McDonald's Corp reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday as the world's largest restaurant company posted March sales in all regions that topped analyst expectations.

Total revenue during the quarter that ended March 31, rose 9 percent to $6.1 billion, with sales in Europe leading the way.

March sales at restaurants open at least 13 months were up 3 percent in the United States, up 4.9 percent in Europe and gained 0.5 percent in McDonald's Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa unit. Globally they rose 3.6 percent.

Analysts, on average, were looking for same-restaurant sales to rise almost 2 percent in the United States, more than 3 percent in Europe and 2 percent in APMEA.

The United States contributes just over one-third of McDonald's overall revenue, compared with 40 percent for Europe -- its largest market for sales and one where it has more middle-class appeal.

McDonald's has been on a great run -- outperforming most other U.S. restaurant chains and stealing market share from smaller rivals amid a slow U.S. economic recovery.

First-quarter net income rose 10.9 percent to $1.21 billion, or $1.15 per share, from $1.09 billion, or $1 per share, a year earlier. That beat Wall Street expectations of a profit of $1.14 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Its shares slid 0.3 percent in premarket trading.

(Reporting by Phil Wahba and Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Maureen Bavdek)