"mcdonalds" news and stories

Despite its coffee-centric menu, Starbucks is now the third largest restaurant chain in terms of domestic sales, according to Technomic's listing of America's top 500 restaurant chains in total 2010 U.S. sales. Completing the trifecta is McDonald's in the number one spot, followed by Subway at number two. USA Today explains that Starbucks' rise to the top signifies a shift in the American palate. For decades, McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's dominated the top three, and all served a similar hamburger-focused menu. Now, within the new top three, only McDonald's serves burgers. Overall, the top 500 chains reported a 1.8% sales growth in 2010, with total estimated sales of $234 billion.

Here's the Top 5 list:
1. McDonald's
2. Subway
3. Starbucks
4. Burger King
5. Wendy's

TV commercials are so last century -- burger chains are now heading online in an effort to get kids (and their parents) more engaged with their brands. Burger King is the latest to join the trend with its upcoming "Thor" marketing push, reports Nation's Restaurant News.

With the purchase of a Kids' Meal at the restaurant, kids get small toys related to the Marvel comic in addition to codes that entitle them to exclusive digital-comics chapters at its kids' website, www.ClubBK.com. The four comic strips are a prequel to the movie, which opens May 6.

And the chain isn't alone in its digital push. As we reported earlier, McDonald's is getting in the web game with its McWorld.com site ("Ronaldgrams," anyone?), and later in May, Wendy's plans to host "Wendy's Family Week" on "Wheel of Fortune" to encourage customers to enter an online sweepstakes.

As food costs are expected to rise about four percent in the United States and Europe from last year, McDonald's plans to raise its prices slightly and gradually. In March, the company raised all menu items by one percent, reports Nation's Restaurant News, and plans to "keep taking small, additional menu price increases."

McDonald's emphasized that it would not raise prices beyond the food-away-from-home inflation rate because, explains Pete Bensen, McDonald's Corp. chief financial officer, it is bad for traffic.

In a somewhat ironic move given the price increases, McDonald's has recently launched an ad campaign in Nordic countries that recalls the McDonald's of yore. The ads advertise a 1955 original version of the famous burger that used to sell for 15 cents.

Watch the new ad after the jump.

It looks like America's favorite place for burgers may be on its way to becoming America's favorite place for cappuccinos.

Master strategists overseeing the nation's coffee wars will likely be pouring over the results of a recent independent study that finds those who get their (ever fancier) morning cup of joe from McDonald's are more loyal to the Golden Arches than coffee drinkers who visit rivals Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts.

As the Wall Street Journal reports, an independent market research firm surveyed 15,000 customers. Of those that frequent either Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts most often for their daily brew, 53 percent said that they also sneak off to other competing chains during the course of a month, while only 29 percent of respondents who identified McDonald's as their primary source of hot java said the same.

For millions who have ever faced unemployment, or even the prospect of losing their job, it's the thought that lingers as the last-resort fallback option in the back of your mind, inspiring as much dread as comfort: You could always work at McDonald's.

But before you send out your next batch of resumes, McDonald's wants you to know two things: One, working under the Golden Arches isn't all about flipping burgers. And two, the company is hiring--big time.

As Nation's Restaurant News reports, Mickey D's is looking to take its own big bite out of the nation's stubborn unemployment rate. The company has announced a one-day hiring bonanza: 50,000 new employees on April 19, or what it has declared "National Hiring Day."