McDonald's is rethinking its strategy after losing 500 million U.S. orders over the past five years. The fast-food chain had aimed to widen its customer base by chasing after health-conscious consumers who rarely eat there. But a customer survey conducted last year revealed it was losing customers to other fast-food chains, not to fast-casual restaurants serving healthier food. That's why it has decided to embrace its fast-food identity and focus on its core products. Critics have longed urged McDonald's to focus on its core customers, but McDonald's had added more salads, snack wraps, and oatmeal to its menu in hopes of drawing health-minded customers. Recently, the chain pulled many of those slow-selling products. Interestingly, Burger King similarly attempted to appeal to a broader, more health-conscious customer base in recent years, but it didn't work for them either. McDonald's will now focus on improving the quality of its food to keep existing ...

Many people fail to understand that, as Confucius once stated, "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." Okay, maybe life isn't as simple as Confucius makes it out to be. Regardless, his sage advice still holds to a certain extent in our consumer-driven, bigger-is-better, dog-eat-dog world. As I've stressed in prior posts, some people are just too hung up on material stuff. They're profligate spenders of the worst kind, running up their credit cards until they begin receiving calls from credit collectors. These individuals really have no idea how much pleasure they can derive from simpler pursuits like taking a jaunt around the park, swimming at the beach, or simply hanging out with their closest comrades. Society wants us to believe that in order to earn people's respect -- not to mention your own -- you must have an expensive car, large house, and all the other bells and whistles that constitute the so-called American Dream....

Can you guess where people buy most of their junk food? Chances are that fast-food restaurants like McDonald's and Burger King come to mind. A new study described in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition , however, reveals that U.S. adults buy the bulk of their empty-calorie foods and sugar-sweetened beverages at grocery stores and supermarkets. The new findings challenge the "food desert" hypothesis, which states that a lack of access to supermarkets and grocery stores in some underserved communities worsens the obesity crisis by restricting people's access to healthy foods. In other words, contrary to popular belief, access to healthy foods in a supermarket does not hinder Americans' consumption of empty calories. The study looked at data from 4,204 adults who reported their daily food intake in two nonconsecutive 24-hour periods in 2011 and 2012. The analysis determined that nearly half (46.3 percent) of U.S. adults consume sugar-sweetened b...

Although everyone knows Starbucks for its delicious coffee and expresso drinks, it's the company's charitable efforts that are getting more attention of late. Starbucks announced that it aims to contribute 100% of unsold food in the U.S. to Feeding America, a hunger relief organization. The idea didn't come from the top brass at the company, but from batistas behind the counter who felt the leftover food should go to the hungry. Companies like Cheesecake Factory, KFC, Taco Bell, and Chipotle already donate surplus food. Still, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 30% to 40% of America's food supply is wasted. Starbucks plans to have distributed 5 million meals -- including everything from paninis to salads -- by year's end. I applaud CEO Howard Schultz for this initiative and sincerely hope that many other restaurants including McDonald's and Burger King will soon follow suit. Poverty is a serious problem in America and around the world....

A few months ago, I posted about McDonald's slumping sales and how it was losing major ground to competitors like Chipotle. But thanks to a host of changes made by CEO Steve Easterbrook, who took the reins of the fast food giant in March, the tables are turning. Among the decisions that have most contributed to the turnaround: This month, McDonald's launched all-day breakfast, a welcome change for consumers who have clamored for the opportunity to scarf down Egg McMuffins, sausage, and pancakes no matter the time of day In an effort to improve food quality, McDonald's has pledged to cut back on chicken raised on antibiotics and promised cage-free birds within 10 years Not only are sales on an upswing, but McDonald's shares have jumped 11 percent this year. Recently, the company's stock hit its first record high in two-and-a-half years. Meanwhile, Chipotle reported its worst sales figure in over 2 years. McDonald's still has its work cut out for it, ...

Who would have ever thought that McDonald's -- known throughout the world for its Happy Meals, iconic gold arches, and, of course, Ronald McDonald -- would be foundering in 2015? The fast-food giant's profit and sales have fallen off a cliff over the past year or so, prompting executives to make drastic changes in the way McDonald's does business. It's pretty easy to pin down why McDonald's finds itself in dire straits. For one, millennials are flocking to more healthful alternatives like Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chick-fil-A, and Five Guys. In light of the well-publicized obesity epidemic, concerned parents now frown upon McDonald's kid-targeted advertising. Even the company's drive-through service, which was humming along just a few years ago, is slower than ever. In an effort to break out of this sales slump, McDonald's is working on upgrading its menu and stores, improving service, and implementing modernized payment systems. They're even tes...