🍔 The Answer
13,814 McDonald’s Restaurants in the United StatesIf you’ve ever wondered how many McDonald’s are there in the US, you’re not alone. The Golden Arches have become such an iconic part of American culture that knowing the exact count feels like knowing a piece of national trivia. As of February 2026, there are 13,814 McDonald’s restaurants operating across the United States, making it the largest fast-food chain by revenue in America and one of the most visible brands on the planet.
But that number only tells part of the story. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down how many McDonald’s restaurants are in the United States by state, identify the cities with the most locations, explore which territories surprisingly don’t have a McDonald’s, and compare McDonald’s dominance against its competitors. Whether you’re a market researcher, real estate analyst, competitive intelligence professional, or just curious about McDonald’s reach across America, this data-rich guide has everything you need.
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Get McDonald’s Dataset →What is the Total Number of McDonald’s Restaurants in the US?
As of February 2026, there are exactly 13,814 McDonald’s restaurants operating in the United States across 58 states and territories. This represents approximately 31% of all McDonald’s locations worldwide, making the US by far the largest market for the Golden Arches.
The number of McDonald’s in America has remained relatively stable in recent years, with the company focusing more on renovations and digital transformation than aggressive new openings in its home market. In fact, McDonald’s briefly experienced a net decrease in US locations between 2015-2020, the first such decline since 1970. However, the company has returned to modest growth, with expansion now targeting high-growth areas like Northern Texas.
Key Statistics About McDonald’s in the USA
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total US Locations | 13,814 | As of February 2026 |
| States with McDonald’s | 50 + DC | All 50 states covered |
| Territories with McDonald’s | 5 | PR, Guam, CNMI, etc. |
| Territories Without | 2 | US Virgin Islands, American Samoa |
| Cities with Locations | 5,000+ | Urban and rural coverage |
| Franchise Percentage | 95% | Only ~5% company-owned |
| Average Revenue per Location | $3.96 million | 2024 AUV data |
| Daily Customers Served | 25 million+ | US estimate |
💡 Did You Know? McDonald’s drive-throughs account for approximately 70% of all sales in the United States. This drive-through dominance is a key factor in McDonald’s site selection strategy, favoring locations with easy vehicular access.
McDonald’s Locations by State: Complete 2026 Breakdown
When asking how many McDonalds are in the USA, the answer varies dramatically by state. Texas leads with over 1,250 locations, while Vermont has just 24. Here’s the complete state-by-state breakdown:
Top 20 States with the Most McDonald’s Restaurants
| Rank | State | Locations | % of Total | Per 100K People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 1,254 | 9.1% | 4.3 |
| 2 | California | 1,221 | 8.8% | 3.1 |
| 3 | Florida | 885 | 6.4% | 4.2 |
| 4 | Illinois | 656 | 4.7% | 5.2 |
| 5 | Ohio | 615 | 4.5% | 5.3 |
| 6 | New York | 573 | 4.1% | 2.9 |
| 7 | Michigan | 524 | 3.8% | 5.2 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 473 | 3.4% | 3.7 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 469 | 3.4% | 4.5 |
| 10 | Georgia | 445 | 3.2% | 4.2 |
| 11 | Indiana | 378 | 2.7% | 5.6 |
| 12 | Tennessee | 359 | 2.6% | 5.2 |
| 13 | Missouri | 340 | 2.5% | 5.5 |
| 14 | Virginia | 338 | 2.4% | 4.0 |
| 15 | Arizona | 312 | 2.3% | 4.3 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 298 | 2.2% | 5.1 |
| 17 | Washington | 285 | 2.1% | 3.7 |
| 18 | Minnesota | 278 | 2.0% | 4.9 |
| 19 | Colorado | 265 | 1.9% | 4.6 |
| 20 | Alabama | 261 | 1.9% | 5.2 |
States with the Fewest McDonald’s Locations
| State | Locations | Population | Per 100K People |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 24 | 647,000 | 3.7 |
| Wyoming | 38 | 577,000 | 6.6 |
| Alaska | 39 | 733,000 | 5.3 |
| Delaware | 42 | 1,018,000 | 4.1 |
| Rhode Island | 45 | 1,096,000 | 4.1 |
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Request Dataset →Top U.S. Cities with the Highest Number of McDonald’s Restaurants
Looking at where McDonald’s in America are concentrated at the city level reveals interesting patterns about American dining culture and urban development:
| Rank | City | State | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | Texas | 126 |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 105 |
| 3 | San Antonio | Texas | 82 |
| 4 | Las Vegas | Nevada | 73 |
| 5 | Los Angeles | California | 63 |
| 6 | Phoenix | Arizona | 60 |
| 7 | Dallas | Texas | 56 |
| 8 | Miami | Florida | 56 |
| 9 | Orlando | Florida | 54 |
| 10 | Indianapolis | Indiana | 51 |
🏙️ Interesting Insight: Houston, not New York City or Los Angeles, has the most McDonald’s of any US city. This reflects Houston’s sprawling, car-centric urban design – perfect for McDonald’s drive-through-focused business model. Chicago ranks second partly because it serves as McDonald’s corporate headquarters.
