UPDATE 4-McDonald's May same-store sales up, but shares fall

* U.S. May same-store sales up 2.8 percent

* Global same-store sales rise 5.1 percent

* McDonald's shares fall 2.7 percent (Recasts first paragraph; adds analyst comment, byline; updates share movement; previously datelined CHICAGO)

By Lisa Baertlein and Ben Klayman

LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO, June 8 (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) posted lighter-than-expected May sales at U.S. restaurants open at least 13 months, sending shares of the world's biggest hamburger chain and its rivals lower on Monday.

May same-restaurant sales were up 2.8 percent in the United States, helped by new coffee drinks and snacks, but that was significantly slower than the 6.1 percent growth in April.

Analysts said the average of estimates called for May growth of around 3.6 percent.

"U.S. missed consensus... thus the weakness today," said Stifel Nicolaus analyst Steve West, who added that the U.S. result for May matched his own view.

The results topped Telsey Advisory Group's call for a rise of 2 percent, but missed RBC Capital Markets' expectation that sales could rise 3.9 percent for the month.

McDonald's is one of the restaurant industry's top performers largely because its Dollar Menu has been attracting diners amid a lengthy recession that has sent unemployment sharply higher.

Shares in McDonald's were down 2.7 percent to $58.25 in early afternoon trade. Shares of rival Burger King Holdings Inc (BKC.N) were down 1.4 percent. Stock in Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc (WEN.N) was off 1.7 percent and Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut owner Yum Brands Inc (YUM.N) shares fell 1.7 percent.

McDonald's faced a tough sales comparison versus a year ago May when McDonald's was giving away Southern Style Chicken sandwiches with a beverage purchase in the United States, Telsey analyst Tom Forte said.

He added that some of the sell-off also could be due to disappointment that sales related to the official McCafe launch failed to drive stronger results.

"It's certainly a significant item, but it's not going to move the needle to too large of an extent in any individual month," Forte said.

"I do not at all read the number on May as any indication that McCafe is not doing well," he said.

GLOBAL SALES RISE