MCDONALDS CORP
McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food restaurant chain. Founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California, the company has grown into one of the world's largest restaurant chains. At the end of 2025, the McDonald's system comprised 45,356 restaurants in more than 100 countries, approximately 95% of which were operated by franchisees.
Basic company information
Each field links to its source. Financial figures retain their reporting periods; background references are identified in the source list.
- Ticker / security symbols
- MCD [1]
- Listing exchanges
- NYSE [1]
- SEC industry
- Retail-Eating Places [1]
- Business sectors
- food service; food and tobacco industry; quick service restaurant sector; accommodation and food service activities [2]
- Company / filing name
- MCDONALDS CORP [1]
- Headquarters location
- Chicago; Illinois [2]
- Business address
- 110 NORTH CARPENTER STREET, CHICAGO, IL, 60607 [1]
- Founded
- 1940-05-15 [2]
- Legal form
- Delaware corporation [2]
- Incorporation jurisdiction
- Delaware, United States [1]
- Leadership in background record
- Chris Kempczinski [2]
- Founders
- Richard and Maurice McDonald; Ray Kroc [2]
- Official website
- https://mcdonalds.co.nz/; https://mcdonalds.co.id/; https://mcdonalds.com.hk; https://mcdonalds.com.ph/; https://mcdonalds.com.tr; https://www.mccafe.mcdonalds.pl [2]
- Employees
- 200,000 · reported year 2020 [2]
- Annual revenue
- USD 25,920,000,000 · reported year 2024 [2]
- Fiscal year end
- December 31 (SEC record) [1]
- ISIN (reported securities)
- US5801351017 [2]
- CIK
- 0000063908 [1]
- SIC code
- 5812 [1]
- Country in background record
- United States [2]
Company positioning and business
McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food restaurant chain. Founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California, the company has grown into one of the world's largest restaurant chains. At the end of 2025, the McDonald's system comprised 45,356 restaurants in more than 100 countries, approximately 95% of which were operated by franchisees. [3]
The McDonald brothers introduced their streamlined food-production system, later known as the Speedee Service System, during the 1940s. The Golden Arches design was introduced in 1953. Businessman Ray Kroc became a McDonald's franchise agent in 1955 and opened a restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. He purchased the brothers' ownership stake in the company in 1961 and oversaw its domestic and international expansion. [3]
McDonald's generates revenue from sales at company-operated restaurants and from rent, royalties, and fees paid by franchisees. At the end of 2025, the company owned approximately 56% of the land and 80% of the restaurant buildings within its consolidated markets. McDonald's directly employed more than 150,000 people, while more than two million additional people worked at independently operated franchised restaurants. [3]
Background text: Wikipedia contributors, McDonald's. Selected introductory paragraphs, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Official filing data is cited separately.
Management and corporate governance
The Wikidata background record identifies Chris Kempczinski in the chief-executive role. This background entry is not an official confirmation of the current board or executive roster. [2]
Understanding company scale
Employees: 200,000 · reported year 2020. [2]
Annual revenue: USD 25,920,000,000 · reported year 2024. [2]
Financial year, securities and disclosures
The SEC submissions record gives MCDONALDS CORP a fiscal year end of 1231 (MMDD). Individual filings below identify their own reporting period; the filing date is the publication event, not the financial year end. [1]
Listed securities: MCD (NYSE). Multiple symbols may represent different share classes or securities of the same registrant. [4]
History and key events
Financial results and regulatory disclosures
Annual, quarterly and current reports from the collected SEC record. Insider Forms 4 and 144 are excluded. This is a selected list, not a live filing feed.
Source-verified relationships
Companies in the same industry
Comparison candidates share the SEC SIC classification 5812. This does not imply ownership, partnership or trading relationships.
Related entities and concepts
Frequently asked questions
When was MCDONALDS CORP founded?
Founded: 1940-05-15. The linked source provides the background record. [2]
Where is the headquarters of MCDONALDS CORP?
Headquarters location: Chicago; Illinois. The linked source provides the background record. [2]
Which business sectors are recorded for MCDONALDS CORP?
Business sectors: food service; food and tobacco industry; quick service restaurant sector; accommodation and food service activities. The linked source provides the background record. [2]
MCDONALDS CORP relationship map
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2 verified direct relationships. Industry peers are not relationship edges.
Sources and review dates
- SEC — MCDONALDS CORP filing identity and securities ↗
- Wikidata — company background record (CC0) ↗
- Wikipedia contributors — McDonald's (CC BY-SA 4.0) ↗
- SEC securities directory ↗
- Company chronology / filing ↗
Reviewed 23 October 2026. Financial periods and historical event dates are shown separately. Figures reflect their stated source dates; this page is not a live quote or investment recommendation.