McDonald’s Distribution by US Region
The McDonald’s number stores varies significantly by region, reflecting population density, driving culture, and local franchise economics:
🌵 South (Largest Market)
Texas, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina dominate McDonald’s presence. The South represents the largest concentration of locations, driven by car culture, suburban sprawl, and franchise-friendly business environments. Texas alone houses 9% of all US McDonald’s.
🌾 Midwest (Historical Core)
As McDonald’s birthplace (the company is headquartered in Chicago), the Midwest maintains a dense, mature network. Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana have high per-capita McDonald’s concentration despite smaller populations.
🌴 West (Premium Markets)
California leads with 1,221 locations, but higher real estate costs limit oversaturation. Arizona, Washington, and Colorado show strong presence near highways and suburban centers.
🗽 Northeast (Dense but Fewer)
Despite high population density, the Northeast has comparatively fewer McDonald’s due to expensive real estate, limited drive-through opportunities, and stronger local competition. New York has fewer locations than Ohio despite having twice the population.
What State Does Not Have a McDonald’s?
Here’s a common question: what state does not have a McDonald’s? The answer might surprise you – every single US state has at least one McDonald’s location. Even Vermont, with just 24 locations, and Wyoming, with 38, have Golden Arches representation.
However, there are two US territories without any McDonald’s restaurants:
US Territories WITH McDonald’s
| Territory | Locations | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | 108 | 3.2 million |
| Guam | 7 | 170,000 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 3 | 52,000 |
🤔 Why No McDonald’s in Some Territories?
The absence of McDonald’s in the US Virgin Islands and American Samoa is primarily due to:
- Small population size – Limited customer base
- Supply chain challenges – Remote locations increase logistics costs
- Infrastructure requirements – McDonald’s specific equipment and supplier needs
- Economic factors – Higher operating costs may not justify investment
McDonald’s vs Competitors: US Location Comparison
How does McDonald’s stack up against other major fast-food chains in terms of US locations? Here’s how McDonald’s number stores compares to competitors as of 2026:
| Chain | US Locations | vs McDonald’s | Top State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subway | 20,127 | +46% more | California (1,959) |
| Starbucks | 16,862 | +22% more | California (3,042) |
| McDonald’s | 13,814 | — | Texas (1,254) |
| Burger King | 6,604 | -52% fewer | Texas (562) |
| Wendy’s | 5,830 | -58% fewer | Florida (489) |
| Taco Bell | 8,200 | -41% fewer | California (850+) |
| Chick-fil-A | 3,100+ | -78% fewer | Texas (400+) |
Key Competitive Insights
- Subway has more locations than McDonald’s due to smaller store footprints and lower franchise costs, but McDonald’s generates far more revenue per location ($3.96M vs ~$500K for Subway)
- McDonald’s has 2x more locations than direct burger competitor Burger King, and nearly 2.5x more than Wendy’s
- Chick-fil-A, despite having only 3,100 locations, generates higher per-store revenue than McDonald’s – but remains closed on Sundays
- In the burger segment, McDonald’s dominates: its ~14,000 locations dwarf Burger King’s ~6,600 and Wendy’s ~5,800
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Request Competitor Analysis →How Many McDonald’s Worldwide?
Beyond the US, how many McDonald’s worldwide are there? As of Q3 2025, McDonald’s operates approximately 44,000+ restaurants in over 100 countries, making it one of the largest restaurant chains globally (second only to Mixue Ice Cream & Tea of China, which has 45,000+ locations).
McDonald’s Global Presence
| Country/Region | Locations | % of Global Total |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 13,814 | 31% |
| China | 6,800+ | 15% |
| Japan | 2,950+ | 7% |
| France | 1,540+ | 4% |
| Canada | 1,450+ | 3% |
| United Kingdom | 1,420+ | 3% |
| Germany | 1,350+ | 3% |
| Brazil | 1,150+ | 3% |
| Australia | 1,020+ | 2% |
| Rest of World | 13,000+ | 29% |
🌍 Expansion Plans: McDonald’s has announced plans to reach 50,000 global locations by 2027. Much of this growth will focus on China, where 7,000+ new stores are planned, making it a key priority market alongside Texas in the US.
McDonald Data Scraping: Get the Full List of McDonald’s Locations
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📦 What’s Included in Our McDonald’s Location Dataset
Use Cases for McDonald’s Location Data
- Real Estate Analysis: Identify underserved markets or areas with high McDonald’s density for site selection
- Competitive Intelligence: Compare McDonald’s coverage against Burger King, Wendy’s, and other competitors
- Market Research: Analyze fast-food penetration by state, city, or demographic area
- Investment Analysis: Use location data as an alternative data signal for economic activity
- Supply Chain Planning: Map supplier routes and logistics based on restaurant distribution
- Ad Targeting: Build geofenced campaigns around McDonald’s locations
📁 Available Formats
We deliver McDonald’s location data in your preferred format:
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Whether you’re researching how many McDonald’s restaurants are in the United States, analyzing market coverage, or building competitive intelligence, accurate location data is essential. Our McDonald Data Scraping service provides the most comprehensive, up-to-date dataset available.
With 13,814 locations across 58 states and territories, McDonald’s US presence represents a massive dataset with applications in real estate, investment research, market analysis, and competitive intelligence. Let us help you unlock its value.
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