McDonald's Corp has added millions of diners at its restaurants over the past few years, and an improving financial climate should help out consumers, Chief Executive Jim Skinner said on CNBC on Friday.

Everybody's a little skittish right now about the future, Skinner said on CNBC. It's still a tough environment, but I do see some thawing. If you look at the credit markets and you look at the activities around the financials, I think that bodes well for the future and bodes well for the consumer.

Skinner said he could not really agree or disagree with comments Wal-Mart Stores Inc CEO Mike Duke made earlier this week on NBC's Today Show that he does not see a quick end to the recession.

People are trading into McDonald's, Skinner said.

The world's largest hamburger chain is serving 58 million customers a day now, 8 million more than five or six years ago, Skinner said.

McDonald's is gaining share in almost every one of its markets and is still bullish on areas such as Brazil, Russia, India and Central and Eastern Europe, Skinner said.

The company still plans to open about 1,000 new restaurants in 2009, or a net 500 to 600 including closures, Skinner said. It will also remodel more than 1,800 restaurants.

Shares of McDonald's rose more than 1 percent to $55.35 in premarket trading.

(Reporting by Jessica Wohl; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

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