McDonald’s Scrooge-y Push to Keep Stores Open on Xmas

by Nate Wooley | December 18, 2012 8:44 am

[1]McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD[2]) is encouraging its franchisees to remain open on Christmas Day.

In the face of tougher competition, the firm wants its restaurants to bring in the extra sales that come from being open for the holiday, the Chicago Tribune reports[3].

“Our largest holiday opportunity as a system is Christmas Day. Last year, (company-operated) restaurants that opened on Christmas averaged $5,500 in sales,” COO Jim Johannesen wrote in a memo.

The chain has a history of closing on major holidays. The practice was established by founder Ray Kroc, who, in the first operations manual for the restaurants, determined that the company would close for Thanksgiving and Christmas to provide family time for its employees.

McDonald’s is facing a more competitive market nowadays. Having seen its first monthly[4] sales decline in nine years in October, the firm came back strong in November. That growth is partially attributed to stores remaining open for Thanksgiving Day.

A spokeswoman for McDonald’s said that the final decision on opening for Christmas Day remains that of the store owners.

More stories about restaurants:

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: http://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/04_05_11-McDonalds_web.jpg
  2. MCD: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=MCD
  3. the Chicago Tribune reports: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-mcdonalds-reportedly-urging-franchisees-to-open-on-christmas-20121217,0,2479715.story
  4. first monthly: http://investorplace.com/2012/11/a-surprising-fall-for-mcdonalds-global-sales/
  5. 167 People Sickened After Dining at Golden Corral: http://investorplace.com/2012/12/167-people-sickened-after-dining-at-golden-corral/
  6. NYC Fast Food Workers Picket for More Pay: http://investorplace.com/2012/11/nyc-fast-food-workers-picket-for-more-pay/
  7. Guy Fieri’s New NYC Restaurant Gets Skewered: http://investorplace.com/2012/11/guy-fieris-new-nyc-restaurant-gets-skewered/

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