These McDonald’s Facts Will Blow Your Mind. I Had No Idea About Subway.

The first McDonald’s opened up in San Bernardino, California. That was in 1940. Since then, McDonald’s opened thousands of branches all around the globe.

If you travel a lot, I’m pretty sure you found a McDonald’s around the corner. So how many McDonald’s are there in the world? Let’s find out.

Interesting McDonald’s Facts & Statistics

To appreciate the size of McDonald’s worldwide, let’s take a look at these numbers. Some of these facts are truly mind-blowing.

1. McDonald’s has franchises in 119 countries around the world
2. There are approximately 40,275 McDonald’s restaurants in the US and abroad
3. More than 69 million people order from McDonald’s every day
4. The United States has the highest number of McDonald’s restaurants, which is 13,683, making up approximately 33% of the total number.
5. In 2022, McDonald’s grossed north of $23 billion from its global operations
6. Subway is the only other food chain that has more restaurants than McDonald’s
7. McDonald’s makes almost double the global revenue that Subway makes
8. The highest-selling McDonald’s item worldwide is the Big Mac
9. The Big Mac sells over 90 million meals per day globally

How Many McDonald’s Are There in the World?

What is the number of McDonald’s restaurants in the world? The world has 40,275 McDonald’s restaurants all around the globe, and the plan is to open even more branches in response to increasing demand.

Rank	Country	Number of McDonald’s Restaurants
1	United States	13,683
2	China	3,769
3	Japan	2,994
4	Brazil	2,870
5	Germany	1,377
6	France	1,317
7	Canada	1,297
8	India	1,282
9	United Kingdom	1,255
10	Australia	1,004
11	Mexico	993
12	Russia	917
13	South Korea	893
14	Spain	882
15	Indonesia	871
16	Saudi Arabia	839
17	Poland	820
18	Italy	807
19	Colombia	799
20	Turkey	770
21	Philippines	748
22	Argentina	736
23	Egypt	722
24	Netherlands	716
25	Taiwan	706
26	Switzerland	682
27	Thailand	673
28	Malaysia	667
29	Vietnam	660
30	Ukraine	640
31	Sweden	628
32	Austria	627
33	Morocco	625
34	Finland	622
35	Belgium	614
36	Czech Republic	604
37	Portugal	590
38	Chile	587
39	Venezuela	576
40	Greece	569
41	Israel	565
42	Hong Kong	562
43	Denmark	559
44	Norway	543
45	Hungary	540
46	Romania	528
47	South Africa	516
48	Peru	502
49	New Zealand	497
50	Singapore	487
51	Pakistan	482
52	Serbia	474
53	Luxembourg	463
54	Tunisia	458
55	Sri Lanka	449
56	Jordan	439
57	Bulgaria	437
58	Kuwait	433
59	Kazakhstan	428
60	Croatia	426
61	Moldova	421
62	Azerbaijan	418
63	Bahrain	414
64	Montenegro	407
65	Estonia	405
66	Mauritius	404
67	Oman	403
68	Guatemala	398
69	Puerto Rico	396
70	Georgia	391
71	Dominican Republic	387
72	Algeria	385
73	Lebanon	382
74	Uruguay	375
75	Costa Rica	372
76	Panama	367
77	Trinidad and Tobago	366
78	Aruba	364
79	El Salvador	362
80	Northern Ireland	360
81	Bolivia	357
82	Jamaica	355
83	Dominican Republic	352
84	Iceland	349
85	Bermuda	346
86	Malta	344
87	Lithuania	342
88	Barbados	341
89	Curaçao	338
90	Guam	337
91	Macau	336
92	Belarus	335
93	North Macedonia	334
94	Slovenia	332
95	Bosnia and Herzegovina	331
96	Ivory Coast	329
97	Martinique	327
98	Guadeloupe	325
99	Réunion	323
100	Albania	319
101	Kosovo	316
102	Paraguay	304
103	Burkina Faso	299
104	Senegal	298
105	Kenya	295
106	Uganda	289
107	Qatar	286
108	Mauritius	285
109	Namibia	281
110	Ghana	278
111	Madagascar	275
112	Zambia	274
113	Zimbabwe	273
114	Botswana	267
115	Mozambique	263
116	Nigeria	259
117	Cambodia	255
118	Myanmar	254
119	Nepal	253

Top 20 countries With the Most McDonald’s Restaurants

These countries seem to really like fast food, and McDonald’s in particular. What do these countries have in common? Well, they all have economic abundance, a cosmopolitan culture, and geographic accessibility. In simpler terms, they all love a good McDonald’s meal!

1. United States – 13,683
2. China – 3,769
3. Japan – 2,994
4. Brazil – 2,870
5. Germany – 1,377
6. France – 1,317
7. Canada – 1,297
8. India – 1,282
9. United Kingdom – 1,255
10. Australia – 1,004
11. Mexico – 993
12. South Korea – 893
13. Spain – 882
14. Indonesia – 871
15. Saudi Arabia – 839
16. Poland – 820
17. Italy – 807
18. Colombia – 799
19. Turkey – 770

PS: It’s top 19 countries now. Russia used to be on the list but since Mcdonald’s existed Russia after more than 30 years, it’s no longer on the list.

10 countries With the Fewest McDonald’s Restaurants

These countries might be less accessible due to economic reasons, the high cost of opening a new branch, or because the locals are more into different tastes.

