McDonald’s plans more outlets in UAE

Dubai: American fast-food chain McDonald’s intends to beef up its operations in the UAE by adding more restaurants this year. McDonald’s Managing Director Rafic Fakih told Gulf News yesterday they are set to open 10 to 12 outlets in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Ras Al Khaimah. Some of the restaurants, which will boost the 44-strong chain in the UAE, are scheduled to commence operations in about two or three months. The famous American brand’s Middle East portfolio boasts of 220 outlets throughout the Gulf region. Revenues Fakih admitted that given the number of restaurants in the UAE, their segment is not considered the major driver in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa region, but revenue figures have always been promising. « Up to now, since the last three or four years, we’ve always posted double-digit growth, » he said. Based on the latest financial report released by McDonald’s Corporation, comparable sales in Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) rose from five per cent to 9.6 per cent in March, driven primarily by the strong performance in Japan and China. Overall, McDonald’s restaurants worldwide posted 8.2 per cent increase in comparable sales in March. The food chain’s operations in Europe reported the highest monthly comparable sales growth of 11.2 per cent, compared to 6.2 per cent in the U.S. and 9.6 per cent in APMEA. Source : El watan