A customer exits a McDonald’s restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska, on October 23, 2024.
Mario Tama | Getty Images
McDonald’s was informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week about a potential connection to an E. coli outbreak, company representatives announced on Wednesday.
At that time, the number of reported cases was lower than it is now, although the exact number was not disclosed. As of Tuesday, the CDC has linked 49 cases and one death in 10 states to the outbreak, which has been traced back to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers.
Upon learning about the possible link, McDonald’s immediately began collaborating with the CDC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Even before the CDC issued its advisory on Tuesday, McDonald’s had already made the decision to remove Quarter Pounder burgers from restaurants in the affected areas.
Currently, approximately 20% of McDonald’s U.S. locations are not serving Quarter Pounder burgers.
As of Tuesday, the CDC had interviewed 18 individuals with confirmed cases, and 12 of them remembered eating a Quarter Pounder burger before getting sick.
This outbreak comes at a challenging time for McDonald’s as the company works to regain customers who were deterred by years of price hikes. It poses additional risks for the company as it rolls out a $5 value meal deal in hopes of attracting more consumers to its restaurants.
In response to the outbreak, McDonald’s released a statement on Tuesday evening, shortly after the CDC’s advisory. Cesar Pina, the company’s North American chief supply chain officer, stated that Quarter Pounders have been removed from restaurants in the affected region, which includes Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, and parts of eight other states.
The CDC is investigating both the uncooked onions and beef patties in the Quarter Pounder as possible sources of the outbreak. However, McDonald’s sources beef from multiple suppliers in the area, and the burgers are cooked at a temperature that should eliminate any bacteria.
As a result, the onions are more likely to be the source of contamination. In that particular region, McDonald’s receives onions from a single supplier, which washes and slices the vegetables. The company has halted distribution of the onions and instructed local restaurants to remove their onion supplies.
Based on the reported cases, the outbreak occurred between September 27 and October 11. During a two-week period, McDonald’s typically sells around one million Quarter Pounders in the affected area.
McDonald’s stock is currently down 5% in afternoon trading as investors express concerns that the outbreak could lead to a decline in sales for the fast-food chain.