The company, which has enjoyed a stellar few years following the economic crisis, said that its turnover had increased by 12pc to $27bn, with net income increasing 11pc to $5.5bn.

This is the ninth consecutive year that sales have increased after it suffered from a crisis of confidence at the end of the 1990s.

In the US like-for-like sales increased by 7.1pc in the final quarter and 6pc for the year, its highest level of growth since 2006.

Its European restaurants continued to perform well as it won over consumers on a budget – both families trading down from pizza restaurants and commuters buying cheap coffee on the way into work. European sales jumped 10pc on a like-for-like basis, the company said.

McDonald’s hits record $27bn turnover – Telegraph