McDonald's sales metric falls in Nov., stung by weakness in US and China food-safety scandal

McDonald's says a key global sales figure fell 2.2 percent in November as U.S. sales continue to soften and it contends with ongoing difficulties from a food-safety scandal in China.

The world's largest hamburger chain said Monday that the drop in global sales at locations open at least 13 months included a 4.6 percent decline in the U.S. and a 4 percent decline for the unit that includes the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and Africa.

McDonald's Asian business has been trying to bounce back since the summer, when a TV report in China showed workers at one of its suppliers repackaging meat that was alleged to be expired. The claim has not been publicly confirmed by the supplier or the government.

The Oak Brook, Illinois, company said comparable sales for Europe fell 2 percent.