Lauren Schultz, chief executive of McDonald’s UK and Ireland, says the brand’s focus is on strengthening value and affordability and investing in its restaurant estate. Her comments followed a 1.5% rise in McDonald’s global like-for-like sales in the third quarter, slower than the 3.6% a year earlier, with the UK also growing.
McDonald’s reported its third-quarter results on 4 November 2026, covering the quarter to 30 September. Global comparable sales rose 1.5%, against 3.6% in the third quarter of 2025, according to the company’s results release. Propel, which carried Schultz’s comments on 5 November, said the UK also saw growth. The release itself does not name the UK or give a UK figure.
Where the global slowdown came from
US comparable sales fell 0.2%, after growth of 2.4% a year earlier. International Operated Markets rose 1.4%, against 4.3% in 2025, with most markets positive and Germany and Australia leading, partly offset by France. International Developmental Licensed Markets grew 4.2%, against 4.7%. McDonald’s has not named the UK in the release and no UK-only like-for-like figure has been published, so the segment figures should not be read as the UK’s own.
The UK trading record so far
McDonald’s UK reported like-for-like sales up 8.5% for the fourth quarter of 2025 and opened 43 new restaurants that year, according to Restaurant Online. In the first quarter of 2026, UK sales rose 7.8%, and Schultz said the UK was “materially outperforming” its plan, as The Grocer reported. She credited Meal Deal Plus, which she said outperformed last year’s £5 Meal Deal, and McDonald’s said International Operated Markets rose 3.9% that quarter, led by the UK, Germany and Australia. The Grocer also reported global comparable sales up 3.8% for that quarter.
What the 2024 accounts show
The latest filed accounts, for 2024, showed turnover of £1.821 billion, down from £1.835 billion, and operating profit of £76 million, up from £11 million, with directly employed staff down to 24,375 from 26,384, according to Restaurant Online. Mark Kiernan, a UK director, described a highly competitive environment, while the directors said they were confident about developing the business further.
What the UK chief executive said
Speaking after the global results, Schultz named two priorities: value and affordability for customers, and investment in the restaurants themselves. The free part of the Propel story gives no amount for that investment, no restaurant count and no split between company-owned and franchised sites. For wider sector trading, see hospitality like-for-like sales in September.
What has not been published
No UK like-for-like figure, no investment amount and no UK site count appears in the release or in the free part of the Propel story. The full Propel article sits behind its subscription.
The franchise model behind the figures
McDonald’s says about 95% of its restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners. It has more than 45,000 restaurants in over 100 countries, though the release does not say how many are in the UK, and franchised revenues rose 3% in the quarter to $4,487 million, from $4,363 million. In the UK, franchisees include Kylu Group, which runs 15 London restaurants.
