McDonalds sells pizza chain

McDonalds is set to sell its 182 Donatos pizza outlets as part of plans to trim its non-core business.

The pizza outlets are to be sold back to their former owner, Jim Grote, who had sold his 40-year old restaurant chain to McDonalds in 1999.

McDonalds lost $66.8m (€54.1bn) on its three partner brand restaurant chains last year - Donatos, Mexican Chipotle and Boston Market.The three bring in only $1.1bn (€0.89bn) of the group's overall $41.5 bn(€33.6bn) sales.

The fast food giant said it plans to keep the other two eateries but will sell off their non-US outlets as it focuses on developing its successful burger business.