McDonald's Corp. has agreed to pay its franchisees 40 percent of the expense of outfitting U.S. restaurants to serve specialty coffees after the restaurant owners resisted the hefty new costs.

Owner-operators resisted spending roughly $100,000 to outfit each restaurant for espresso coffee drinks. But McDonald's Corp. has negotiated an agreement in which a franchisee group representing the majority of its restaurants has now endorsed the new plan.

"The company says the investment could be paid off within three years by additional sales of its new beverages, including iced coffee and sweet tea. Franchisees fully endorse and support the new initiative, Don Armstrong, who chairs the McDonald's National Leadership Council representing fellow owner-operators, said in his statement." -- AP