Late-Night Hours Helps McDonald's Both in the US and Japan
Yesterday McDonald's reported net profits of 1.6 billion yen for 2006 in Japan after posting almost no income the year before.

What I found interesting was that the jump was due to many of the same factors mentioned in the Business Week cover story on the company a couple of weeks ago. Most prominently, McDonald's has extended its opening hours in many restaurants deep into the night or even 24/7. This is likely more of a competitive move in Japan, where the late-night convenience store, of which Japan has no shortage, is an important rival. Both articles also discuss McDonald's efforts to offer a more diverse menu (desserts were mentioned in both pieces) to customers.