What mcdonald's korea does

McDonald's Korea (한국맥도날드 유한회사) is a privately held master franchisee of McDonald's Corporation that operates quick-service restaurants across South Korea. Founded in 1988 with its first store in Apgujeong, Seoul, it now runs 348 company-owned stores plus an undisclosed franchise footprint spanning all 17 Korean provinces and cities, under the leadership of Representative Director Kim Ki-won. The company serves general consumers and families through dine-in, takeout, drive-through, McDelivery, and mobile-app channels, with menu lines spanning burgers (including Signature Burger and the local 'Taste of Korea' / 한국의 맛 regional line), McMorning breakfast, McLunch, sides and desserts, McCafé beverages (over 130,000 cups sold daily), Happy Meal, and Happy Snack.

The operating platform centers on a proprietary Made For You cooking system with automated top-and-bottom grilling (218.5°C / 176.8°C), an automated patty-production line with X-ray and metal-detector quality control, VeroFresh real-time temperature monitoring for delivery logistics, and a mobile app (integrated with McDelivery in 2025) that powers the My McDonald's Rewards loyalty program. McDonald's Korea holds ISMS-P certification (2024–2027) for external services and, in 2024, became the first Korean QSR to deploy voice-guided kiosks for visually impaired customers at 100% of company-owned stores, alongside a WA Web Accessibility quality certification (2025–2026). Supply chain is FSSC 22000-certified and moves roughly 14,000 tons of domestic agricultural ingredients annually (2024), with the Taste of Korea program alone sourcing 1,000+ tons from named local farms (Changnyeong, Boseong, Jindo, Jinju, Iksan) and surpassing 30 million cumulative menu units by 2025.

Revenue is generated through direct restaurant sales (transaction fees), McDelivery service fees, franchise royalties from independent operators, and a recurring app-membership / loyalty layer. The business is increasingly ecosystem-driven: partnerships span delivery logistics (Vroong, Barogo, Logiall), payment gateways (NHN KCP, Nice Payments, The M Company), cloud and app infrastructure (AWS, Microsoft Azure, Plexure, Capgemini), and social-impact programs (Ronald McDonald House Korea, BYN BlackYak, Ploome Social Farm, smart-farm circular-supply initiatives). In 2022 the nationwide McDelivery fleet converted fully to electric bikes, and in 2024 McDonald's Korea introduced an industry-first bio-wax burger wrapper and expanded r-PET pad use, reinforcing its positioning as Korea's most digitally and ESG-invested QSR franchisee.

Name

mcdonald's korea

Legal name

한국맥도날드 유한회사

Website

https://mcdonalds.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Short description

McDonald's Korea is a privately held master franchisee of McDonald's Corporation operating 348 company-owned quick-service restaurants across South Korea, serving general consumers and families through dine-in, drive-thru, McDelivery, and an integrated mobile app with the My McDonald's Rewards loyalty program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick Service Restaurant

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Burger QSR (THAFAAAA)

Keywords

• Quick service restaurant
• Fast food dining
• Burger restaurant
• Food delivery service
• Breakfast menu

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Sales (Direct): Revenue generated from direct food and beverage sales at company-owned and franchise restaurants, including dine-in, takeout, and drive-through purchases.
2. McDelivery Service: Revenue from delivery orders placed through the McDelivery platform (M오더), including both member and non-member orders via the mobile app and telephone ordering.
3. Franchise Royalty and Fees: Revenue from franchise partnerships with independent operators who pay royalties and fees for the McDonald's brand, systems, and operational support.
4. McDonald's App Membership Services: My McDonald's Rewards program providing points accumulation, digital coupons, and personalized marketing through app membership.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

McDonald's Korea operates quick service restaurants across South Korea, serving burgers, side dishes, desserts, breakfast items, coffee, and beverages through dine-in, takeout, drive-through, and McDelivery channels. The company runs a network of company-owned and franchised restaurants nationwide, supplemented by a mobile app for ordering and loyalty rewards, voice-guided accessible kiosks, and a fleet of electric delivery bikes.

