Skip to the lesson

McDonald'sLesson 1 of 4

Part 1 of 3, 0 done
HQBURGERS$BURGERS$BURGERS$

2025 report · 9 min

How McDonald's makes money

Most McDonald's restaurants belong to someone else. So what does McDonald's own, and what do the owners pay it?

Ticket 01 · The guess

How much of a franchisee's sales reach McDonald's?

Customers spent $129.7Bsec.gov ·2025 in 2025 at McDonald's restaurants run by franchisees. That money isn't McDonald's: it's the franchisees' sales.

What share of it reached McDonald's, as rent, royalties and fees?

30%
0%50%
Words to know

Spot something wrong?

Tell us what looks off. No name or email needed.

What kind of problem?

0 / 1000

We'll also send this page, the lesson, ticket 1, so we can find it. Nothing else. Privacy

·
Sources and every number (1)

Sources

  • McDonald's Corporation annual report (Form 10-K), fiscal 2025 · McDonald's Corporation, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 2025

Every number

  • $16.5Bsec.gov ·2025 · Revenues from franchised restaurants, 2025: rent, royalties and initial fees.
  • $129.7Bsec.gov ·2025 · Franchised sales worldwide, 2025: sales at restaurants run by franchisees, which aren't McDonald's revenue.
  • 12.8%sec.gov ·2025 · Worked out from the 10-K: revenues from franchised restaurants (rent plus royalties plus fees) ÷ franchised sales, worldwide, 2025.
  1. Lessons›
  2. Big companies›
  3. McDonald's
  • ·Next: How McDonald's is organized
  • ·Free guide: How McDonald's makes money
Skip to the lesson

McDonald'sLesson 1 of 4

Part 1 of 3, 0 done
HQBURGERS$BURGERS$BURGERS$

2025 report · 9 min

How McDonald's makes money

Most McDonald's restaurants belong to someone else. So what does McDonald's own, and what do the owners pay it?

Ticket 01 · The guess

How much of a franchisee's sales reach McDonald's?

Customers spent $129.7Bsec.gov ·2025 in 2025 at McDonald's restaurants run by franchisees. That money isn't McDonald's: it's the franchisees' sales.

What share of it reached McDonald's, as rent, royalties and fees?

30%
0%50%
Words to know

Spot something wrong?

Tell us what looks off. No name or email needed.

What kind of problem?

0 / 1000

We'll also send this page, the lesson, ticket 1, so we can find it. Nothing else. Privacy

·
Sources and every number (1)

Sources

  • McDonald's Corporation annual report (Form 10-K), fiscal 2025 · McDonald's Corporation, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 2025

Every number

  • $16.5Bsec.gov ·2025 · Revenues from franchised restaurants, 2025: rent, royalties and initial fees.
  • $129.7Bsec.gov ·2025 · Franchised sales worldwide, 2025: sales at restaurants run by franchisees, which aren't McDonald's revenue.
  • 12.8%sec.gov ·2025 · Worked out from the 10-K: revenues from franchised restaurants (rent plus royalties plus fees) ÷ franchised sales, worldwide, 2025.
  1. Lessons›
  2. Big companies›
  3. McDonald's
  • ·Next: How McDonald's is organized
  • ·Free guide: How McDonald's makes money