Franchise FAQ

how mcdonalds franchise works globally

by Dr. Webster Pfannerstill V Published 1 year ago Updated 1 year ago
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The company makes money by leveraging its product, fast food, to franchisees who have to lease properties, often at large markups, that are owned by McDonald's. Approximately 93% of all McDonald's locations worldwide are franchises. 2 Franchisees are lured by the impressive margins that make McDonald's franchises an almost guaranteed moneymaker.

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How does McDonald's exist globally?

Going Global Ray Kroc's vision was that there would be 1,000 McDonald's restaurants solely in the United States. Yet, McDonald's continued to grow and expand into international markets beginning in 1967 opening in Canada and Puerto Rico. Today, the company has over 36,000 restaurants in over 100 nations.

Is McDonald's a worldwide franchise?

Welcome to McDonald's Franchising McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with over 38,000 locations in over 100 countries. Approximately 93% Of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners.

Why is Mcdonalds successful globally?

McDonald's success today is largely attributed to its franchising model, consistency, and innovation. Through their franchising model, they were able to enjoy rapid growth.

How does franchise model work mcdonalds?

Under McDonald's conventional franchise arrangement, the Company generally owns the land and building or secures a long-term lease for the restaurant location and the franchisee pays for equipment, signs, seating and décor.

Is McDonald's a global company?

ABOUT McDONALD'S McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with over 39,000 locations in over 100 countries. Approximately 93% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners.

How McDonald's became the biggest fast food chain in the world?

McDonald's grew thanks to its 'Speedee Service System' According to Love, they simplified their menu to just nine items—hamburgers, cheeseburgers, three soft drink flavors in one 12-ounce size, milk, coffee, potato chips and pie. “Our whole concept was based on speed, lower prices and volume,” Richard McDonald said.

What strategies does McDonald's use?

McDonald's primary generic strategy is cost leadership. In Porter's model, this generic strategy involves minimizing costs to offer products at low prices. As a low-cost provider, McDonald's offers products that are relatively cheaper compared to competitors like Arby's.

How has McDonalds used Globalisation?

Due to globalization, McDonald's can start its business is other countries without any hassle. Since its corporation in 1955, McDonald's has successfully operate more that 31 000 restaurants in 117 countries worldwide (McDonalds, 2009).

What is McDonald's competitive advantage?

Cheat prices is McDonald's main competitive advantage. The company is engaged in an extensive utilization of economies of scale to achieve the cost advantage. True to 'fast food' format of its restaurants, McDonald's is famous for the speed of customer service without compromising the quality of the service.

How does owning a McDonald work?

Buying a McDonald's franchise takes a sizable investment. The corporation requires that potential franchisees have a minimum of $500,000 of unencumbered liquid assets to even be eligible and — if selected — be able to pay a $45,000 fee to the franchisor.

What type of franchise is Mcdonalds engaged in?

Traditional Restaurant: franchise offered is located in freestanding buildings, storefronts, food courts, and other locations. The franchisee operates a full-menu restaurant, offering the public a high standard of quality and uniformity in food and service.

How does McDonald's run their business?

The company makes money by leveraging its product, fast food, to franchisees who have to lease properties, often at large markups, that are owned by McDonald's. Franchisees are lured by the impressive margins that make McDonald's franchises an almost guaranteed moneymaker.

Which country has no Mcdonalds?

Countries without McDonald's 2022Country2022 PopulationPalau18,055Nauru12,668Tuvalu11,312Vatican City51082 more rows

What countries have no Mcdonalds?

Here are a few countries out of the 105 in the world where you won't find McDonald's fries or burgers.Bermuda*Barbados*Cambodia.Jamaica*Ghana.Montenegro.Yemen.

What countries do Mcdonalds operate in?

Countries by McDonald's RestaurantsCountryNumber of RestaurantsNumber of Restaurants per Million PopulationUnited States of America13,37540.807China3,5002.511Japan2,90022.927Germany1,53618.56493 more rows

Are McDonald's in Russia franchised?

