McDonald’s is losing customers, as the world’s biggest hamburger chain struggles to attract diners with its higher-priced sandwiches and new offerings like Mighty Wings.

“We’ve lost some of our customer relevance,” CEODon Thompson conceded Thursday on a call with analysts.

The Oak Brook, Ill.-based company reported disappointing sales for its fourth quarter, as fewer customers visited its established restaurants. Guest counts at those locations fell nearly 2 percent globally and 1.6 percent in the U.S. in 2013, according to a regulatory filing. And McDonald’s expects some challenges to persist this year.

To win back traffic, Thompson said the chain will focus on speedier service, better value offerings and raising “awareness around McDonald’s as a kitchen and a restaurant” that prepares high-quality food. It’s expanding prep tables and plans to beef up staff during peak hours for better execution. It is also bringing in a new U.S. marketing chief, Deborah Wahl, formerly with homebuilder PulteGroup and automakers Chrysler and Ford.

After outperforming rivals for years, McDonald’s Corp. is facing a shift in eating habits toward foods people feel are fresher or healthier. The company has added options such as chicken wraps and breakfast sandwiches made with egg whites to keep up with the trend.

But it’s received a “muted response.” Chief Operating Officer Tim Fenton said on the call that some of the new offerings “over-complicated” the restaurants, forcing longer wait times.

McDonald’s Fighting To Be ‘Relevant’ To Customers, CEO Concedes « CBS Chicago