How The E Coli Outbreak Impacted McDonald's (Spoiler: It Wasn't Good)

While McDonald's has assured customers that Quarter Pounders will return to the menu, despite the recent E. coli outbreak, the incident has undeniably taken a toll on the fast food giant. In the days following the announcement that customers had fallen ill after consuming McDonald's Quarter Pounders, trips to the restaurant declined by 10% at locations throughout the nation. The drop was even greater in Colorado, where McDonald's visits decreased by a whopping 33%. These numbers stand to reason when considering that Colorado was hit the hardest by the outbreak, with 26 of the reported 75 E. coli cases occurring in the state.

According to testing conducted by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, it's been determined that the beef patties used to make Quarter Pounders in the affected states were not the source of E. coli, known for causing health effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It's believed that the onions provided by a single supplier were the source of infection, and many other fast food restaurants have removed onions from their menus because of the E. coli outbreak. 

It appears that McDonald's can't catch a break lately when you consider that many consumers remain frustrated by McDonald's skyrocketing prices over the years. These frustrations have led some customers to swear off the chain, as many people feel that the value they receive isn't worth the hard-earned money they spend on the fast food giant's menu items. The E. coli outbreak has complicated the restaurant's financial outlook even further — although it's not yet clear whether the incident will have a lasting effect. 

McDonald's shares dropped by 7% soon after the link between the chain's Quarter Pounders and the E. coli outbreak was announced. Combined with the recent decrease in trips to the restaurant, it's clear that the fallout affecting McDonald's will be more than just reputational. As a result, McDonald's may need to work hard to change consumer perspective in the coming weeks and months.