoned an “illegal insurance scheme” regarding insurance policies for Happy Meal promotions. In an age-discrimination lawsuit filed May 1, James Kasprzyk charges that a company affiliated with McDonald's makes Happy Meal toys and another McDonald's-affiliated company insures them. That company, McDonald's"

Crain's Article is HERE

Copy of the Lawsuit is HERE
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State of Maine Jumps on the Franchise Bandwagon

Maine Introduces Groundbreaking Franchise Bill:
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The Inside Scoop on Sport Clips from Franchisee

This is also a disturbing trend in the thinking of too many McDonald's folks,

 “It takes a while to break even and it takes multiple stores to get to an income to make it worthwhile.”

The Inside Scoop on Sport Clips from Franchisee Alex Howson | FRANCHISE CHATTER:
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NPD: Diners Are Loyal to Quality, Not Deals

                42% Ignore Promos

McDonald’s Ranks as Most-Visited U.S. Business - NRN

McDonald’s ranks as most-visited U.S. business | Nation's Restaurant News:
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