McDonald's

Name

McDonald's

Legal name

McDonald's Corporation

Website

https://mcdonalds.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick-Service Restaurant

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Burger Fast Casual (THAFABAA)

Keywords

• Quick-service restaurants
• Fast food chains
• Franchise restaurant network
• Drive-thru service
• Mobile ordering app

Headquarters

HQ city

Oak Brook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Franchise royalties, rents, and initial fees: Recurring revenue from the ~95% of restaurants owned and operated by independent franchisees, collected as royalties, rent, and upfront franchise fees; structural backbone of the business model.
2. Company-operated restaurant sales: Sales from the ~5% of restaurants operated directly by McDonald's subsidiaries; supplemental to the franchise stream and primarily used as a test bed for new concepts.
3. Beverage / supplier co-brand & advertising revenue: Co-branded promotional revenue with long-time beverage partner Coca-Cola (e.g., FIFA World Cup cups, Panini/Coca-Cola bundle promotions) and other suppliers featured in-app.
4. Arch Card (gift card) float and digital sales: Gift cards loaded through McDonald's online services and redeemed for qualifying purchases; supports the McDelivery and Mobile Order & Pay funnels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

McDonald's operates and franchises one of the world's largest quick-service restaurant systems, serving burgers, chicken, fries, breakfast, McCafé beverages, and value meals through company-owned and franchised restaurants in 100+ countries. Revenue is generated through company-operated restaurant sales, recurring franchise royalties/rent from ~95% franchised locations, supplier co-brand and advertising arrangements, and digital sales via the MyMcDonald's Rewards app, McDelivery, and Arch Card gift cards.

Product overview

McDonald's operates a single integrated quick-service restaurant platform spanning approximately 45,000 locations across more than 100 countries, anchored by a flagship McDonald's Mobile App (iOS/Android) that powers Mobile Order & Pay, McDelivery (fulfilled via third-party delivery providers), and the MyMcDonald's Rewards loyalty program. The menu is organized into modules including Burgers (Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, McDouble), Chicken & Fish Sandwiches, McNuggets & McCrispy Strips, Snack Wrap, Fries & Sides, Happy Meal, Sweets & Treats (including the returning Fried Apple Pie), McCafé, Drinks (six new refreshers and crafted sodas like Sprite® Berry Blast) and Sauces & Condiments. McDonald's > NEXT, unveiled June 1, 2026, layers four strategic pillars — menu innovation (chicken, beef, beverages), restaurant redesign, the ArchIQ ("Archy") Google-powered AI drive-thru and the broader Connected Operations platform — on top of the existing franchise system. Promotional co-brands extend the platform into entertainment (FIFA World Cup 26™ Meal, KPop Demon Hunters Happy Meal) and merchandise (Golden Arches Unlimited, Nike Book 2 × McDonald's), while the McValue platform (Extra Value Meals, Under $3 Menu, $4 Breakfast Meal Deal) sits across the menu as the value tier.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• McCafé: Coffee and beverage sub-brand offered at McDonald's restaurants worldwide.
• McValue
• McDelivery
• Happy Meal
• MyMcDonald's Rewards
• Golden Arches Unlimited

