In the era of quick business shutdowns and cut-throat competition, there are a few brands that shine for years.
Such brands, with consistency, reliability, and superlative products and services, become household names.
When it comes to restaurant chains, McDonald’s is one such global brand that has carved a niche for itself. With consistent innovation and continuous customer-centric operations, McDonald’s has become a numero uno brand when it comes to fast-food chains.
If someone asks you how many McDonald’s restaurants in USA, refer to this blog. We have covered the topic here with insightful details to give you a comprehensive overview of the presence of McDonald’s in the USA.
However, first of all, we will start with the introduction of McDonald’s.
McDonald’s: Introduction
Ask any American: What is McDonald’s and he might get offended. It is not just a fast-food chain, but a significant part of the American landscape when it comes to the fast-food restaurant industry.
McDonald’s was founded by two brothers: Richard and Maurice McDonald, in 1940. The first outlet was opened in San Bernardino, California as a drive-in restaurant.
Since then, McDonald’s never looked back. Its growth story can inspire any entrepreneur who wants to create a brand that rules the hearts of customers.
The answer of the question that we ask, how many McDonald’s in US, must be credited to Ray Kroc who started the franchise model for McDonald’s in the 1950s.
Today, McDonald’s is a cultural institution with 40,000+ restaurants worldwide, around a quarter are in the US.
With new, innovative food item options from Super Size Me to McFlurry frenzy, its annual global revenues reached $25.92 billion in 2024.
What is the success of McDonald’s?
Is it the number of food varieties they serve or innovation? Is it the quality of food or its drive-through options?
No, the real reason why McDonald’s has set a benchmark for years is its accessibility. The answer to how many McDonald’s are in the US is 13,000+.
With such accessibility in almost all the US cities and states, McDonald’s is the name that pops up in the minds of Americans when they think of a quick bite.
Distribution of McDonald’s Outlets in the United States by State
The distribution of McDonald’s does not happen randomly. There are various parameters taken into consideration for that. Some of them are population growth, urban sprawl, regional eating preferences, corporate presence. For example, Texas and California are running neck to neck when it comes to McDonald’s number stores.
However, Texas is a bit ahead in the game due to its sprawling suburbs and highway culture. There is a McDonald’s store per 24,000 residents compared to California with one store per 32,000 residents, despite the latter having much bigger size.
Check out the below table to get a glimpse of the question: how many McDonald’s in the US.
The table reveals that McDonald’s has a sheer presence in 58 states and territories, except some remote areas like American Samoa.
| Rank | State / Territory | Number of Restaurants | % of US Total | Population per Restaurant (Approx.) |
| 1 | Texas | ~1,232 | ~9% | ~23,500 |
| 2 | California | ~1,227 | ~9% | ~32,200 |
| 3 | Florida | ~885 | ~6% | ~24,300 |
| 4 | Illinois | ~642 | ~5% | ~19,700 |
| 5 | Ohio | ~618 | ~5% | ~18,900 |
| 6 | New York | ~573 | ~4% | ~34,000 |
| 7 | Michigan | ~522 | ~4% | ~19,100 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | ~476 | ~3% | ~26,900 |
| 9 | North Carolina | ~476 | ~3% | ~22,000 |
| 10 | Georgia | ~450 | ~3% | ~23,600 |
Factors Considered for the Permission a McDonald’s Outlet
You cannot just open a McDonald’s store in your area. It does not happen randomly. There is a data-driven analysis for that. There are various parameters checked before offering the permission to open a McDonald’s store. These parameters are discussed below:
Demographics and Population Density
People who love to visit McDonald’s are families, young people and office goers with average salaries. Hence, they prefer areas with growing populations that fall in those categories. Some of the criteria that they count are age, income brackets, race, and projected growth of the area.
Traffic Patterns and Accessibility
Another parameter is traffic patterns and accessibility. They find sites with 20,000+ daily vehicles as potential ones, especially on going-home sides of roads. Also, they check drive-thru viability as well. 70% of US sales happen there. Also, if the site is the public transit hub, it is an added advantage.
Competition & Market Saturation
They also check the competitive landscape before issuing a franchise. For example, if there is a Burger King restaurant nearby the area, it will affect the density and placement of the restaurant, leading to higher concentration in competitive markets.
Economic and Zoning Factors
They also take cost into consideration while issuing a franchise. Property taxes, lease costs, and zoning laws also matter while starting a new McDonald’s restaurant. They always choose low-risk sites with commercial synergy to succeed. They also keep things like safety data, speed limits, and traffic directions in mind while choosing the site.
Local Culture and Demand
What are the eating preferences in the area you want to start an outlet? Do they love fast-food? If not, it will be a disastrous decision. On the other hand, tourist destinations and transient crowds prefer such food.
Such micro-analysis ensures that most McDonald’s ventures end up into successful businesses.
City-Wise Data for McDonald’s Stores
To get a better idea of how McDonald’s stores are spread across the USA, you also need to check city-wise stores.
As you can see in the below table, Houston in Texas tops the game, thanks to its resident needs, tourism, economic growth and local tastes.
| Rank | City | State | Number of Locations (Approx.) | Note |
| 1 | Houston | Texas | ~125 | A widely recognized “fast food capital” of the US. |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | ~102 | Home of McDonald’s Global Headquarters. |
| 3 | San Antonio | Texas | ~80 | Another densely populated Texas metro area. |
| 4 | Las Vegas | Nevada | ~73 | Driven by tourism and high visitor volume. |
| 5 | Los Angeles | California | ~63 | Surprisingly low for its size, indicating different urban sprawl dynamics. |
| 6 | Phoenix | Arizona | ~60 | A rapidly expanding Sun Belt city. |
Conclusion
So what would be the answer to the question- how many McDonald’s restaurants in USA? Well, we have already covered it in the blog. The approximate answer is 13,700 outlets spread across the USA.
The reason behind the massive success of McDonald’s is its accessibility and its ability to pin-point the right locations, based on real-time data such as demographics, competitive landscape, traffic, and others. Though StarBucks and Subway may suppress McDonald’s in raw location count, there is no match with the latter when it comes to cultural weight, global scale, and superlative average sales volume per store.
