Newsweek: McDonald's Blames 'Uncertainty' of Trump's Economy For Sales Decline

[Dennis Donovan]

Newsweek - McDonald's Blames 'Uncertainty' of Trump's Economy For Sales Decline

By Hugh Cameron
Published May 01, 2025 at 8:24 AM EDT

McDonald's store traffic fell unexpectedly in the first quarter of this year, with the company blaming "uncertainty."

Same-store sales in the U.S. slumped 3.6%—the biggest U.S. decline McDonald's has seen since 2020

"Consumers today are grappling with uncertainty," the McDonald's report stated.

This is a breaking news story—more to follow.

[tanyev]

1. Demand that he return his French Fries Certification Pin!!

[Eugene]

2. This "uncertainty" comes on top of all those other things stressing out McDonald's customers.

McD's situation hasn't been all that healthy to begin with.

[SocialDemocrat61]

3. The unhealthy, mediocre food has nothing to do with it?

[ratchiweenie]

11. The unhealthy, mediocre, ridiculously expensive food. We have local burger joints with good food that don't cost much

more than the crap they are serving at McDonalds. Don't know why anyone goes there any more.

[yardwork]

4. Trump's brand is souring.

McDonald's let themselves get co-branded with Trump. And his brand is in free fall.

Usually, corporate lawyers are smarter about that kind of thing.

[Conjuay]

5. I dunno...

I recall going to Mickey D's with a five dollar bill and leaving full. Now it takes closer to a twenty dollar bill and frankly, you can get a better meal practically anywhere for less than that.

[Marthe48]

6. I'm not paying 5+ for a burger

If I'm in a sitdown restaurant with tableware and a wait person, I might.

I remember getting 5 White Castle burgers for $1. Remember getting a Big Mac for .79 cents. Remember feeding 4 people fast food for under $8.
When the operational costs of food prep are fairly shared by the ceos, instead of rising prices getting dumped on the consumer, I might change my mind.
The DJ on True Oldies Channel mentioned yesterday that average salary of ceos is over $16 million a year.

[hlthe2b]

7. Certainly not the only reason, but a big reason--especially for families. Geebus. I so rarely have eaten ANY

fast food--dating before COVID, but increasingly since. But the charges-- just for a burger or a chicken sandwich. I can't imagine buying full meals for the kids and a DOUBLE QUARTER POUNDER-gobbling teen or for another voracious eater. Geebus.

I have twice stopped at a KFC or a McDonalds on the way home after a very long extended shift and all I wanted was a sandwich. Only my sheer exhaustion and overwhelming hunger made me pay those prices (and admittedly, at least just for the sandwich, KFC was comparatively not that bad).

[BoRaGard]

8. Why do republicons hate McDonalds ?

[hatrack]

9. I wonder if $16 for a Big Mac, fries and a drink might have something to do with it . . .

[obamanut2012]

10. Right?!

I can get a good local meal for that here, and I'm in a HCOL area. Even less, depending on what and where. Hell, I can run into Safeway and get a fresh cut sandwich, chips, and drink for that, or bao, fried chicken, loaded baked potato whatever for that or less in Safeway.

[W_HAMILTON]

16. Not sure why so many here are so quick to deflect criticism from Trump...

...but those high prices have been high for quite some time now. And yet McDonald's numbers hadn't been this bad since -- well, since the last time Trump was in office.

It's not exactly a surprise that the same sort of idiotic moves that led to a sudden shrink in our GDP in just two months' time, costs tens of thousands of federal workers/contractors their jobs, etc. have a ripple effect throughout the economy.

[JCMach1]

12. They shrinkflated their already bad food

[Johnny2X2X]

13. McDonald's sells poison.

People are starting to figure that out and people aren't going to eat poison that's also expensive.

[Meowmee]

15. lol, cheap poison is ok 😁

[Quiet Em]

14. Their product is way overpriced.

McDonald's used to be a cheap convenience. It's not anymore. When you can get much better food for the same price or just a little bit more why would you go?

[republianmushroom]

17. These dudes need to look at the prices of their goods.

[MagickMuffin]

18. Well McDonalds apparently favor republicans

They allow republicans to serve their “food” without the health standards that most people have to have paperwork to keep their jobs.