Products and services

• Big Mac Iconic double-patty burger with signature Big Mac Sauce, sold at McDonald's restaurants worldwide and as part of the FIFA World Cup 26 Meal with limited-edition gold-packaged Big Mac Sauce.
• Quarter Pounder Quarter-pound beef burger offering, part of McDonald's core U.S. burger line and McValue menu items.
• Chicken McNuggets Bite-sized chicken pieces available in multiple piece counts on the U.S. McValue menu (4 piece) and as part of the FIFA World Cup 26 Meal.
• McCrispy Strips Crispy chicken strips sold in the U.S. under the McCrispy brand alongside Chicken McNuggets.
• Snack Wrap (Ranch and Spicy) Re-introduced as a permanent U.S. menu item in two varieties — Ranch Snack Wrap and Spicy Snack Wrap — after years off the menu.
• Happy Meal Kids meal offering including a main, side, drink, and collectible toy (e.g., Squishmallows for FIFA World Cup 26). A portion of U.S. Happy Meal sales supports Ronald McDonald House families. UK Happy Meal price cut 27% to £2.99 for the Great British Summer Savings scheme.
• Fried Apple Pie Re-launched for a limited time at participating U.S. restaurants starting June 23, 2026, to celebrate America's 250th birthday; original fried version was created in 1968 and discontinued in 1992 in favor of a baked version.
• McMuffin / Breakfast Sandwiches Core U.S. breakfast sandwich platform built around English muffins, griddle cakes, and biscuits (Sausage McMuffin, Egg McMuffin, McGriddles, Biscuit); Sausage McMuffin is featured on the McValue $4 Breakfast Meal Deal. McDonald's uses fresh-cracked Grade A eggs for breakfast sandwiches.
• World-Famous Fries McDonald's french fries, named the top side dish by 39.2% of Americans in the YouGov 2026 survey. Made from real potatoes and sold at every U.S. restaurant.
• McCafé Coffee and espresso-based beverage sub-brand, including Premium Roast Coffee featured in the McValue $4 Breakfast Meal Deal.
• McValue Platform U.S. value platform replacing the prior '$5 dinner meals' approach; includes the $4 Breakfast Meal Deal, the Under $3 Menu (McDouble, 4-piece McNuggets, Sausage McMuffin, Hash Browns, small fries, McChicken, Sausage Burrito, Sausage Biscuit) and Extra Value Meals.
• Extra Value Meals Bundle meals in the McValue platform designed to capture value-conscious diners; central to McDonald's U.S. traffic and comp sales growth.
• FIFA World Cup 26 Meal Limited-time global meal bundle around the FIFA World Cup 26 featuring a Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets, limited-edition Big Mac Sauce, and one of nine collectible cups featuring football stars, with app-based rewards integration with FIFA Rivals+ and Coca-Cola/Panini.
• MyMcDonald's Rewards Free loyalty program integrated into the McDonald's app and online services: members earn 100 points for every $1 spent on qualifying purchases and redeem points for free menu items via the Rewards Menu. Loyalty program drove $38 billion in trailing-twelve-month sales across 70 markets.
• McDelivery Delivery program placing orders through the McDonald's mobile app for fulfillment by pre-assigned third-party delivery providers (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub); supports earning and redeeming MyMcDonald's Rewards points.
• McDonald's Mobile App Flagship consumer application for iOS and Android that powers Mobile Order & Pay, McDelivery, MyMcDonald's Rewards, Curbside/Front Counter/Table Service ordering, deal discovery, and FIFA World Cup 26 digital rewards.
• ArchIQ ("Archy") AI Drive-Thru Google-powered AI voice-ordering platform currently live at five U.S. drive-thru test locations; processed over 1 million transactions with approximately 90% completion without human intervention. Succeeds the discontinued IBM automated ordering system.
• McDonald's Connected Operations Connected operations platform built on a multi-year partnership with Google Cloud, providing edge computing, predictive maintenance, and intelligent management tools across approximately 43,000 restaurants worldwide.
• Golden Arches Unlimited McDonald's branded merchandise storefront, separate from the food business; referenced in site footer and used for cross-category collaborations such as the Nike Book 2 × McDonald's sneaker and Cactus Plant Flea Market collabs.
• Arch Card (Gift Card) McDonald's branded gift card usable at participating U.S. restaurants; loading the card does not accrue MyMcDonald's Rewards points, but purchases paid for with the card do.
• McDonald's Global Restaurant Footprint Operates over 45,000 locations in more than 100 countries, with approximately 95% owned and operated by independent local franchisees. Operates across North America, South America, European Markets, African Markets, and Asian & Oceanic Markets.