Though the vast majority of McDonald's restaurants in Russia were owned by the company, around 100 were owned by franchisees.

How many McDonald's are there in the world?

McDonald’s is the world’s leading global foodservice retailer with over 38,000 locations in over 100 countries. Approximately 93% Of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners.

Why does McDonald's make the decision to develop a location?

We make the decision to develop a location because we believe it will be a success. McDonald’s manages all the site evaluation, acquires the property and constructs the building. After making the decision to develop a site, McDonald’s awards the franchise to the most qualified candidate.

What are the factors that determine profitability?

Profitability depends on many factors including operating and occupancy costs, financing terms and most important, your ability to operate the business effectively.

Does McDonald's have international franchises?

McDonald’s franchises restaurants in many international markets, and decisions relating to the selection of candidates are made locally by the management in the country where the restaurant is located. For interest in specific markets regarding international franchising, please see the list of contacts and franchising information on the Global Franchising page of this web site. Links to individual market web sites are provided where available.

Does McDonald's predict restaurants?

The availability of restaurants in specific areas will be discussed during your initial interview. McDonald’s can not predict which restaurants will be available when your training is complete. Flexibility to relocate for a restaurant opportunity may be required.

Is McDonald's an equal opportunity franchise?

McDonald's is an equal opportunity franchisor by choice. McDonald’s is seeking individuals who are capable of operating multiple locations. Candidates who have successfully operated multiple businesses may be suited to operating several McDonald’s franchises.

What is McDonald's QSR?

In 2019, McDonald's emerged as the most valuable QSR (i.e., fast-food) chain with a brand value nearing 130.36 billion USD and total assets worth 47.5 billion USD. 6  7  McDonald's has, consistently, led this market segment in terms of overall sales and number of restaurants worldwide, followed by Starbucks ( SBUX) and Subway. 8 .

How does McDonald's make money?

Essentially, McDonald's makes money by leveraging its product, fast food, to franchisees who have to lease properties, often at large markups, that are owned by McDonald's.

How much did McDonald's franchise revenue in 2018?

Total revenues decreased in 2018 but the percentage from franchised restaurants rose, which is reflective of the transition to a heavily franchised business model. Revenue from franchised restaurants (rents, royalties & initial fees) was $11.01 billion, which is over 50% of McDonald's total revenues and a substantial increase over 2017. Operating income was lower than what was reported in 2017, which was skewed by gains from the sale of assets in China & Hong Kong. Excluding these, operating income rose by 2% in 2018. Operating margin increased, which would bode well for future franchisees.

What are the segments of McDonald's?

As per their recent 10-K, effective May 14, 2020, McDonald's is operating with the following global business segments: U.S., International Operated Markets, and International Developmental Licensed Markets and Corporate. Each sector accounts for 37.2%, 54%, and 8.7% of revenues, respectively, as of the company's most recent annual report. 13 

What is the advantage of franchise model?

The advantage of this model is that the revenue stream (rent and royalty income received from franchisees) is far more stable and, most importantly, predictable, while the operating costs are measurably lower, allowing for an easier path to profitability.

What are the three growth accelerators at McDonald's?

McDonald's remains committed to growth, continuing its aggressive deployment of the three growth accelerators — EOTF, Delivery, and Digital — in 2019 and beyond.

Why is McDonald's a subscription?

McDonald's, because it has control over the land and long-term leases, can leverage its market position to negotiate deals. As has been noted by analysts, this is akin to a subscription, where the subscriber (the franchisee) pays a fixed amount each month.

What is the secret to the McDonald’s international strategy success?

McDonald’s is an example of a company that gained tremendous benefits from globalization. Of course, it is largely due to the dual marketing plan of the company:

Why are Japanese fries smaller than Americans?

Because the appetite of the Japanese differs from the Americans , the serving sizes of burgers, fries and drinks in Japan are smaller.

