Fast food is a widely practiced, time-honored ritual. When you’re on a road trip or the day got away from you and you need something quick for dinner, it’s frequently the go-to option.
Chain operations with a sizable global presence make up the majority of the biggest restaurant companies in the world. By sustaining steady, profitable growth over the long term, a lot of businesses have positioned themselves to weather economic downturns. Some of these businesses are holding corporations that have control over a variety of subsidiary chains.
By using a franchise system, they were able to spread their business to practically every country at this point and make fast food a widely accepted form of cuisine.
As a result, fast food outlets are currently the most well-liked and frequently visited restaurants worldwide.
Top 10 Largest Fast Food Chains In The World 2024
1. McDonald’s
McDonald’s can be viewed as a key contributor to the globalization of the fast food industry in many ways. Maurice and Richard McDonald, American brothers, founded the first McDonald’s in San Bernardino, California, in 1940. (USA). Businessman Ray Kroc joined the organization in 1948, and it was under his leadership that McDonald’s transformed from a small California burger franchise into a cutting-edge, multi-national fast food megabrand.
The company rapidly spread throughout North America and introduced a wide range of ground-breaking goods and services that are now essentials in any contemporary fast food establishment. Eventually, McDonald’s reached practically every country in the world and became as the very image of globalization. Today, there are about 38,700 franchise locations for the McDonald’s Corporation globally. Currently, Chicago, Illinois serves as the company’s headquarters. Not only does McDonald’s have the most fast food restaurants, but it also has the most profitable fast food business. One of humanity’s most known brand logos is the classic “M.”
2. Subway
Friends Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck opened the first Subway in 1965 in Bridgeport, Connecticut (USA). Pete’s Super Submarines was the restaurant’s initial name before being changed to Subway in 1968. The sandwich business swiftly spread throughout the East Coast of the United States, and by the late 1970s, Subway had also made it to the West Coast, leading to the establishment of franchisees all over the country. After opening locations in Canada, Subway immediately began to spread outside of North America in 1996. It currently has about 36,800 sites worldwide. Surprisingly, the multi-billion dollar company, with its headquarters in Milford, Connecticut, is still run by a family. The DeLuca family is the sole owner.
3. Starbucks
Starbucks was established in 1971, making it the fast food chain with the third-highest number of stores worldwide. Technically speaking, Starbucks sells coffee drinks rather than primarily fast food. It is still regarded as one of the largest fast food restaurant chains in the world and is still officially recognized as such. Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, and Zev Siegl, three Americans who were friends, founded Starbucks. The three first intended to sell premium coffee beans, but eventually began to make and market their own coffee. Starbucks, which was founded and is still headquartered in Seattle, Washington, quickly became a well-known network of coffee shops on the American West Coast.
The three founders of Starbucks sold the company to Howard Schultz, their former CEO, in 1987. The coffee chain was aggressively expanded by Schultz both domestically and internationally. Starbucks transformed the whole coffee industry and drinking culture in this way. There are currently about 33,800 Starbucks franchise locations around the world.
4. KFC
Kentucky Fried Chicken is referred to as KFC. In Kentucky, of course, American Harland Sanders founded KFC in 1930. To be precise, in a little town in Kentucky named North Corbin. Sanders served in the American army in the past. Although he wasn’t a colonel, “Colonel Sanders” became his nick name, and it helped him gain worldwide recognition.
The logo of KFC may be the only one in the world to feature the company’s founder. Sanders himself ended up being the most important and effective representative of his chicken restaurant empire. Even after Sanders passed away in 1980, the KFC brand continued to thrive and spread well beyond Kentucky and the United States. It is currently owned by Yum! Brands, a Kentucky-based fast food company with its headquarters in Louisville. Currently, there are about 24,100 KFC restaurants globally.
5. Pizza Hut
In 1958, American brothers Dan and Frank Darney opened a pizzeria in Wichita, Kansas. Pizza Hut was able to quickly spread throughout the country. The chain was sold by the Darney brothers to PepsiCo in 1977, and as a result, Pizza Hut entered new international markets. Currently, there are about 18,700 Pizza Hut franchise locations worldwide, making it the world’s largest maker and marketer of pizza. Plano, Texas presently serves as the headquarters for the business and fast food industry. It is a subsidiary of “Yum! Brands,” which split off PepsiCo in 1997, just like KFC is.
6. Burger King
With nearly 20,000 locations, Burger King is another well-known burger restaurant on a global scale. The moniker is associated globally with char-broiled hamburgers and onion rings.
People who frequently dine there will also be familiar with the restaurant’s mascot, which appears frequently in commercials and other firm marketing materials.
While you can eat at Burger King while visiting another country, be ready for a small menu and a variety of meal choices.
7. Domino’s Pizza
The second-largest pizza delivery service in the US is Domino’s. Pizza Hut is the first. There are 10,000 outlets operated by this company worldwide. Based on the store’s location, Domino’s offers pizzas with a range of crust types. The Domino’s menu also has sandwiches prepared in-house, pasta, and bread bowls.
Coca-Cola goods are available at Domino’s in the drinks area. Despite having thousands of locations across the United States, Domino’s pizza delivery drivers log millions of weekly kilometers. The busiest day for Domino’s, when the firm ships millions of pizzas, is Super Bowl Sunday.
8. Dunkin’ Donuts
There are 11000 Dunkin’ Donuts locations worldwide and the company operates in 3 nations. The business specializes on providing baked foods and coffee services. The company’s major offerings are sandwiches, baked items, hot and iced beverages, and soft drinks.
In the Massachusetts city of Quincy, the first Dunkin’ Donut shop ever opened its doors in 1950. Since 2006, the firm has used the phrase “American run on Dunkin.” Since 2012, Dunkin’ Donuts has transitioned from PepsiCo to the Coca-Cola company and provides coffee in thousands of variations.
9. Dairy Queen
There are 6000 sites where the dairy queen service is offered worldwide. Aside from the United States, Dairy Queen operates in 18 other countries. Texas has 600 Dairy Queen locations, the most of any state in the United States.
John Fremont McCullough established Dairy Queen in 1940. In the Illinois state capital of Joliet, the first Dairy Queen opened for business. Dairy Queen’s hallmark item is soft serve ice cream. Additionally, the company logo includes it. In addition to these items, DQ restaurants also sell hot dogs, frozen snacks, processed fried chicken, and hamburgers.
10. Papa John’s Pizza
The fourth-largest pizza delivery service in the US is Papa John’s. This service is offered globally in 34 countries. 3200 of Papa John’s 4000 restaurants are located in the United States. In 1984, Indiana saw the opening of the first Papa John’s Pizza location, which was founded by John Schnatter. Papa John’s pizza service advertises with the phrase “Better ingredients, Better pizza.”
The first pizza chain in the United States to offer online ordering was Papa John’s in 2002. At present, Papa John’s employs more than 205000 people and has a net income of $1.4 billion.
