The Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald's Corp - the largest hamburger chain in the US - sustained its thriving track-record amid the recession for yet another month - the May figures posted by the company on Monday indicate a 5.1 percent increase in McDonald's same-store sales worldwide.

McDonald's said that while its US same-store sales rose 2.8 percent - thanks to its classic menu items and its new McCafe espresso-based coffees -, its European same-store sales soared 7.6 percent as a result of robust sales reported from UK, France, Germany, and Russia. The company's Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa segments reported a 6.4 percent increase in sales.

The company said that though the stronger US dollar brought about to an overall 0.4 percent decline at worldwide McDonald's restaurants, sales had increased 7 percent in constant currencies. For its second-quarter results to be reported July 23, McDonald's would include 2-3 cents per share of income, because of a license agreement in Indonesia and the sale of Redbox Automated Retail.

The sales at same-stores are a fair indicator of a retailer's performance, as the figures measure growth at stores currently in operation instead of the newly opened ones.

The sales figures posted by fast-food restaurants like McDonald's indicate that, by and large, these restaurants have been comparatively much lesser hit by the economic downturn vis-a-vis the expensive sit-down restaurants!