(Corrects December same-store sales results for Europe)

McDonald's Corp reported weaker-than-expected December sales at established U.S. and European restaurants as poor weather hurt demand, and said its food costs would rise in 2011.

Shares of the world's largest hamburger chain fell about 1.7 percent in premarket trading on Monday as the company also reported a fourth-quarter profit in line with expectations.

McDonald's said global sales at restaurants open at least 13 months rose 3.7 percent overall in December. They gained 2.6 percent in the United States, slid 0.5 percent in Europe and rose 8.9 percent for Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.

Wall Street had expected December same-restaurant sales to be up 3.9 percent in the United States, up 3.4 percent in Europe and gain 5.7 percent in APMEA, according to Janney analyst Mark Kalinowski.

For January, the company expects global same-restaurant sales to increase in a range of 4 percent to 5 percent.

Net income in the fourth quarter rose to $1.24 billion, or $1.16 a share, compared with $1.22 billion, or $1.11 a share, in the year-earlier quarter. The profit matched what analysts polled Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S had expected.

McDonald's shares dropped to $73.73 in premarket trading from Friday's closing price of $75.01 on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Ben Klayman; Editing by Derek Caney and Maureen Bavdek)

Fall