McDonald's is promising its 'Best Burger.' Now the chain will see if diners buy more of them
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A man drinks a coke and eats a Big Mac at a McDonald's in Cologne, Germany, on May 25, 2015. Oliver Berg | picture alliance | Getty Images McDonald's has upgraded its burgers — but it's unclear if its sales will get the same boost. The fast-food giant has outperformed its rivals in recent quarters, helped by price hikes across its menu and higher-income customers trading down to its McNuggets and Big Macs. Still, McDonald's U.S. traffic dipped in the third quarter as low-income diners cut back their visits. When the company announces its fourth-quarter results Monday morning, analysts are expecting U.S. same-store sales growth of just 4.4%, according to StreetAccount estimates. That's an obvious lag compared with the third quarter's 8.1% U.S. same-store sales growth. McDonald's and rival fast-food chains will face pressure to grow traffic this year. Diners won't stomach the double-digit price hikes that fueled last year's sales. Instead