5 facts about McDonald's you probably didn’t know
With over 42,000 locations worldwide, McDonald's is the second-largest fast-food chain, with nearly one-third of its stores in the United States. From its iconic burgers to McFlurries, many of the brand's offerings have become go-to choices for millions. Also known as the Golden Arches, the franchise holds a special place in American food culture.
Due to its huge popularity, fans are always excited to know about their favorite fast-food chain. Facts, like how Ray Kroc transformed the 'Speedee Service System' outlet of the McDonald brothers into a global franchise giant, are known to almost every fan of the label.
However, there are several lesser-known facts about McDonald's that many may not be aware of. Here are five such intriguing facts.
Disclaimer: The facts listed below are based on the writer's research. Those who find any more interesting facts can share them in the comments.
Here are five lesser-known facts about McDonald's
1) Real estate generates more revenue than burgers
The burgers and fries are the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of McDonald's, and they are indeed the face of the brand. The company earns a huge profit by selling them, but they don't make the biggest revenue share for the company.
Interestingly, Golden Arches earns more from rental income than from selling burgers or fries. A November 2023 report in USA Today summarized the results of the first three quarters of 2023 as:
"McDonald's has earned over $7.3 billion in rental income so far in 2023. This represents 63.5% of the revenue it has generated from its franchisees this year. And it represents 38% of the company's overall revenue, making real estate the biggest moneymaker."
Out of 41,000-plus locations, the brand owns the property of only 2100 stores, from which it gets rent and franchise fees.
2) The Big Mac is also used as an economic metric
McDonald's is one of the earliest global fast-food chains, and the company has a presence in more than 100 countries. For years, the Big Mac has remained one of the most demanded offerings by the brand.
Its popularity can be gauged by the fact that in 1986, The Economist magazine created the Big Mac Index, a survey used to measure purchasing power parity across the nations. According to Investopedia:
"Purchasing power parity is an economic theory stating that exchange rates over time should move toward equality across national borders in the price charged for an identical basket of goods. In this case, the basket of goods is a Big Mac."
This burger was used to assess the disparities in the currency values of different nations. This was a significant achievement for any food item, even though it wasn't an official metric.
3) The first menu of McDonald's was not the same as today
Although burgers and fries are now synonymous with the brand, they were not always the top choices on the first menu. The restaurant started as "McDonald's Bar-B-Q" in 1940 in California. It initially served barbecued beef, pork, and ham, which were offered with fries for just 35 cents. In addition to these items, the store also featured peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
In 1948, the restaurant shifted its focus to Hamburgers, and the 15-cent Hamburgers became quite popular. Golden Arches transformed its menu into what it is today by experimenting with its offerings over the years. However, the label hasn't stopped innovating and still offers new seasonal as well as regional delights.
4) The first drive-thru was built for soldiers
McDonald's drive-thrus have become an indispensable component of the American lifestyle for numerous individuals. In November 2022, McDonald's reported that around 70% of its business in the US came from drive-thrus. However, its first drive-thru came as a solution to a military rule.
US soldiers were not allowed to roam in uniforms in public areas; this rule was impacting the business of the store located near Fort Huachuca Army Base. As a solution, the franchise owner, David Rich, installed a sliding window in the wall to deliver drive-thru orders.
This marked the opening of the brand's first drive-thru in Sierra Vista, Arizona, in 1975. The opening resulted in a significant boost in business, and through word-of-mouth, many others followed suit, making the drive-thru model a success for the business.
5) The brand runs a University
Many people may not know that the fast-food chain has established a Hamburger University to train its employees in standard restaurant practices. The university has nine centers across the world. The brand describes these schools as:
"Hamburger University is a global training centre dedicated to developing individuals' skills and knowledge in restaurant operation procedures: quality, service, cleanliness, value."
The description continues,
"HU is recognized as McDonald's global centre of excellence for operations training and development, with numerous campuses in Chicago, Hong Kong, Sydney, Hamburg, Tokyo, China, Singapore, and Dubai, among others."
These are some of the top lesser-known facts about McDonald's. Fans can explore the web for other interesting facts about the Golden Arches.