McDonald's names new US head after sales miss

• McDonald's appointed Skye Anderson as the new president of its U.S. business, replacing Joe Erlinger.
• The leadership change follows a second-quarter U.S. sales miss, with comparable sales growing only 0.8%.
• CEO Chris Kempczinski attributed the miss to execution issues, including challenges with the under-$3 value menu and an overwhelming promotional calendar.
• Anderson, a 26-year company veteran, is tasked with implementing McDonald's new turnaround strategy for the U.S. market.

McDonald's has replaced the head of its U.S. business, Joe Erlinger, with company veteran Skye Anderson, following a second-quarter sales miss that fell short of Wall Street expectations. U.S. comparable sales grew just 0.8% in the period.

CEO Chris Kempczinski attributed the disappointing performance to execution lapses, including challenges with the rollout of a new under-$3 value menu and an overly crowded promotional calendar that overwhelmed restaurant crews. Kempczinski noted that the company's decision to reduce digital discounts while introducing the value menu was a misstep.

Anderson, who has been with McDonald's for 26 years and most recently served as U.S. chief operating officer, is expected to drive the company's new turnaround strategy, dubbed 'McDonald's > NEXT.' Erlinger, who has led the U.S. division since 2019, will stay on as an advisor until early 2027.