The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that McDonald's missed quarterly profit estimates for the first time in two years as budget-conscious consumers looked past its offers and the Middle East conflict weighed on the burger chain's international sales. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe reports that global comparable sales growth slid for the fourth straight quarter to 1.9 per cent, with the company saying consumers turned "more discriminating with every dollar they spend." Analysts had estimated a 2.35-per-cent rise in first quarter profit, according to LSEG data. "Consumer is certainly being very discriminating in how they spend their dollar. ... I think it's important to recognize that all income cohorts are seeking value," McDonald's chief executive officer Chris Kempczinski said on a postearnings call. McDonald's results were also in contrast to those from other fast-food chains that have also leaned on value menu items to lure picky customers, who are taking fewer restaurant trips. McDonald's, like its peers, has raised prices by mid- to high-single-digit percentages over the past year in response to a rise in costs of eggs and other raw items even as lower-income budgets remain stretched.