NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - McDonald's Corp. is thinking about expanding into retail beyond food as the world's largest restaurant chain tries to figure out a way to bolster sluggish sales in the saturated U.S. fast-food market, a newspaper reported Wednesday.
But the question is what to sell.
McDonald's Chief Financial Officer Matthew Paull told the Wall Street Journal Wednesday that the company "is going to try a bunch of experiments," but declined to discuss details.
Analysts who follow the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company speculated that McDonald's could hawk anything from providing information on home ownership to selling watches, toys or other small items at its 13,100 U.S. restaurants, the Journal reported.
McDonald's discussed expansion plans at its annual shareholders meeting last week, a spokeswoman told CNNfn Wednesday.
"We have not made any announcement about retail. We are talking about a different approach we are taking. There is nothing in the near term," the spokeswoman said. "It is very conceptual, there is nothing tangible to share at this point. We have a heritage of innovation and creativity and tremendous potential. Who knows what the future looks like?"
Would you buy a pair of McOveralls? McLugz? Wear McPhoneyPonies or McPressOnNails?
"Can I get a #4? Yeah, with a large Mc40 oz and a side of McGreens. Oh, and give me a McBlack&Mild to go."
But the question is what to sell.
McDonald's Chief Financial Officer Matthew Paull told the Wall Street Journal Wednesday that the company "is going to try a bunch of experiments," but declined to discuss details.
Analysts who follow the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company speculated that McDonald's could hawk anything from providing information on home ownership to selling watches, toys or other small items at its 13,100 U.S. restaurants, the Journal reported.
McDonald's discussed expansion plans at its annual shareholders meeting last week, a spokeswoman told CNNfn Wednesday.
"We have not made any announcement about retail. We are talking about a different approach we are taking. There is nothing in the near term," the spokeswoman said. "It is very conceptual, there is nothing tangible to share at this point. We have a heritage of innovation and creativity and tremendous potential. Who knows what the future looks like?"
Would you buy a pair of McOveralls? McLugz? Wear McPhoneyPonies or McPressOnNails?
"Can I get a #4? Yeah, with a large Mc40 oz and a side of McGreens. Oh, and give me a McBlack&Mild to go."
