McDonald's software glitch halts orders in several countries

McDonald's restaurants in several countries appeared to be suffering from some kind of software or system problems on Friday, hampering staff's ability to take and process orders.

Disruptions to service were reported in Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, and later in the UK. 

McDonald's Japan first reported a "system failure" and apologized to customers for any inconvenience. A few hours later, it said that many restaurants had temporarily shut. 

"Many restaurants across the country have temporarily suspended operations. We apologize for any inconvenience caused to our customers," the company said online. 

The problems appeared technical in nature, related to the mobile ordering system and the self-ordering kiosks. 

The company said on Friday that it did not suspect a cybersecurity incident.