April 30 (Reuters) - McDonald's fell short of

Wall Street estimates for first-quarter sales on Tuesday as

budget-conscious consumers cut back on restaurant meals and the

Middle East conflict weighed on the burger chain's international

sales.

The company's shares fell about 2% in premarket trading,

after slipping nearly 8% so far this year.

Global comparable sales growth slid for the fourth straight

quarter to 1.9%, with the company saying consumers turned "more

discriminating with every dollar they spend". Analysts had

estimated a 2.35% rise, according to LSEG data.

The company has raised prices by roughly mid- to

high-single-digit percentage over the past year in response to a

rise in costs of eggs and other raw items.

Comparable sales in the company's International

Developmental Licensed Markets segment, which made up 10% of its

overall revenue in 2023, declined 0.2%, offsetting positive

trends from Japan, Latin America and Europe. Analysts had

expected a 0.98% rise for the unit.

Earlier in March, McDonald's CFO Ian Borden had warned of a

sequential fall in international sales in the first quarter,

pressured by the conflict in the Middle East and a sluggish

Chinese economy, its second-largest market after the United

States.

Higher competition for breakfast hour spending in the United

States has prompted the burger giant to lean on low-priced menu

choices including breakfast value bundles and a Dollar Menu

under the $4 price point.

First-quarter same-store sales grew 2.5% in the United

States, sharply lower than a 12.6% growth last year and slightly

below estimates of a 2.55% growth, signaling that cash-strapped

Americans remained picky about offers at fast-food chains amid

still-high inflation.

McDonald's posted quarterly adjusted per-share profit of

$2.70. Analysts had estimated $2.72, according to LSEG data.

Total operating costs and expenses increased 2% to $3.43

billion.

(Reporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb

Chakrabarty)