Which fast food chain has the most locations in the world?
The answer to this question depends on when you ask it. There was a time when Subway boasted having 44,852 locations across the globe which bested even McDonald’s which – at any time – usually operates a bit less than 40,000 locations. As of 2022 McDonalds has more locations than Subway.
One caveat: while Subway may boast lots of store locations that doesn’t mean it’s the largest or most profitable chain. It has so many locations partly because it is one of the lowest cost of the major franchises to buy into. Subway’s franchise fee is $15,000, and the total buy-in investment can range from $116,000 to $263,000. Compare this to becoming a McDonald’s franchisee which vary depending on the location and size of the restaurant. Even if a business can qualify to become a McDonald’s franchise the initial investment is between $1 million and $2.2 million.