How many McDonald’s restaurants are there in the world?

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t know the iconic McDonald’s jingle or recognize the signature golden arches. Unless you live in one of the countries that doesn’t have a McDonald’s, there is no fast food more readily available than Mickey D’s. In fact, it’s the largest global fast food chain with over 40,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries.

Thanks to Ray Kroc’s influence, McDonald’s opened as a burger joint in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955 and quickly expanded into a globalized restaurant company. Most of its stores (and its highest profits) are in its home country, with more than 13,000 locations in the United States. But McDonald’s stores in other countries in Asia, Latin America and Europe also record impressive numbers.

France is Europe’s largest McDonald’s location with over 1,500 locations, closely followed by Germany. China’s nearly 5,000 locations unsurprisingly take the top spot in the Pacific Asia and Middle East region, and Brazil leads South and Central America with just over 1,000 restaurants. Many Central Asian countries have a significant shortage of McDonald’s, and the chain is virtually nonexistent in African countries, with the exception of four: South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, and Mauritania. Interestingly, California has almost the same number of locations as France, making it the U.S. state with the most McDonald’s outlets (followed by Texas and Florida). In 2023 alone, McDonald’s grossed $8.47 billion worldwide.

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Why McDonald’s is successful worldwide

McDonald’s is successful in every region because it is consistent and adaptable. In the United States, McDonald’s is often praised for its unchanging menu. Aside from celebrity collaborations, which usually involve revamping existing dishes (often with limited-edition sauces), the menu has remained relatively the same since the introduction of chicken nuggets in the 1980s and McFlurries in the 1990s. The same is true around the world, just in different fonts. McDonald’s menus differ in other countries depending on the culture and culinary traditions of each region.

The company is so committed to globalization that it even hosts an annual worldwide convention to showcase samples from its global menu. This event is a tradition that dates back to the 1960s, when Ray Kroc and international McDonald’s operators came together to learn from each other. The convention has been held in North America so far, but will be held in a European country for the first time in 2024. In April, McDonald’s suppliers and employees will meet in Barcelona, ​​Spain, to discuss further opportunities for the brand and celebrate its global successes.

The story continues

In a December 2023 press release, McDonald’s announced that the company plans to reach at least 50,000 locations worldwide by 2027, so expansion will undoubtedly be a hot topic at the annual gathering. It’s clear that the world won’t see the end of McNugget meals anytime soon.

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