Visits to US McDonald's locations falls as customers struggle with the high cost of living

Traffic at U.S. McDonald's restaurants fell during the third quarter as customers struggled with higher gas prices and the uncomfortably high cost of living. U.S. same-store sales – or sales at locations open at least a year -- fell 0.2% in the July-September period, the Chicago burger giant said Wednesday. While that was not as bad as the 0.5% drop Wall Street had expected, it was the first retreat for McDonald's since early 2025. McDonald's restored in-app deals and its marketing was focused on value during the quarter, which helped push same-store sales into positive territory in September. But the shift in focus at McDonald's shows how challenging the economic environment has become for U.S. fast food companies. Third-quarter foot traffic fell 2.