Shop Talk

Check out those sales rising at fast-food giant McDonald’s.

The burger chain said its April sales at restaurants open at least 13 months rose 6.9 percent rise in April. In the U.S. alone, April same-store sales increased 6.1 percent, helped by new coffee drinks and chicken snack wraps.

Fast-food restaurants have generally held up better in the recession than higher-priced sit-down restaurants. 

But even fast-food sellers have not been immune to the impact of the downturn. The U.S. fast-food industry saw its first quarterly traffic decline since 2003 in the quarter ended in February, according to market research company NPD Group. 

The stronger dollar, which lessens the dollar-value of sales made overseas, led to an overall 1 percent decline at worldwide McDonald’s restaurants, the company said. Sales rose 8.9 percent in constant currencies. 

 Same-store sales rose 8.4 percent in Europe, helped by the shift of the Easter holiday to April from March, while same-store sales in the company’s Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa segment rose 6.5 percent.

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(Photo: Reuters)