McDonald’s Irish profits up 70%

PRE-TAX profits at McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland jumped by 70% last year to €9.2 million, accounts filed with the Companies Registration Office reveal.

This is in sharp contrast to McDonald’s UK where pre-tax profits from its 770 company-owned outlets fell by 71% to €23.6m in 2003.

McDonald’s in Ireland appears to be bucking the international trend which has forced McDonald’s worldwide to revitalise its menus with healthy eating options and its latest ‘change’ marketing campaign. The poor performance in Britain was the worst in the British arm’s 30-year history but does not include the 470 franchise operations in Britain.