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If you're craving a Big Mac on Tuesday, April 30, it might be because that's when McDonald's Corporation is expected to release its figures for the first quarter of this year.

A snapshot of last quarter's performance

Hopes are it won’t be mixed results as we saw in the final quarter of last year where it outperformed on earnings per share at $2.95 versus $2.82 forecasts but suffered a slight miss on revenue at $6.41 billion instead of the $6.45 billion expectations.

McDonald's and the changing tides of fast-food consumption

In the past, it was a story of snatching market share from pricier chains when the cost of living rose significantly, but it has since begun to impact even fast-food companies. Polling from Revenue Management Solutions back in February painted a picture of low-income consumers cutting back on fast food, and at times avoiding it altogether, instead of merely reducing consumption at the franchise. That has meant concern over receiving less from budget-conscious consumers, and pushing more into that camp where previously it had been more about tastes and preferences.

Inflation has generally been moderating, but slight panic is resurfacing once more that controlling it in the next phase will be a more challenging task. And focusing on the state of California, prices are expected to be higher for the current quarter after the minimum wage increase to $20 at the start of this quarter, as leaders in the industry said they’d adapt to incorporate the higher costs, even if for some it’ll be up to their respective franchisees.

McDonald's ambitious leap towards 50,000 restaurants

Higher costs in general will be observed and not just in the Golden State. There's also how it's faring on its expansion plans to reach 50,000 with the majority of capital expenditures on opening new restaurants, whether in the US or abroad, any update on evaluating its spinoff CosMc's, and the tie-in with Krispy Kreme going nationwide that benefited the doughnut maker’s share price significantly when it was announced, with little effect on McDonald’s share price. Those in the food industry have always sought further clarity regarding the impact of weight loss drugs, given the intent is on reducing appetite and feeling full for a longer period.

Geopolitical concerns and revenue impact

Then there’s the geopolitical angle. The ongoing boycott in the Middle East and its impact on sales in the final quarter of last year, and not just in the region but in other countries as well. It’s expected to have “a negative impact…as long as the war continues,” according to its regulatory filing back in February, which resulted in the announcement earlier this month about acquiring all of its Israeli franchise restaurants.

For now, reliance will remain high on its core regions where the US is well on top by a big margin followed by Japan and China, and the extent to which the slower start to the year on weather woes can play a larger role in reducing customer traffic.

How does McDonald's stack up against Chipotle and Domino’s Pizza?

Looking at the competition, there have been stellar gains over the past year for Shake Shack's share price (up over 70%), Chipotle (nearly 60%), and Domino's Pizza (by over 40%), while McDonald’s is down by 7%. That means while its established brand and strong balance sheet might have been a plus when investors became defensive preventing its share price from falling too heavily when the AdvisorShares Restaurant ETF was in retreat, it hasn’t been able to come close to matching the rest of the industry when they are enjoying double-digit percentage gains.