McDonald’s Names New US Leadership After Missing Q2 Sales Expectations

McDonald's has appointed Skye Anderson as President of McDonald's USA, replacing Joe Erlinger with immediate effect after the company reported second-quarter US same-store sales growth that fell short of market expectations. Anderson, a 26-year company veteran and most recently the US Chief Operating Officer, will oversee nearly 14,000 restaurants in the company's largest market while leading the rollout of its new turnaround strategy, "McDonald's > NEXT."

Joe Erlinger, who joined McDonald's in 2002 and has led the US business since 2019, will remain with the company as an advisor until early 2027 to support the leadership transition. Announcing the appointment, CEO Chris Kempczinski described Anderson as a "change agent" capable of helping the company improve its US business performance.

The leadership change comes after McDonald's reported 0.8 percent growth in US same-store sales during the quarter, below analysts' expectations. The increase was primarily driven by higher customer spending rather than an increase in customer traffic.

During the earnings call, Kempczinski said the company did not face a strategy issue but struggled with execution. "We don't have a strategy problem, we simply didn't execute at the level we needed to in the second quarter," Kempczinski said.

According to the company, a busy promotional calendar—including the "K-Pop Demon Hunters" collaboration, new value meal offers and FIFA-related campaigns—placed pressure on restaurant operations, resulting in longer customer wait times and reduced service efficiency.

Kempczinski also acknowledged that multiple marketing campaigns running simultaneously reduced their effectiveness. "It's tough to break through when you have that many messages out there," Kempczinski said, adding that the company is "taking a really hard look at the calendar through the balance of the year."

The CEO also admitted that reducing digital discounts while introducing a new under-$3 menu did not generate sufficient incremental sales. He said the decision accounted for nearly two-thirds of the company's sales shortfall and added that addressing this "bad trade" would be one of Anderson's priorities over the next two quarters.

McDonald's said Anderson's appointment follows a succession plan initiated earlier this year. She became Chief Operating Officer for the US business in April after holding several leadership positions across the company, including Chief Financial Officer of McDonald's Australia and head of the Global Business Services unit.

The leadership transition highlights the growing focus on operational execution as restaurant operators balance value promotions, digital engagement and customer experience. The company is expected to provide further details on its US growth plans and franchise strategy during its investor meeting in September.