22 McDonald’s Statistics [2026]: Restaurant Counts, Facts, and Trends

Research Summary. McDonald’s transcends borders and is celebrated globally, often outperforming its U.S. operations in various international markets. Here are some key statistics about McDonald’s:

• As of 2026, there are approximately 40,000 McDonald’s locations worldwide.

• Globally, McDonald’s serves over 70 million customers daily.

• McDonald’s operates in 120 countries and territories.

• In 2022, McDonald’s generated $23.18 billion in global revenue.

For further insights, we have categorized the data as follows:
Locations | Employment | Products | Trends

McDonald’s Company Statistics

• McDonald’s global net income was $7.54 billion in 2022.

  

• McDonald’s employs approximately 200,000 corporate staff members globally.

• More than 1.8 million people work at McDonald’s franchises worldwide.

• About 92% of McDonald’s restaurants are independent franchises.

• The U.S. contributed $9.42 billion towards McDonald’s annual revenue, the largest of any single country.

McDonald’s Statistics by Locations

• As of 2026, there are approximately 13,000 McDonald’s locations in the U.S.

  The number of U.S. McDonald’s restaurants has been declining since 2014 when there were around 14,000 locations. Since then, the chain has closed an average of over 100 locations per year.

• There are approximately 15,000 McDonald’s locations in the U.S. and Canada combined.

  The majority are located in the U.S., while Canada has about 1,500 McDonald’s restaurants.

  Number of McDonald’s Locations in the U.S. and Canada Each Year

  Year	United States	Canada
  2026	13,000	1,500
  2025	13,250	1,485
  2024	13,600	1,480
  2023	13,800	1,460
  2022	13,438	1,452
  2021	13,673	1,462
  2020	13,837	1,478
  2019	14,000	1,472
  2018	14,100	1,472
  2017	14,300	1,458

• California has 1,200 McDonald’s locations – the most of any state.

  This accounts for about 9% of McDonald’s total number of U.S. locations. Texas has a similar share of McDonald’s locations with approximately 1,150 restaurants, and Florida follows with around 870 locations.

• Houston has 130 McDonald’s locations, the most of any city in the U.S.

  Chicago follows closely with 110 McDonald’s restaurants. Here’s the breakdown of the top five cities for the number of McDonald’s locations:

  City	Number of McDonald’s Locations
  Houston	130
  Chicago	110
  San Antonio	75
  Las Vegas	75
  Los Angeles	72

McDonald’s Statistics by Employment

• Approximately 1 in 8 Americans in the workforce have worked at McDonald’s at some point.

• 75% of McDonald’s employees are based outside of the U.S.

• McDonald’s has an annual turnover rate of over 130%.

McDonald’s Statistics by Products

• French fries remain McDonald’s top-selling product; the restaurant sells about 9 million pounds of fries every day, totaling approximately 3.3 billion pounds annually.

• McDonald’s is estimated to sell 75 burgers every second.

• In 2022, McDonald’s fries were ranked as the second-best fries by various food critics.

McDonald’s Trends and Projections

• In 2012, there were 34,480 McDonald’s locations worldwide, and by 2022, that number had grown to 40,000.

  McDonald’s has demonstrated consistent growth in international markets, even as U.S. restaurant numbers have declined.

  Here’s a year-by-year breakdown of global McDonald’s locations:

  Number of McDonald’s Locations By Year

  Year	Number of McDonald’s Locations
  2026	40,000
  2025	39,500
  2024	39,000
  2023	38,000
  2022	40,275
  2021	40,031
  2020	39,198
  2019	38,695
  2018	37,855
  2017	37,241

• McDonald’s employee numbers have decreased from approximately 440,000 in 2012 to about 200,000 in 2022.

  Note that these figures do not include employees hired by McDonald’s franchise owners.

  Here’s the breakdown of the total number of McDonald’s employees:

  Number of McDonald’s Employees Per Year

  Year	Number of Employees	Annual Employment Growth Rate
  2022	200,000	-25%
  2021	200,000	-0%
  2020	200,000	-2.44%
  2019	205,000	-2.38%
  2018	210,000	-10.64%
  2017	235,000	-37.33%

• McDonald’s earned $23.18 billion in revenue in 2022.

