McDonald’s CEO outlines changes as sales slide

McDonald’s Corp. Chief Executive Don Thompson said Tuesday that the company hasn’t been keeping up with the times and that changes are in store for its U.S. restaurants.

Starting in January, Thompson said McDonald’s will simplify its menu to make room for restaurants to offer options that are best-suited for their regions. To offer greater customization, he also said the company planned to expand its Create Your Taste offering that lets people pick the buns and toppings they want on burgers by tapping a touch screen. The program is currently being offered in Southern California.

“We haven’t been changing at the same rate as our customers’ eating-out expectations,” Thompson conceded during a conference call outlining the changes.

The remarks came after McDonald’s said its profit sank 30% in the third quarter, with sales at established locations down 3.3% globally and in its flagship U.S. market. In the division encompassing Asia, where a major McDonald’s supplier was shown on TV repackaging expired beef, the figure sank 9.9%.

Some analysts questioned whether the moves McDonald’s has in store will be enough to fix its problems. Sara Senatore, a Bernstein restaurant analyst, noted that the Oak Brook, Ill., company’s efforts seem focused on marketing around its food, rather than changing recipes.

In the U.S., perceptions around the freshness and quality of its ingredients have been a problem for McDonald’s. The chain has been fighting to boost sales as people gravitate toward foods they believe are more wholesome. A day earlier, for instance, Chipotle said its third-quarter sales at established locations surged 19.8%. Steve Ells, Chipotle’s co-CEO, said the results show people are realizing “there are better alternatives to traditional fast food” and that he expects the trend to continue.

McDonald’s, meanwhile, launched a social media campaign last week inviting customers to ask questions about its food. It began with frank questions like, “Why doesn’t your food rot?” and “Is the McRib made from real pork?”, showing just how bad some of the perceptions about McDonald’s food can be.

For the quarter, McDonald’s revenue fell to $6.99 billion from $7.32 billion a year earlier, short of the $7.23 billion that Wall Street expected. Net income declined to $1.07 billion, or $1.09 a share, from $1.52 billion, or $1.52, a year earlier. Adjusted for one-time costs, earnings were $1.52 a share. Analysts expected $1.37 a share.

McDonald’s shares fell 58 cents, or 0.6%, to $91.01.