How many McDonald's are there in the world?

In terms of revenue, McDonald’s is considered as the biggest restaurant chain in the world. As of 2017, it has 37,241 fast food restaurants around the world. While its main menu offerings consist of hamburgers and fries, the fast food chain serves other items, including milkshakes, soft drinks, desserts, breakfast fare, products made with chicken and wraps.

Why did McDonald's offer low price menus?

McDonald’s offered fast and low-priced menu to cater to women joining the labor force and the increasing teenage population in the 1960s.

How did McDonald's improve their image?

Improved the company’s corporate image by introducing the ”fast and convenient” strategy by adjusting the product listing based on the trends in the food industry. McDonald’s renovated their restaurants to gain a united, up to date environment with a natural dining look and feel. The concept they introduced was supported by offering natural and healthier elements through the addition of vegetables (such as carrot sticks), fruits and salads.

What are the strategies of McDonald's?

As a global business brand, McDonald’s strategies likewise employ other strategic marketing tactics such as segmentation and experimentation/product testing. Comparing the strategies for the American market and the Japanese market for example, you will see a big difference.

What are the factors that make McDonald's successful?

The key factors for McDonald’s fast food restaurants success in different countries are adaptation as well as innovation. The company comes up with a variety of services and products catering to the needs of a consumer market that is widely diverse, basing their offerings on consumer demographics, local and economic factors, for example:

How do I get a McDonald's franchise?

not from borrowed resources such as loan or mortgages). Furthermore under the requirements of a obtaining a McDonald’s franchise, McDonalds has to own or lease the restaurant premises that the franchisee will operate in. The franchisee will then have to purchase the fittings, the equipment and the right to operate the franchise for twenty years. To guarantee a consistent and uniform trademark internationally all franchisees must use standardized McDonald’s branding, menus, design layouts and administration systems. (Franchising and Entrepreneurship, n.d.)

Why are franchisors able to benefit from economies of scale?

Franchisors are able to benefit from economies of scale, because as their total production levels increase, the average costs tend to decrease. These economies of scale may include marketing economies of scale; McDonalds for example will be able to have more money to spend on its advertising campaigns if its number of restaurants is higher, and it will also save the company the redundant costs of having separate national campaigns, therefore this helps reduce on the business’ expenses and hence register higher profits..

How much money do you need to start a McDonald's franchise?

In order to be able to open a McDonald’s franchise, a franchisee needs to have around $506,000 to $1,600,000 of non-borrowed cash personal money.

Why franchising restaurants?

Therefore, franchising helps minimize the rate of failure and helps keep businesses stronger.

What should a McDonald's franchisee manager do?

These may consist of the ability to take care of the business financing, possessing good management skills in order to motivate & train the employees, be willing to peruse a comprehensive training course and finally dedicate all their time to operating the restaurant and take care of the day-to-day activities of the business. (How Much Does a McDonald’s Franchise Cost, n.d.)

How many McDonald's are there in the world?

The first franchised outlet was opened in the UK in 1986; however there are now over 31,000 McDonald’s restaurants in over 119 countries.

What are the disadvantages of franchising?

Previously we have stated the advantages of franchising in terms of McDonald’s, however franchising has some disadvantages as well such as: Large start-up costs: The cost of franchise can vary from one business to the other.

Background

McDonald's is the world's largest restaurant chain by revenue. The company serves tens of millions of customers daily across the world. They rechristened their business as a hamburger stand. Later they then turned the company into a franchise, with the Golden Arches logo being introduced in 1953 at a location in Phoenix, Arizona.

Support and Training Offered By McDonald's

On-The-Job Training: 500 hours (average) Classroom Training: 72 hours Additional Training: At local McDonald's restaurant

Franchises Similar to McDonald's

The International Franchise Professionals Group (IFPG) is an internationally recognized membership-based franchise organization. IFPG Franchise Consultants guide aspiring business owners through the process of identifying and investing in franchise businesses. The IFPG represents more than 550 franchises.

