The Americas
McDonald’s spends $100m on E coli recovery efforts in US
Fast-food giant McDonald’s has committed to investing more than $100m to speed up recovery and revitalize sales in the US following a recent E coli outbreak associated with its slivered onions, Bloomberg has reported. The company has allocated $65 million for franchisees who have experienced a downturn in business, with the remaining $35 million set to be channeled into initiatives to drive customer traffic, including marketing campaigns. This week also marked the full return of the Quarter Pounder, complete with slivered onions, to the menu, which had been temporarily removed following the outbreak.
Chipotle shareholders sue over portion-size controversy
Chipotle Mexican Grill was sued last week by shareholders for concealing how many of its restaurants were skimping on portions, forcing the chain to spend more on ingredients and hurting its stock price, Reuters has reported. In a proposed class action filed in California, shareholders said Chipotle failed to disclose growing dissatisfaction among customers with inconsistent portion sizes for its burritos and rice bowls. After customers voiced their concerns on social media, costs to repair the damage hurt margins, according to the complaint, causing the company’s stock price to fall and wiping out about $6.5 billion of market value.
Asia Pacific
Sake making tipped for UNESCO heritage honor
UNESCO is due to consider honoring the Japanese sake-making tradition with Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity status when an intergovernmental committee meets in the first week of December in Paraguay. Japan submitted a proposal to add sake-making to the Intangible Cultural Heritage list, and a preliminary review earned a recommendation from the evaluation body. Japan is optimistic, with the Agency for Cultural Affairs saying in an announcement earlier this month that there has never been a case where a recommended registration of a Japanese proposal has been overturned.
Hong Kong fast food profits slump as competition intensifies
The largest Chinese fast food chain in Hong Kong, Café de Coral, has warned of a 30% year-on-year profit decline for the six months to September, citing a sluggish economy and increased competition. Rival Fairwood also reported a significant profit drop, reflecting a broader industry downturn. Hong Kong’s restaurant receipts fell for two consecutive quarters, according to the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, highlighting reduced consumer spending. Cross-border dining in Shenzhen and more aggressive mainland competitors have intensified market pressures. In response, Café de Coral is focusing on promotions and value offers to retain customers, but says it remains confident in its competitiveness.
Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA):
London Russian TV chef found dead in Belgrade hotel
A Russian TV chef who ran a restaurant in central London has been found dead in a hotel room in Belgrade, Serbia. Alexei Zimin, who was an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, had spent his final years exiled in the UK. The 52-year-old ran a cookery show on the Russian NTV channel, which was axed after he posted anti-war messages on social media following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He had traveled to the Serbian capital to promote his new book about Britain, Anglomania. Authorities in Serbia said there were “no suspicious circumstances” related to his death and that a postmortem and toxicology report were ongoing, the BBC reported.
UK government to cut business rates for hospitality from 2026
Draft legislation has been published to permanently cut business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties from 2026. The tax cut, which aims to “level the playing field” between high street businesses and those that operate online and out-of-town, will be funded by “a tax rise for the very largest business properties, such as online sales warehouses,” according to the government. Until the policy kicks in, 250,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties will receive 40% relief off their business rates bills up to £110,000 per business.
Elly Earls