Named customers1 record

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability14 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Coca-ColaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 June 2026Ending a 70-year exclusive beverage partnership, McDonald's is introducing custom sodas, refreshers, and a Red Bull energy drink line alongside Coca-Cola fountain supply. Coca-Cola co-brands the FIFA World Cup 26 cups and Panini digital bundles. Coca-Cola retains its fountain soda role but now competes with alternative beverage suppliers inside McDonald's for the first time at this scale.
• Google (Google Cloud)flagshipTechnology or Integration · 12 June 2026Multi-year strategic partnership powering McDonald's connected-operations platform ArchIQ, including the ArchIQ / 'Archy' AI drive-thru. Google Cloud Edge infrastructure will be deployed nationwide ahead of a broader rollout, replacing the discontinued IBM automated-ordering partnership and serving as the foundation of the McDonald's > NEXT strategy.
• FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Multi-year Tier 2 FIFA World Cup 26 sponsor (one of three tier groups; alongside Visa, Adidas, Aramco, Qatar Airways, Coca-Cola, Lenovo). Launched the FIFA World Cup 26 Meal with 9 collectible cups (Christian Pulisic, David Beckham, Ronaldinho, Son Heung-min, Lamine Yamal, Alphonso Davies, Thierry Henry, Giménez, Grimace), 23 Squishmallows plushies, FIFA Rivals digital rewards, and the McDonald's FC crew attendance program.
• VisaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Official Payment Provider for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, managing ticketing, in-stadium purchases, and cross-border transactions across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico using AI-driven fraud detection (99.9% accuracy) and open banking protocols; featured alongside Bank of America and McDonald's as Official Sponsors showcasing digital payments and mobile-first ordering.
• Nike and Devin Booker (NBA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 May 2026First-ever McDonald's x Nike collaboration: limited-edition Nike Book 2 'Sanddrift and Teal Nebula' basketball sneaker ($155) inspired by the unique Sedona, AZ McDonald's turquoise arches, with a one-day invite-only pop-up at that Sedona restaurant on May 29 and general release June 2 on Nike SNKRS; Friends & Family edition via McDonald's app sweepstakes May 22–28.
• Ernst & Young LLPcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 22 May 2026Independent registered public accounting firm; ratified as McDonald's auditor at the 2026 Annual Shareholders' Meeting.
• NetflixcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNetflix's largest-ever global fast-food tie-in with McDonald's for the 'Stranger Things' animated spinoff, building on the prior success of the 'KPop Demon Hunters' Happy Meal (released late March 2026), which set Netflix records including 52 consecutive weeks on the global Top 10 and ~640M total views.
• Mattel, Hasbro, LegocoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMerchandise partners for the 'KPop Demon Hunters' franchise alongside McDonald's, General Mills, Anua, and Fortnite, supporting toys, food tie-ins, gaming, and beauty activations.
• Cactus Plant Flea MarketminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLimited-edition merchandise collaboration as part of McDonald's push to treat merch as a strategic loyalty and marketing tool, joining peers such as Jack In The Box x The Hundreds and Greggs x KFC cross-QSR partnerships.
• DoorDash (and other delivery aggregators)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery aggregator partner powering McDelivery in many U.S. markets; highlighted by JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank as a World Cup 2026 beneficiary stock alongside McDonald's.
• Mythical GamescoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital integration powering the FIFA Rivals promotional codes bundled with the FIFA World Cup 26 Meal — Grimace Bundle (June 9–30, 2026) and Trophy Bundle (June 30 – July 19, 2026) — redeemable in Mythical's FIFA Rivals game by November 1, 2026.
• PaninicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-branded digital collectibles partner for the FIFA World Cup 26 Meal — McDonald's app users receive promotion codes redeemable at paninicollection.fifa.com or the FIFA Panini Collection App by August 19, 2026.
• PepsiCo, IBM, WPP, Kimberly-Clark, Lowe's, Target, Heineken, Best Buy, Novo NordiskminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeer companies co-investing in India-based Global Capability Centres (GCCs) — McDonald's India GCC operates as a strategic hub for AI, analytics, and customer intelligence within a broader ecosystem of 2,100+ India GCCs employing 2.3M people and generating ~$100B in annual value.
