their prices are way up, several offerings are doing poorly, new thinking is needed , new ideas, new drinks people can afford.....

The anguish in the press about McD's February sales, when large parts of large population areas of the country spent a lot of time buried in deep snow, reminds me of when Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores had 30% of its restaurants in Florida in (1998? -or thereabouts) and forest fires in Florida closed many of them for weeks.  CBRL's sales and earnings fell and the stock fell from $20+ to $9 and analysts were singing Requiems over it.  I held on to my stock and, soon it was over $40 and over $78 now.  Until one of the competitors comes up with a model that breaks the mold McDonalds set and proves better, I don't see problems for McD's.  Some fast food outfit should add a sub bar with Italian Cheese Steaks, Gyros, Footlongs, etc. because my family -and obviously others from the lines- now often orders something like that from a sit-in or carryout restaurant instead of spending about the same amount for oversized fast food "meal deals."  A Chinese Restaurant a mile from me has $7.95 ($4.95 from 11-3 pm) huge 44 oz. combos of pork fried rice plus a huge portion of General Tso's Chicken (about 20 pieces!), or Lo Mein, or Shrimp in Garlic Sauce that is enough for two to pig out on.  They're also now a reasonable alternative to McD's, Wendy's, etc.