Is McDonald’s a REIT?

After looking at McDonald’s franchise agreement and company-owned stores, let’s drill down into another pertinent aspect. Specifically, what business is McDonald’s in? Ray Kroc, who purchased McDonald’s in 1964, once famously told Harvard MBA students, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m not in the hamburger business. My business is real estate.”

What are the risks associated with McDonald's franchise?

The risks associated with McDonald’s franchise business model include the counterparty risk, like in any other agreement. These include whether its franchisees have the experience and financial resources to be effective operators. Plus, the franchisees are expected to remain aligned with the company on operational, promotional, and capital-intensive initiatives.

How many McDonald's stores are owned by franchisees?

According to McDonald’s, about 93% of its stores were owned and operated by franchisees at the end of 2018. The company aims to increase the share of franchises to 95% in the long term. Notably, the contribution of franchises to McDonald’s revenues has increased gradually.

How does McDonald's pay?

Under the McDonald’s franchise agreement, the franchise also pays: 1 A service fee: The company has a service fee of 4.0% of monthly sales. 2 Rent: McDonald’s also charges monthly rent. This can be a base rent or based on sales.

What is franchise license?

A franchise license is an authorization granted by either a company or a government body to an individual or a group. This authorization enables them to perform specific commercial activities. For McDonald’s, the franchise model has led to years of profitability, growth, and risk mitigation. Article continues below advertisement.

What are the risks of McDonald's?

Potential risks for McDonald’s include food safety issues, other operational problems, or projecting a brand image inconsistent with the company’s values.

How much does it cost to open a McDonald's franchise?

Costs to open a McDonald’s franchise. According to McDonald’s guidelines, it requires “a minimum of $500,000 of non-borrowed personal resources” to be considered for a US franchise. According to the company, the down payment required to start a new McDonald’s franchise is about 40%.

Why is franchising important for McDonald's?

Their franchising model has also helped them in achieving breakthroughs, as it allows their community to discover new business opportunities. The iconic Ronald McDonald and many of their popular menu items (such as Filet-O-Fish) were all first introduced through their franchisees! McDonald's was also able to stay ahead of the trends - such as the globalization trend in the 1970s, by franchising to local entrepreneurs and bringing McDonald's beyond America.

What did Kroc want from McDonald's?

Kroc wanted to prioritize consistent high quality and uniform methods of preparation, where the food would taste the same no matter the outlet . He established a systematic approach where the operating system required franchisees to follow McDonald's core principles of quality, service, and value. This was when he founded McDonald's System, Inc in 1955.

What is the McDonald's mascot?

McDonald's iconic golden arches and their mascot, Ronald McDonald , was introduced a year later. Kroc took the position of CEO, and McDonald's took its first step towards internationalization by opening a store in Canada. Another symbolic moment in their history was the opening of their store in Pushkin Square, Moscow, at the end of the Cold War.

Why did Ray Kroc create Hamburger University?

Ray Kroc also created the Hamburger University to serve this purpose - by training all franchises in the same way for uniformity, and also to ensure that they will run the restaurants as he envisioned.

What is McDonald's unique selling point?

The development of a consistent menu and retail concept became one of McDonald's unique selling points, which invokes a sense of familiarity whenever one steps into their restaurants, no matter where they are in the world. Customers are aware of what to expect when considering places to dine at, be it in terms of food options or service, and McDonald's becomes a place where people are able to seek solace and comfort in, especially when they are in a foreign place.

Why is localization important?

Localization is another key element in their pursuit of innovation. By producing limited-time or seasonal menu items catered to the tastes of the locals, they can motivate customers to return to their stores. Furthermore, this promises a unique experience which you can only get in a specific country, thus captivating the interests of tourists too.

How to venture into innovation?

If you're looking into how to venture into innovation, observing trends and consumer behaviors can be an easy first step! Consider food trends that are increasingly popular, and find ways to assimilate them into your products, and they are bound to attract curious consumers!

