McDonald's Encountered A Big Mac-Sized Drop In Customers During E. Coli Outbreak

In the aftermath of an E. coli outbreak linked to one death (so far) and a rising number of reported illnesses, McDonald's has seen significant patronage drops nationwide, but especially in Colorado — where the outbreak began. But McDonald's is optimistic it can lure customers back with current promotional deals and new menu items.

Declines in customer visits following the outbreak have been reported by Placer.ai, a website that tracks and provides foot traffic data and insights relative to United States retailers. According to the site (via CNN), patron visits plummeted 6.4% for McDonald's nationwide on October 23, 2024, the day following the first reports of the outbreak, and the drop was even higher in Colorado at 24%. These numbers fell further as the week progressed, reaching 10% across the country and 33% for Colorado Mickey D's locations by October 25.

In response to the E. coli outbreak, McD's temporarily removed the Quarter Pounder — the menu item E. coli was linked to — from its menu in certain locations. The chain has since announced it will put the Quarter Pounder back on the menu in all locations, after testing conducted by the Colorado Department of Agriculture confirmed no traces of E. coli were found in Quarter Pounder beef patties. The main suspect for this contamination is now the slivered onions sourced from a Colorado supplier, which McDonald's has since indefinitely cut ties with.

During the burger giant's quarterly earnings call on October 29, McDonald's executives stated that discounts like its current $5 Meal Deal promotion and new menu offerings like the Chicken Big Mac will be relied on to bring patrons back to the Golden Arches. The hype around the Big Mac's crispy counterpart has been building since it was first introduced in 1968. It has largely only been available outside of the U.S. since then, with a few American pop ups here and there, until now. It's no secret that chicken sandwiches are extremely popular in the U.S., and this towering sandwich is sure to please with its two chicken patties, Big Mac special sauce, and all the trimmings we know and love.

Rising McDonald's prices over a period of several years has been linked to deterred customers and impacted sales, though McDonald's maintains that public hype has grossly exaggerated its price increases. The bottom-line impact of the E. coli outbreak for the fast food giant remains to be seen. In addition to baiting customers with promotions and new food offerings, the company further stated on October 29 that it may adjust its advertising focus, if necessary, to reassure the public that it's safe to eat at McDonald's.