Product overview

McDonald's Korea operates a multi-category quick service restaurant (QSR) portfolio organized around its core food and beverage offerings and digital delivery services. The product lineup is structured around burger categories (버거), lunch meals (맥런치), breakfast menus (맥모닝), sides and desserts (사이드&디저트), McCafé beverages (맥카페&음료), Happy Meal children's meals (해피밀), and Happy Snack items (해피스낵). Digitally, McDonald's Korea offers a unified mobile application that integrates the McDelivery (맥딜리버리) service, enabling customers to order food for delivery directly through the app. The company also operates a nationwide store network and is supported by social contribution initiatives including Happy Work charity walks and Ronald McDonald House Korea.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 맥카페 (McCafé): Premium coffee brand offering 100% Arabica coffee sourced from Colombia, Brazil, and Central America, roasted in Malaysia.
• 맥딜리버리 (McDelivery)
• GMAL (맥도날드 앱)
• 행복의 버거 (Happy Burger)
• 해피워크 (Happy Walk)
• 한국의 맛 (Taste of Korea)
• 로날드 맥도날드 하우스 (Ronald McDonald House)

Products and services

• McDonald's App (맥도날드 앱) Mobile application integrating McDelivery ordering, My McDonald's Rewards loyalty program, digital coupons, and personalized promotions for individual consumers across South Korea.
• McDelivery (맥딜리버리) Food delivery service operated by McDonald's Korea, enabling customers to have menu items delivered to their doorstep via electric bikes and contracted third-party logistics partners.
• Burgers (버거) Full-range hamburger and sandwich menu including standard burgers, 1955 Burger, Signature Burger premium line, BTS collaboration set, and regional Taste of Korea specialty burgers featuring Korean ingredients such as Changnyeong garlic, Boseong green tea pork, Jindo onion, Jinju chili cream cheese, and Iksan sweet potato mozzarella.
• McMorning (맥모닝) Breakfast menu category offering items such as Sausage Egg McMuffin, Bacon Egg McMuffin, Egg McMuffin, and drip coffee for morning customers.
• McLunch (맥런치) Lunch-time menu category featuring bundled meals and burger combos offered during midday hours.
• Sides & Desserts (사이드&디저트) Side dishes and dessert category including French fries, chicken products such as McSpicy Shanghai Burger, McCrispy Burger, Chicken Tender, McNuggets, and dessert items.
• McCafé & Beverages (맥카페&음료) Beverage and coffee category including premium coffee made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from Colombia, Brazil, and Central America, roasted in Malaysia, with over 130,000 cups sold daily.
• Happy Meal (해피밀) Children's meal product featuring a meal box with a main item, side, drink, and toy, supporting social contribution through donations from sales of special items to Ronald McDonald House Korea.
• Happy Snack (해피스낵) Snack-oriented meal option distinct from the full Happy Meal, offering lighter snack combinations for children.
• My McDonald's Rewards (마이 맥도날드 리워드) Loyalty rewards program enabling customers to earn points based on payment amounts and redeem digital coupons, with personalized marketing based on customer purchase history and behavior, operated through the McDonald's app.
• Drive-Thru (드라이브 스루) Drive-through service platform enabling customers to order and receive food without leaving their vehicles; Korea's first Drive-Thru was introduced by McDonald's in 1992, with Tandem Drive-Thru allowing two vehicles to order simultaneously introduced in 2021.
• 24-Hour Store Service 24-hour store operating model offering continuous food service around the clock at participating restaurant locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000만 개 이상 누적 판매 달성 (2025년 기준)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• McDonald's Corporation (Global Markets LLC)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024McDonald's Korea's parent company based in the US (Chicago, IL). Manages system maintenance and operations. Personal data transferred for service purposes under privacy law Article 28-8-3.
• AWS (Amazon Web Services Inc.)coreTechnology or IntegrationCloud infrastructure provider for McDelivery server hosting. Data hosted in Singapore (27 Tampines Street 92). Privacy contact: [email protected]
• Capgemini America, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite and related system development, maintenance, and support. Located at 79 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10003.
• Microsoft AzurecoreTechnology or IntegrationServer hosting services. Data centers in Netherlands (Agriport 601, Middenmeer) and Ireland (Leopardstown, Dublin).
• PlexurecoreTechnology or IntegrationCustomer customized app service implementation and advertising delivery. Located at 2021 Midwest Road Suite 200 Oak Brook Chicago, IL.
