Our Business Model and Growth Strategy

Business Model

The power of our franchisees, suppliers and employees working together toward a common goal is what makes McDonald’s the world’s leading quick-service restaurant brand.

• Franchisees bring the spirit of entrepreneurship and commitment to communities
  
  
• Suppliers are dedicated to highest levels of quality and safety
  
  
• The company facilitates learning and sharing across McDonald’s more than 36,000 restaurants

A Collection of Small Businesses

While a global Brand, the vast majority of McDonald’s restaurants – more than 80% worldwide and nearly 90% in the U.S. – are owned and operated by approximately 5,000 independent, small- and mid-sized businessmen and women.

Franchisees often live in the communities they serve and are committed to making a positive impact locally – from providing good food, customer service and job opportunities, to supporting local charities and other ways of giving back.

Freedom Within a Framework

We pay special attention to how our customers are alike – and how they are different too. For that reason, markets and countries have latitude when it comes to menu, marketing, community involvement and local business management. See McDonald’s around the world.

Growth Strategy

In March of 2017, we introduced our Velocity Growth Plan, named as such because we’re moving fast – and in a clearly defined direction.  

We know the most meaningful way to grow the business and create value for all of our stakeholders is by serving more customers more often. That’s why we’re focused on giving customers what they really want: hot, delicious food served quickly – with an overall experience and value for their money that meets their rising expectations.

Velocity makes the most of our competitive advantages, from our unmatched global scale to our iconic brand to our tremendous presence in local markets around the world.

The key pillars of our growth strategy are to: 
 

Retain

Retaining the customers we have, fortifying and extending our areas of strength with focuses on breakfast and family occasions.
 

Regain

Regaining the customers we had lost by improving the taste and quality of our food, enhancing convenience and offering strong value.
 

Convert

Converting casual customers to more committed customers with coffee and snacks.