OAK BROOK, ILL. — The popularity of the Monopoly promotion helped offset a challenging business environment in the United States and led to a 0.2% rise in U.S. comparable sales in August for McDonald’s Corp.

Comparable sales in Europe were up 3.3% on performance in the United Kingdom, France and Russia, including the introduction of blended-ice beverages in the United Kingdom.

In Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa, comparable sales were down 0.5% on strong prior-year performance and negative sales results in Japan, China and Australia.

Overall, global comparable sales for the company as a whole increased 1.9% in August.

“Ensuring that each of our strategies resonates with our customers is the key to our performance — today and for the long term,” said Don Thompson, president and chief executive officer. “We remain confident in the fundamental strength of the McDonald’s system and our ability to connect with customers and deliver the menu choices, value and convenience they expect from McDonald’s.”