1. Ghana – 278
2. Madagascar – 275
3. Zambia – 274
4. Zimbabwe – 273
5. Botswana – 267
6. Mozambique – 263
7. Nigeria – 259
8. Cambodia – 255
9. Myanmar – 254
10. Nepal – 253

The Number of McDonald’s Restaurants in Each Continent

Europe takes the cake with the highest number of McDonald’s restaurants, while Oceania — for obvious reasons! — Comes last.

Continent	Number of McDonald’s Restaurants
Europe	23110
North America	22131
Asia	18990
South America	8279
Africa	7766
Oceania	2499

Countries With No McDonald’s Restaurants at All

Various reasons keep McDonald’s, as well as other food chains, from opening franchises or continuing to work in some locations.

These reasons include economic factors like low disposable income and unreliable supply chains. McDonald’s franchises need a robust infrastructure to operate optimally.

Cultural factors certainly play an important role as well. Dietary preferences and favoring traditional food make opening up a fast food restaurant rather challenging. Some communities prefer their local cuisine to unfamiliar alternatives.

Finally, there are geographical challenges in many locations. Additionally, political instability and conflicts are clear obstacles.

Continent	Countries
Africa	Angola, Burundi, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Asia	Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, Iraq, Laos, Lebanon, North Korea, Pakistan, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Yemen
Europe	Andorra, Russia
Oceania	Kiribati, Micronesia, Federated States of, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
South America	Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname

The Number of McDonald’s Restaurants in the US

There are around 13,683 McDonald’s restaurants in the United States (as of September 30, 2023). The table is presented with the states containing the least number of McDonald’s restaurants, to the ones with the highest number.

Rank	State	Number of McDonald’s Restaurants
1	Wyoming	18
2	Vermont	23
3	North Dakota	24
4	South Dakota	27
5	Alaska	33
6	Delaware	34
7	Montana	42
8	Rhode Island	45
9	Idaho	50
10	Maine	54
11	New Hampshire	54
12	West Virginia	56
13	Hawaii	59
14	New Mexico	60
15	Nevada	71
16	Connecticut	74
17	Arkansas	77
18	Mississippi	79
19	Iowa	81
20	Utah	89
21	Nebraska	90
22	Kansas	92
23	Kentucky	94
24	Oklahoma	97
25	Oregon	102
26	Maryland	103
27	Indiana	105
28	Colorado	107
29	Alabama	109
30	Arizona	113
31	Wisconsin	115
32	Tennessee	116
33	South Carolina	118
34	Louisiana	120
35	Missouri	126
36	Virginia	127
37	Minnesota	129
38	Washington	131
39	New Jersey	137
40	Massachusetts	155
41	Michigan	700
42	North Carolina	733
43	Georgia	745
44	Pennsylvania	752
45	Ohio	777
46	New York	835
47	Illinois	946
48	Florida	993
49	Texas	1046
50	California	1219

The 5 States With the Highest Number of McDonald’s Restaurants

California has the highest score here, with more than a thousand restaurants!

1. New York – 835
2. Illinois – 946
3. Florida – 993
4. Texas – 1046
5. California – 1219

The 5 States With the Lowest Number of McDonald’s Restaurants

Various factors affect the popularity and abundance of a fast food chain. This includes having special menu requirements, local preferences, and scarcity of the population.

Here are the states with the fewest McDonald’s outlets.

1. New Hampshire – 54
2. West Virginia – 56
3. Hawaii – 59
4. New Mexico – 60
5. Nevada – 71

The 20 First McDonald’s Restaurants to Open

Between 1940 and 1950, McDonald’s opened 20 branches all around the US. The first, of course, was in San Bernardino, California.

Rank	Location	Date Opened
1	San Bernardino, California, USA	May 15, 1940
2	Phoenix, Arizona, USA	December 15, 1946
3	Downey, California, USA	October 15, 1948
4	Alhambra, California, USA	December 15, 1948
5	Huntington Park, California, USA	January 15, 1949
6	Arcadia, California, USA	February 15, 1949
7	Pasadena, California, USA	March 15, 1949
8	El Monte, California, USA	April 15, 1949
9	Whittier, California, USA	May 15, 1949
10	Pomona, California, USA	June 15, 1949
11	Montebello, California, USA	July 15, 1949
12	Burbank, California, USA	August 15, 1949
13	Glendale, California, USA	September 15, 1949
14	North Hollywood, California, USA	October 15, 1949
15	Hollywood, California, USA	November 15, 1949
16	Los Angeles, California, USA	December 15, 1949
17	Inglewood, California, USA	January 15, 1950
18	Culver City, California, USA	February 15, 1950
19	San Diego, California, USA	March 15, 1950
20	Santa Monica, California, USA	April 15, 1950

The 20 Most Recent McDonald’s Branches

McDonald’s is constantly adding new branches all around the globe. Here are the most recent ones.

Rank	Location	Date Opened
1	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	October 4, 2023
2	Madrid, Spain	September 30, 2023
3	London, England	September 27, 2023
4	Paris, France	September 23, 2023
5	Tokyo, Japan	September 20, 2023
6	Seoul, South Korea	September 17, 2023
7	Mexico City, Mexico	September 14, 2023
8	São Paulo, Brazil	September 11, 2023
9	Buenos Aires, Argentina	September 8, 2023
10	Moscow, Russia	September 5, 2023
11	Beijing, China	August 31, 2023
12	New Delhi, India	August 28, 2023
13	Jakarta, Indonesia	August 25, 2023
14	Bangkok, Thailand	August 22, 2023
15	Manila, Philippines	August 19, 2023
16	Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam	August 16, 2023
17	Hanoi, Vietnam	August 13, 2023
18	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	August 10, 2023
19	Singapore	August 7, 2023
20	Taipei, Taiwan	August 4, 2023