Quick Verdict · who it fits
McDonald's USA, LLC fits first-time franchise buyers looking for a mature food & beverage concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$701K - $2.8M
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$45K
Royalty (Item 6)
4–5% + 4% ad
System size (Item 20)
13,062 +221
Years in business
21+ yrs
Company-owned units
644
Data extracted from the 2026 FDD filed with state regulators. Fees and terms may have changed since filing — request the current FDD from the franchisor before deciding. Not legal, financial, or investment advice. Full disclaimer.
Drag to your projected annual sales. Royalty 4–5% + ad fund 4% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$500,000
$100k$2M
Royalty (4–5%)
—
Ad fund (4%)
—
Total / year
—
▪ Of-sales fees only · excludes rent, labor, COGS, and one-time costs · for illustration
Free AI summary — the first read on the filing.
13,706
Total units open
221
Units opened last year
46
Units closed last year
46 non-renewals
175
Net unit growth
What our analysis flagged across the 2026 filing.
4
Risks to review
3
Strengths identified
4
Questions to ask
How McDonald's USA ranks against 607 Food & Beverage peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
81st pct · of 607 peers
Franchise fee
74th pct · of 607 peers
System size
99th pct · of 607 peers
Food & Beverage industry averages
Avg investment
$460K - $1.5M
Avg franchise fee
$43K
Avg system size
322
Franchises analyzed
607
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald's USA | Disclosed | $45K | $701K - $2.8M | 4–5% | 13,062 |
| Freddy's, L.l.c.Similar price | Disclosed | $35K | $855K - $2.8M | 5% | 542 |
| Doctor's AssociatesBiggest system | Disclosed | $15K | $227K - $630K | 8% | 18,773 |
| Vintage Hospitality GroupTop-rated in category | Disclosed | $50K | $3.5M - $6.4M | 5.5% | 33 |
Free explainers to go deeper before you sign.
McDonald's USA, LLC requires a $45,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $701,000–$2,807,000, per the most recent FDD on file.
Yes. McDonald's USA, LLC discloses Item 19 financial performance representations in its FDD. See the financials sub-page for the disclosed figures.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 4.0% to 5.0% and an advertising fund contribution of 4% on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
As of their 2026 FDD, McDonald's USA, LLC has 13,062 total locations, with 221 new locations opened in the most recent reporting year. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
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