McDonald’s plans major expansion

THE world’s largest fast-food chain McDonald’s expects to add 450 new restaurants this year, chief financial officer Matthew Paull said yesterday.

The company also plans to add 100 Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants, and will open about 850 McDonald’s restaurants, closing 400.

McDonald’s posted fourth-quarter net income of $125.7 million after new menu offerings such as white-meat Chicken McNuggets spurred the biggest sales gain in more than eight years.