McDonald’s first-quarter profit rises nearly 5%

McDonald’s, the world’s largest restaurant chain, reported a 4.8% gain in first- quarter profit as new menu items such as Chicken McBites attracted US consumers.

Net income advanced to $1.27bn (€968m), or $1.23 a share, from $1.21bn, or $1.15, a year earlier, the company said. Analysts projected $1.23, the average of 26 estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

More than 3,700 people work for McDonald’s in 77 restaurants in Ireland. McDonald’s exports €200m in Irish goods each year, with one in five of its burgers sold in Europe made from Irish beef.