McDonald's will be better than most things people eat, sometimes even better than what you eat at home, a senior executive at McDonald's India franchisee operator Westlife Foodworld said.
The remark came as the company defended fast food nutrition amid rising consumer focus on protein, sodium, processed foods and healthier eating habits.The comments were made after an analyst asked whether health-conscious consumers were moving away from western quick-service restaurant chains and whether McDonald's recent "Protein Slice" launch was part of a wider strategy to address those concerns.
Westlife Foodworld, which operates McDonald's restaurants in West and South India, said it does not see health concerns slowing customer traffic. Instead, the company argued that transparency around ingredients and nutritional balance matters more.
"If there could be absolute transparent norms where people choose what they eat, McDonald's will be better than most things people eat, sometimes even better than what you eat at home, would be my argument," Chief Executive Officer Saurabh Kalra said during the earnings call on Thursday.
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Health Debate
Kalra said McDonald's India had been working for years on reducing sodium and fat levels across parts of its menu while giving customers more choices.
He said the company had worked on lowering sodium in fries and reducing fat in mayonnaise. He also pointed to its "Protein Slice" offering, which allows consumers to add extra protein to burgers.
"We charted a path in 2016 on Real Food Real Good," Kalra said. "The first thing we did was made Aloo Tikki Burger, which is our highest selling product, into a balanced meal."
The executive said the company's approach was not about marketing products as "healthy", but about offering customers more nutritional information and menu flexibility.
"You don't sell by saying Healthy Aloo Tikki," Kalra said.
The debate around sodium and processed foods has intensified globally over the past few years as consumers pay closer attention to packaged and restaurant food labels.
A 2024 report published by the US Food and Drug Administration said more than 70% of dietary sodium comes from packaged and prepared foods rather than salt added during cooking. The regulator said high sodium intake is linked to elevated risks of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.
Separately, a 2024 report published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with increased hypertension risk among US adults.
Consumer Shift
The comments come at a time when quick-service restaurant chains are trying to balance affordability with changing consumer behaviour. Westlife Foodworld said customer traffic improved during the March quarter as the company pushed value-focused offerings, including its Rs 99 Everyday Value Meal platform.
The company said same-store sales growth stood at 1.5% during the quarter, while guest count growth was in the mid-single digits.
Kalra said McDonald's was also focusing on consumer habits beyond burgers, particularly coffee consumption through McCafe.
"We want to create a daily coffee consuming habit in the country and democratise the coffee experience," he said.
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Changing Habits
Westlife Foodworld said it plans to continue expanding its restaurant network while focusing on value meals, digital ordering and coffee-led repeat visits.
The company opened 48 restaurants in FY26 and said it plans to add more than 60 outlets annually going forward. Executives also said the company would continue adding menu options linked to changing consumer preferences.
"For people who want to have excess protein in their diet, they know that you can always add 5-gram of protein," Kalra said.
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