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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The 20 Most Recent McDonald’s Branches

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