In this article, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Tuesday that the E. coli outbreak associated with slivered onions served at McDonald’s has ended, more than a month after the investigation began. The CDC reported that 104 people across 14 states were affected by the outbreak, resulting in 27 hospitalizations and one death of an older adult in Colorado.
The outbreak was first disclosed by the CDC on October 22, with fresh slivered onions served on Quarter Pounders and other menu items identified as the probable source. Quarter Pounder hamburgers are a significant menu item for McDonald’s, generating billions of dollars annually. Although the company temporarily removed these burgers from some locations during the outbreak, they have since reintroduced the menu item. The last reported illness onset was on October 21, a day before McDonald’s took action and the CDC initiated its investigation.
Despite the official conclusion of the outbreak, McDonald’s is still grappling with the impact on sales. Foot traffic to its U.S. restaurants decreased by 6.6% on November 18 compared to the previous year, showing improvement from a low point of a 7-day rolling average of 11% traffic decline on October 29. The 10 states initially linked to the outbreak experienced more significant traffic declines, with a combined drop of 9.5% on November 18.
To address the aftermath of the outbreak, McDonald’s plans to invest over $100 million in marketing and provide targeted financial support to affected franchisees. The company has reintroduced its popular McRib starting Tuesday, following a “farewell tour” last year. Additionally, a new McValue menu is set to launch in January to attract consumers seeking affordable options.
In an internal memo on Tuesday, Michael Gonda, McDonald’s North American chief impact officer, and Cesar Pina, the company’s North American chief supply chain officer, emphasized the importance of rebuilding customer trust and brand loyalty. Since the CDC linked Quarter Pounders to the outbreak, McDonald’s shares have declined by 7%, with the company holding a market cap of $209.6 billion.
