McDonald’s Corp.’s new chief executive officer is targeting comparable sales growth of four per cent in the U.S. next year and flat customer traffic, according to a video distributed to the company’s franchisees.

Chris Kempczinski, who took over as CEO from Steve Easterbrook this week, addresses store operators in the video. The goal for same-store sales, which is a key metric for the restaurant industry, would be slower than the expansion that’s been registered in the U.S. so far this year.

Kempczinski also says that customer traffic has been challenged for seven years -- so a change to that trend would be an important achievement. Across the industry, restaurants have struggled to increase diner traffic as fierce competition erodes the customer base and more consumers prepare food at home.

“While leaders are changing, our strategy is not,” Kempczinski said. “Our strategy both globally and here in the U.S. is big, it’s bold and it’s working.”

McDonald’s shares ticked up on the news, rising as much as 1.5 per cent and hitting a session high in New York trading.