People walk by a McDonald's restaurant on March 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kevin Carter | Getty Images McDonald's on Thursday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that beat analysts' expectations, as diners spend more at its U.S. restaurants even in what CEO Chris Kempczinski called "a challenging environment." Shares of the fast-food giant rose more than 3% in premarket trading. Investors will be listening for any signs that consumers are feeling the pinch from higher gas prices on the company's earnings conference call, which starts at 8:30 a.m. ET. Other restaurant companies, from Domino's Pizza to Chipotle Mexican Grill , have reported that sales softened in March, after the U.S. war with Iran began and led to spiking fuel prices. Here's what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG: Earnings per share: $2.83 adjusted vs. $2.74 expected Revenue: $6.52 billion vs.…