Core Viewpoint - McDonald's third-quarter same-store sales growth of 3.6% exceeded expectations, driven by promotional activities and price reductions in the U.S. market [1][3][4] Financial Performance - Third-quarter revenue was $7.08 billion, a 3% year-over-year increase, but slightly below the market expectation of $7.1 billion [4] - Adjusted net profit for the third quarter was $2.31 billion, a slight decrease from $2.32 billion in the same period last year [4] - Adjusted earnings per share were $3.22, missing analyst expectations of $3.32, compared to $3.23 in the previous year [4] U.S. Market Performance - Same-store sales in the U.S. grew by 2.4%, significantly higher than the 0.3% growth in the same quarter last year, primarily due to increased customer spending per visit [5][6] - The introduction of value meals and promotional activities, such as the "buy one get one free" offer, contributed to the recovery in the U.S. market [6][7] International Market Performance - International same-store sales increased by 4.3%, with Germany and Australia being key growth drivers [7] - Sales from restaurants operated by local partners rose by 4.7%, largely driven by the Japanese market [7] Customer Traffic and Challenges - Despite the positive sales growth, overall customer traffic for McDonald's declined by 3.5% from July to September, while the fast-food sector overall saw a 2.3% decline [7] - Analysts express concerns about the long-term sustainability of the value meal strategy, particularly if financial support for maintaining significant discounts diminishes [7]