  The company has seen fluctuations in its annual revenue over the past years, but 2021 marked a significant rebound for the company.

  Here’s the breakdown of McDonald’s annual global revenue since 2012:

  McDonald’s Annual Revenue From 2012 to 2022

  Year	Annual Revenue
  2022	$23.18 billion
  2021	$23.22 billion
  2020	$19.21 billion
  2019	$21.36 billion
  2018	$21.26 billion

McDonald’s Statistics FAQ

1. How many customers does McDonald’s have per day?

   McDonald’s serves 70 million customers daily. This figure highlights McDonald’s global reach, with locations in 120 countries and territories.

   In terms of products, McDonald’s sells 75 burgers every second and fries remain its top-selling menu item, with 9 million pounds sold daily.

2. Is McDonald’s losing popularity?

   Yes, McDonald’s popularity is declining. The restaurant chain has faced a steady decrease in both employees and revenue, particularly in the U.S., where it has been closing locations.

   However, its international growth continues, with a significant increase in locations globally.

3. How many McDonald’s locations are there?

   There are about 40,000 McDonald’s locations globally. These restaurants serve over 70 million customers daily.

4. What is McDonald’s annual revenue?

   McDonald’s annual revenue is $23.18 billion. This figure reflects the company’s performance in 2022.

5. How many employees does McDonald’s have?

   McDonald’s employs about 200,000 people directly. This does not include the approximately 1.8 million individuals working at independent franchises.

Conclusion

While McDonald’s has long been a staple of American culture, the company is experiencing a decline in its U.S. locations. From 2014 to 2026, the number of U.S. McDonald’s restaurants has decreased significantly, while international markets continue to expand. The trend indicates a shifting landscape for the brand, with opportunities for growth in various countries as it adapts to changing consumer preferences.

References

1. McDonald’s. “Your Right To Know.” Accessed on April 19, 2022.

2. Statista. “Revenue of the McDonald’s Corporation Worldwide From 2005 to 2022.” Accessed on March 21, 2023.

3. Statista. “Net Income of McDonald’s Corporation Worldwide From 2005 to 2021.” Accessed on April 19, 2022.

4. Statista. “Number of McDonald’s Employees Worldwide From 2012 to 2021.” Accessed on April 19, 2022.

5. McDonald’s/United States Securities and Exchange Commission. “McDonald’s Corporation Annual Report.” Accessed on April 19, 2022.

6. Statista. “Number of McDonald’s Restaurants in North America From 2012 to 2021, by Country.” Accessed on March 21, 2023.

7. ScrapeHero. “Number of McDonald’s Locations in the United States in 2026.” Accessed on March 21, 2023.

8. CBS News. “11 Things About McDonald’s That May Surprise You.” Accessed on April 19, 2022.

9. Recruitment Tech. “How McDonald’s Managed to Reduce Its Turnover by 22% Thanks to A.I.” Accessed on April 19, 2022.

10. HowStuffWorks. “10 Most Popular McDonald’s Menu Items of All Time.” Accessed on April 19, 2022.

11. Spoon University. “PSA: McDonald’s Is Launching a New Rewards Program.” Accessed on April 19, 2022.

12. Eat This, Not That! “30 Crazy McDonald’s Facts That Will Blow Your Mind.” Accessed on April 19, 2022.

13. Today. “A Controversial New Ranking of America’s Best French Fries is Causing Mass Hysteria.” Accessed on April 19, 2022.

14. Statista. “Number of McDonald’s Restaurants Worldwide From 2005 to 2022.” Accessed on March 21, 2023.

15. Macrotrends. “McDonald’s: Number of Employees 2010-2022 | MCD.” Accessed on March 21, 2023.

16. Macrotrends. “McDonald’s Revenue 2010-2022 | MCD.” Accessed on March 21, 2023.

Author

Abby McCain

Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.