• Walmart, Marriott (and other large chains)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-listed in a 5W AI Communications study on AI engine brand recommendations; McDonald's ranked dominant by AI in only a small number of states despite operating in 49 — used as a peer reference point for AI brand visibility.
• California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) & Xavier Becerra gubernatorial campaignminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMcDonald's (alongside Meta, Airbnb, Chevron, Centene) collectively contributed $2.6M to a pro-Becerra outside spending committee after CalChamber endorsed him — signals political / civic alignment in California.
• India regulatory / market adaptation partners (FSSAI-aligned supply chain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Indian sourcing and supply partners (e.g., palm oil substitution, Aloo Patty sub at Subway, beef-to-chicken swap at McDonald's) operating under India FSSAI regulations.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Chick-fil-A: Largest U.S. chicken QSR by system sales, ranked #2 in YouGov Best Bites 2026 (35.5%) and explicitly named by McDonald's CEO as the specialist competitor McDonald's > NEXT must outrun on hospitality, speed, and taste. Direct peer in U.S. QSR chicken/burger share battle with comparable drive-thru dominance.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill: Large-cap U.S. fast-casual chain competing for the same mass-market dining occasions with a digitally forward operating model (Chipotle app, Mobile Order). Direct peer as a non-franchised but high-growth QSR comparable to McDonald's on digital throughput, loyalty scale, and trading-up consumer segment.
• Domino's Pizza: Global pizza QSR leader with a predominantly franchised model, heavy digital ordering/app investment, and strong U.S. CTV presence (1.1B Q1 2026 impressions vs. McDonald's 3.1B). Direct peer in QSR digital ordering maturity, third-party delivery aggregation, and value-tier meal deal strategy.
• Wendy's: U.S. burger QSR chain (33.2% YouGov Best Bites 2026 share) with a heavily franchised North American footprint. Direct peer in burger category, value-tier menu architecture (Wendy's $5 Biggie Bag vs. McValue), and digital ordering investments including its own AI drive-thru pilot.
• Restaurant Brands International: Owner of Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes, and Firehouse Subs. Closest direct competitor in the burger QSR category globally, also running a predominantly franchised model with comparable royalty-driven economics and overlap on McDonald's key dayparts (breakfast via Tim Hortons, chicken via Popeyes, burgers via Burger King).
• Papa John's: Global pizza QSR competitor with heavily franchised model and strong digital/app loyalty infrastructure. Direct peer in QSR digital ordering, third-party delivery partnerships, and franchise-driven international expansion across overlapping markets.
• Subway: One of the world's largest QSR chains by unit count (~37,000), privately held under Roark Capital since 2024, with comparable franchised economics and global footprint. Direct peer in sandwich/sub daypart competition, franchisee structure, and global value-tier positioning.
• Starbucks: Global QSR chain with similar scale (40,000+ stores in 80+ countries), comparable U.S. mass-market consumer base, and a heavily franchised/licensed model in international markets. Direct peer on beverage-led daypart competition (McCafé vs. Starbucks core) and digital loyalty scale (MyMcDonald's Rewards vs. Starbucks Rewards).
• Yum! Brands: Operator of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Habit Burger — a multi-brand franchised QSR holding company with a comparable ~95%+ franchised model, global footprint, and similar revenue scale (~$7B+ system sales). Direct peer because both run asset-light, high-margin franchise royalty engines across overlapping categories (chicken, burgers, pizza).
• Burger King (parented by Restaurant Brands International): Burger-focused QSR competitor (31.6% YouGov Best Bites 2026 share) directly contesting McDonald's core Big Mac/Whopper rivalry. Direct peer in U.S. burger share battle, value menu positioning, and franchise-driven international expansion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/McDonaldsCorp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRI5ZedBs0_BYY4PlxD6m7w
• Facebookfacebook.com/McDonalds
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcdonald%27s-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/mcdonalds
• TikToktiktok.com/@mcdonalds_corp

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A6 records

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McDonald's