McDonald’s sales surge with help from BTS

BTS proved dynamite for McDonald’s. The fast-food operator said Wednesday its quarterly revenue rose 57% and profit more than quadrupled after getting a lift from sales of a celebrity meal inspired by the Korean boy band.

McDonald’s launched BTS’ meal that includes chicken McNuggets and fries in nearly 50 countries. The chain also got a lift from its new crispy chicken sandwiches it launched in February.

Same-store sales for the world’s largest burger chain jumped over 40%. It exceeded pre-heath crisis levels for the second straight quarter.

McDonald’s sales and profit topped estimates despite facing staffing shortages. The company said finding enough workers for its restaurants was still – in its words – “challenging.” Larger order sizes and price hikes helped offset higher costs for labor and ingredients.

McDonald’s raised its guidance for fiscal 2021, citing the quicker-than-expected economic recovery.

Despite the strong results, shares fell in early trading Wednesday as the company faces uncertainty amid the health crisis, especially as the Delta variant spreads.