What is the Wiifwe approach?

The WIIFWe approach (identified by the University of Tennessee during a study of the success of McDonalds supply chain) is a big part of why this company has been able to enjoy the great success it has. WIIFWe (what’s in it for we) is the backbone of the entire “system” at McDonalds. Bringing value to everyone involved in the process is a must to achieve the smooth operations that Ray Kroc envisioned.

What is the first leg of a stool?

The First Leg of the stool is McDonalds employees , the second leg is the franchise owners and the third leg are the trusted suppliers. Each “leg” is a partner in success and equally important. If one leg fails, the stool collapses. For one member of this trinity to prosper they all must prosper.

What are the conclusions of McDonald's supply chain?

Conclusions. There are a few take a ways from an examination of McDonald’s supply chain. 1. You must have a lot of volume to take full advantage of this model. 2. If you treat people well, many times they will remember and treat you well back even in business. 3.

Who set up 5 simple rules to manage their supply chain that are still very much in practice today?

Ray Kroc set up 5 simple rules to manage their supply chain that are still very much in practice today:

Is McDonald's supply chain management successful?

McDonald’s Supply Chain Management is The Secret to Their Success! It is impossible to take a bite from a Big Mac at any McDonald’s franchise and not be blown away by this giants’ incredible success. McDonald’s supply chain is largely responsible for its amazing success and continued growth. The amount of strategy and planning ...

Do suppliers have to worry about asking for increases?

For example, suppliers do not have to worry about asking for increases for products, that is already built into the contract. As the restaurants do well, so do the suppliers. Instead of viewing producers as simple suppliers, they are viewed as business partners and collaborators. The entire supply chain is a “we”.

Is McDonald's a double arches?

The McDonald’s system has been duplicated many times over by other franchises, but no one has been able to knock the “double arches” out of its top spot. As a matter of fact, McDonalds and Unilever were the supply chain giants that is until of course Amazon came a long and took the helm.

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McDonald's Today

Business Model

  • McDonald's makes money by leveraging its product (fast food) to franchisees who have to lease properties that are owned by McDonald's. This often comes at a large markup. As reported in the 2021 10-K, 37,295 (93%) McDonald's locations were franchised at the end of 2021.710 The advantage of this model is that the revenue stream (rent and royalty inc...
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Why McDonald's Franchises Are in Demand

  • McDonald's has notoriously strict criteria for its franchisees (including net worth and liquidity). Franchisees are also responsible for paying salaries, ordering supplies, and paying the rent or mortgage. So, why become a franchisee? The lure is that McDonald's provides its franchisees with an almost guaranteed moneymaker due to the impressive margins. The restaurant industry is inf…
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MCD Financial Picture

  • McDonald's operates with the following global business segments: the U.S., International Operated Markets, and International Developmental Licensed Markets and Corporate. Each sector accounted for 38%, 53%, and 9% of revenues, respectively, as of the company's most recent annual report.7
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Growth Strategy

  • McDonald's has a long-term goal of franchising approximately 95% of its locations. McDonald's will continue to make progress toward this long-term goal primarily by re-franchising restaurants to conventional licensees. As a result of the continued evolution of its business model, several organizational changes to its global business structure were implemented that are designed to c…
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Key Challenges

  • McDonald's has managed to stay comfortably ahead of its main competitors in the fast food arena, such as Burger King, Wendy's, and KFC, but its key challenge might just be a consumer who demands healthier, organic menu choices coupled with fast-food convenience. Over the past few years, another restaurant model, one that offers consumers freshly-prepared, higher-quality foo…
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The Bottom Line

  • Fast food should be as stable an industry as any. People need to eat and they want their food fresh and fast without having to spend unnecessarily. That said, the industry does face challenges relating to a shift in demand toward healthy eating. A restaurant chain that sells familiarity and consistency needs to recognize that those qualities themselves are enormous assets. Even whe…
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