McDonald's Sales Soar on Strong US Demand

NEW YORK (AP) -- As America emerges from the pandemic, it's heading to McDonald's.

The burger giant said Thursday its first-quarter sales surpassed even those in 2019, led by a big jump in U.S. demand. McDonald's revenue rose 9% to $5.1 billion for the January-March period. That was well ahead of Wall Street's expectations, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

U.S. same-store sales rose 14%.

McDonald's said new products, including a crispy chicken sandwich and spicy nuggets, helped draw customers.

McDonald's said its net income rose 39% to $1.5 billion. Adjusted for one-time items, the company earned $1.92 per share, also beating Wall Street's forecast.