5 Biggest Fast-Food Chains in the World

2. McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD)

McDonald’s was founded by two brothers, Richard and Maurice McDonald, in 1940, making it one of the world’s oldest fast-food chains. The brothers started the restaurant with a simple nine-items menu. McDonald’s very first menu was barbecue-themed and changed over the course of years. Today, the most favorite products on their menu list are Egg McMuffin, Baked Apple Pie, French Fries, Happy Meal, and their signature Big Mac. The popularity of McDonald’s can be seen from the fact that it serves around 68 million customers daily and sells approximately 4,500 hamburgers every single minute globally. What contributes to the popularity of McDonald’s is its consistency, innovation, and skills that they impart to the employees.

McDonald’s can be taken as the most profitable fast-food chain globally, with a net worth of $170 billion. It generated around $19.2 billion in 2020, which decreased from $21.8 billion in 2019. The rapid expansion of restaurants across the world stands on its model of franchising. McDonald’s has nearly 38,695 outlets worldwide, of which 93% are franchise-operated.