Bolivia, Cuba may spice up McDonald’s slumping sales

McDonald’s launched a 24-hour global “day of joy” in 24 cities around the world on Tuesday in an attempt to revive slumping fast-food sales. In January, the company reported a 14% fall in annual profits, to $4.7 billion, and its worst sales in a decade – a cumulative 1% drop from its 34,000 restaurants in 114 countries. The company replaced its CEO in January, but the downward trend continues. On Monday, Bolivian press reported that McDonald’s will be returning to the country in April, 13 years after its globally-unprecedented departure in 2002 due to a lack of local interest. Meanwhile, in January, one of Fidel Castro’s sons, Alex Castro-Soto, said that “Coca-Cola and McDonald’s are welcome in Cuba,” as the country takes “a break from socialism.” Full report