How Will McDonald's Stop U.S. Customer Losses?

McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) has been able to hide its declining U.S. customer base by getting the people who do eat at its restaurants (or order from them) to spend more money. Comparable-store sales in the company's home market grew by 5.1% in the fourth quarter while customer count declined by 1.9%.

That's a mixed bag of news for investors. The company has succeeded in increasing check size -- something that has been aided by kiosk-based ordering and delivery -- but it's losing customers.

New CEO Chris Kempczinski believes technology can help solve that problem. He wants the company to deliver a simpler, smoother experience with increased personal engagement.

Source Fool.com