PETALING JAYA, July 29 -- McDonald's global sales growth is lighting up like dynamite thanks to the star power of K-pop band BTS.

CNN Business reported that McDonald's restaurants open for at least 13 months saw a surge in sales by 40.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2021.

McDonald's also racked up US$5.9 billion (RM24.9 billion) in revenue during the quarter, surpassing Wall Street's initial prediction of US$5.6 billion.

The fast-food franchise credits the BTS Meal and its new crispy chicken sandwich for its success during a pandemic that has hit most F&B operators hard.

The limited-edition BTS Meal went on sale in May and came with a 10-piece order of Chicken McNuggets, medium fries, Coke, and sweet chilli and Cajun-flavoured dip...