McDonald's takes slow-growth path to expansion in China

For years, McDonald's Corp. executives have boasted of endless opportunities in China, one of the largest untapped regions for the world's biggest burger chain.

Yet the Golden Arches' brain trust isn't lovin' it enough to ramp up expansion in one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

Oak Brook-based McDonald's plans to open 125 restaurants in China next year (20 more than this year), bringing its total to 1,000. At its current pace, McDonald's would take 30 years to reach the 15,000 restaurants company execs say they envision for the country.