McDonald's Corp. (NYSE:MCD) had a whopper of a fourth quarter.

The world's largest restaurant chain said it earned 61 cents, ahead the 58 cents expected by Wall Street analysts, according to a press release. The company reports complete results on January 24. Shares of corporate master of Ronald McDonald, Grimace and the Hamburglar shot up on the news.

"We begin 2007 from a position of strength and remain focused on providing relevant menu choices and everyday affordability to serve the needs of our customers," Chief Executive Jim Skinner in the statement.
" I am confident that we can continue our momentum as we enter the new year with ongoing dedication to outstanding restaurant execution."

My colleague Sarah Gilbert should take comfort in the fact that her love for the Egg McMuffin is shared by many. McDonald's mentions breakfast as well as the chicken sandwiches as reasons for the 6.9 percent rise in comprable same-store sales.

Is this a good sign for the economy? I don't know. This does show consumers are spending albeit on inexpensive food.

McDonald's diversification away from burgers is paying off. A.G. Edwards & Sons analyst Jack Russo estimates that that the company sells $5 billion worth of chicken in the U.S., about equal to the amount of burgers, Bloomberg News says.

I know you can buy salads and other healthy snacks at McDonalds. but I consider them like the articles in Playboy magazine. It's something that's available if you want it, but not the main attraction.