Weekly Global News Wrap: McDonald's to invest $200m on marketing; Starbucks asks for year-long rent break; Shake Shack's social media series launched

Here is a summary of the most interesting QSR news stories of the week from around the world.

McDonald’s is investing about $200 million to bolster its marketing in and outside of the US. As Restaurant Business reports, the fast food giant will also provide targeted financial support to the hardest hit organizations within their system. Read more here.

Starbucks sent a letter to landlords asking for rent concessions for the next 12 months. As CNBC reports, the company estimated it lost $915 million in sales during its fiscal second quarter due to store closures, reduced operating hours and lower customer traffic resulting from the pandemic. Read more here.

Chick-fil-A was the third-largest restaurant chain in the US by sales in 2019, bringing in $11.3 billion - only behind McDonald’s and Starbucks. As reported by Business Insider, the chain grew sales by nearly $1 billion over the last year, up from the $10.4 billion it made in US sales in 2018. Read more here.

Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, declared a dividend of $0.47 per share of common stock. The quarterly dividend is expected to be distributed by 12 June to shareholders of record at the close of business on 29 May. Read more here.

Shake Shack launched a social media series featuring weekly cook-along videos. As Fast Casual reported, the “Shake Shack at Your Shack” videos feature Shake Shack Culinary Director Mark Rosati and Executive Chef John Karangis incorporating the chain’s core ingredients. Read more here.