ABC’s Newest Economic Indicator: The Big Mac

Photo of Jeff Poor.
By Jeff Poor (Bio | Archive)
January 29, 2008 - 18:04 ET

It isn't home foreclosures, high gas prices or even the stock market being used to show the economy is heading for hell in a hand basket.

No, this time the culprit is "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun," otherwise known as the Big Mac. And ABC's Bianna Golodryga asks, "If Americans are saying goodbye to fast food, could we be saying hello to a recession?"

"According to the latest figures, America may no longer be the ‘fast food nation' that it once was," Golodryga said on the January 29 "Good Morning America." "And, it has nothing to do with going on a health diet, but everything to do with going on a spending diet."

McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD) announced lower sales for December in U.S. stores on January 28, although the company reported a $1.27-billion profit for the fourth quarter of 2007. And though McDonald's didn't blame the lower sales completely on the economy, adding the weather and energy costs were also contributing factors, Golodryga managed to show "shock" that something like fast food could show a decline.

"While the jingle may say so, Americans don't seem to be ‘lovin'' McDonald's these days," Golodryga said. "The world's largest restaurant chain reported its worst monthly result in almost five years - saying December sales were flat. Pretty shocking considering the fact that every day one-quarter of the U.S. population eats fast food, gobbling up $120 billion of the stuff each year. That's 35 million pounds of fat from Big Macs alone."


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What a bunch of chicken littles.

January 29, 2008 - 18:21 ET by c5then

Maybe Americans are actually starting to take all the nagging and cutting down of fast food? Maybe McDonalds is losing business to Burger King or Wendy's? Maybe higher fuel costs simply lowered the amount of people driving around and thus the spur of the moment sales?

It's just a stupid premis at all.

The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.

Consider the product...

January 29, 2008 - 20:23 ET by heldmyw

Despite the photos, the Big Mac is a tiny thing, dried-up and very sad. A mere shadow of it's earlier massive meaty glory, it's come to the end of the road.

Constant reductions, cutbacks and downsizing have rendered it an oversauced gobbet of gristly, grey meat with far too much doughy, fluffy pap masquerading as bread. Even the poor cheese seems to be an extruded sheet of artificially flavored plastic.

And it's overpriced.

At first glance, one might

January 29, 2008 - 18:22 ET by Schnikeys

At first glance, one might think that Captain McCaingeroo was involved in this story. But nope, not this time.

Oh for heavens sake... 

January 29, 2008 - 18:46 ET by rimsky

Oh for heavens sake...  grasp at straws why don't they.  So, maybe a bunch of folks decided not to do the fast food thing lately..  so what?  It could be all kinds of factors 'on the menu' contributing to this 'flattening' of sales for Mickey-D's and other FF joints.  So what?  So what?  

I think Ms. Bianna's schtick is more a matter of wanting to ban fat then anything having to do with the economy.  She took great pains to talk about '35 million pounds of fat from Big Macs alone'. Why mention that if you're so darned concerned with a pending recession? 

This little ditty is no-news BS! 

Dumb double posts. Dumb

January 29, 2008 - 20:25 ET by Chris Norman

Dumb double posts. Dumb double posts.

Just think how they'll

January 29, 2008 - 18:52 ET by Chris Norman

Just think how they'll interpret the news, if dog food sales happen to go up...

I'll probably be

January 29, 2008 - 19:02 ET by Schnikeys

I'll probably be interpreting it as a sign that Hillary's newly-induced depression has caused her to go on eating binges.

Reporter Schmuckie

January 29, 2008 - 18:55 ET by the struggler

Reporter Schmuckie Hysteria:"Crackheads say the price of crack is soaring out of control.This is definitely a bad sign for the economy."

What about Slim Jims? I hear

January 29, 2008 - 19:03 ET by the struggler

What about Slim Jims? I hear their an excellent economic indicator.

No, don't tell me Slim Jims

January 29, 2008 - 21:41 ET by HypocriteHater

No, don't tell me Slim Jims are being affected by this rotten economy! My God, what has this country come to?

We can only hope that someone in congress will request a Slim Jim bailout.

If the story was about

January 29, 2008 - 20:27 ET by Chris Norman

If the story was about business falling off at nicer restaurants, it would make somewhat more sense - agenda driven - but still somewhat more sense - but McDonalds????!!!!!

Maybe just maybe people are

January 30, 2008 - 11:39 ET by ForeverOnTheRight

Maybe just maybe people are getting the message about loosing weight cuting out the fast food that packs on the pounds. The MSM point out how obese Americans have been getting. Oh, and I understand that people are bying more organic food these days. Humm, I just don't think that less sales of Big Macs are a economic sign, but a change in the diet of Americans, finally.