• 한국 로날드 맥도날드하우스 재단 (Ronald McDonald House Charities Korea)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit foundation providing accommodation near hospitals for seriously ill children and their families. Opened first facility in 2017 at Busan National University Hospital in Yangsan. McDonald's Korea is the largest donor, contributing from Happy Meal and Lucky Burger sales.
• BYN 블랙야크 그룹 (BYN BlackYak Group)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to transform plastic waste from McDonald's restaurants into eco-friendly uniforms. 500ml PET bottles (55 units) and cup lids (67 units) are used to make one uniform.
• 지역 농가 (Local Farms Partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaste of Korea project sourcing from local farms in Changnyeong (garlic), Boseong (green tea pork), Jindo (green onion), Jinju (pepper cream cheese), Iksan (sweet potato mozzarella). Over 1,000 tons of local ingredients sourced annually.
• 푸르메소셜팜 (Ploome Social Farm)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart farm for developmental disability youth. McDonald's Korea employees conduct regular volunteer activities. Supports company's values of diversity, inclusion, and community contribution.
• 국가평생교육진흥원 (Korea National Institute for Lifelong Education)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop and distribute kiosk education materials for digital-vulnerable populations, particularly elderly users. Includes educational programs at restaurants.
• 스마트팜 (Smart Farm Partners)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoffee grounds (coffee dregs) from McCafé and waste materials from tomato-growing smart farms are collected to create eco-friendly fertilizer, which is used to grow lettuce that returns to McDonald's supply chain.
• 주식회사 부릉 (Vroong)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery partner with sub-contracted delivery agencies for McDelivery service. Part of Mesh Korea.
• 주식회사 바로고 (Barogo)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery partner for McDelivery service with network of delivery agencies and partner companies (바다코리아, 더원인터내셔널).
• 주식회사 로지올/생각대로 (Logiall)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery logistics partner with nationwide branch network for McDelivery service.
• NHN KCPcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing gateway for McDonald's app transactions.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lotteria: Korea's largest domestic burger QSR chain operated by Lotte Group. Directly competes with McDonald's Korea on burgers, breakfast, and value menus, with similar drive-thru and dine-in formats. The principal domestic burger QSR competitor.
• Mom's Touch (맘스터치): Korean burger and chicken QSR chain known for value-positioned burgers and chicken-focused menu. Direct competitor targeting similar mass-market consumer segments with aggressive pricing and local menu innovation.
• Burger King Korea: Korean subsidiary of Restaurant Brands International operating Burger King. Direct global QSR peer competing on flame-grilled burgers, Whopper platform, and value promotions across dine-in, drive-thru, and delivery in Korea.
• KFC Korea: Korean operator of KFC under Yum! Brands. Competes with McDonald's Korea in the QSR chicken/burger category, with overlapping delivery, app loyalty, and dine-in channels in Korea.
• No Brand Burger (노브랜드버거): Korean value-positioned burger QSR operated by CJ Freshway. Competes directly with McDonald's Korea on affordable burgers and family meals, with strong regional presence outside Seoul.
• Subway Korea: Subway-operated sandwich QSR chain in Korea. Competes with McDonald's Korea for lunch traffic, breakfast occasions, and delivery orders, with similar franchise model and nationwide store footprint.

Broad incumbents

• McDonald's Corporation: Global parent and master franchisor of McDonald's Korea. Operates 36,000+ stores in 100+ countries; McDonald's Korea is a master franchisee of this incumbent, sharing brand, technology, and supply chain standards.
• Yum! Brands: Global QSR holding company owning KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. Comparable as a global QSR incumbent whose Korean subsidiary (KFC Korea) competes with McDonald's Korea in the same channels.
• Restaurant Brands International: Global QSR holding company owning Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes, and Firehouse Subs. Its Burger King Korea subsidiary directly competes with McDonald's Korea in the burger QSR category.

Others

• Baemin (배달의민족) / Woowa Brothers: Korea's largest restaurant meal delivery aggregator, operated by Woowa Brothers (Delivery Hero). McDonald's Korea operates its own McDelivery rather than relying on Baemin, but Baemin is the dominant channel competing for Korean delivery orders McDonald's Korea might otherwise capture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/mcdonalds_kr

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about mcdonald's korea