Top 10 Largest Fast Food Chains in the World

Top 10 Largest Fast Food Chains in the World - Love it or hate it, fast food has gained worldwide popularity. Fast food consumption is increasing steadily around the world. It is therefore no surprise that the fast food industry is a global billion dollar industry. Perhaps unsurprisingly, all of the largest fast-food chains in the world are American. But American fast food companies currently operate exclusively in the US market. They had expanded to almost every corner of the world by this time and made fast food a popular dining concept. Therefore, fast food restaurants today are the most popular and frequented restaurants in the world. Below is a ranking of the 10 most popular and largest fast food chains in the world. The rankings are based on the number of locations (franchises) each brand has globally.

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10 largest restaurant chains (fast food) in the world

1. Subway

~ 41,500 locations worldwide

2. McDonald's

~ 37,900 locations worldwide

3. Starbucks

~ 29,900 locations worldwide

4. KFC

~ 22.600 locations worldwide

5. Pizza Hut

~ 18.500 locations worldwide

6. Burger King

~ 17.800 locations worldwide

7. Domino's

~ 16.300 locations worldwide

8. Dunkin 'Donuts

~ 11.800 locations worldwide

9. Baskin-Robbins

~ 8.100 locations worldwide

10. Hunt Brothers Pizza

~ 7.500 locations worldwide

10 largest restaurant chains (fast food) in the world

1. Subway

~ 41.500 locations around the world

First opening: 1965

Headquarters: Milford, Connecticut, USA

Main products: Sandwiches

Owner: DeLuca Family

No other restaurant chain in the world has as many locations as Subway. The sandwich shop was founded in 1965 in Bridgeport, Connecticut (USA) by friends Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck. The restaurant's original name was "Pete's Super Submarines," but it was renamed Subway in 1968. The sandwich shop quickly expanded throughout the Eastcoast of the United States, and in the late 1970s, Subway also reached Westcoast United States. The last period to establish franchises throughout the United States. Statuses. This was followed by locations located in Canada, and starting in 1996, Subway rapidly expanded outside of North America. As of 2010, the sandwich shop is now the largest restaurant chain in the world by number of locations, surpassing McDonald's. Today, it has approximately 41,500 locations worldwide. Notably, the multibillion-dollar brand, which has its headquarters in Milford, Connecticut, remains a family-owned business. It is fully owned by the DeLuca family.

2. McDonald's

~ 37,900 locations around the world

First opening: 1940

Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Main products: Burgers

Owner: McDonald's Corporation

When you think of fast food, chances are you immediately think of McDonald's. In many ways, McDonald's can be considered as the main force shaping the fast food culture around the world. The first McDonald's was opened in 1940 by two American brothers Maurice and Richard McDonald in San Bernardino, California (USA). In 1948, businessman Ray Kroc joined the company and was under his guidance as McDonald's grew from a local California hamburger chain into an innovative global fast-food franchise.

The brand quickly expanded across North America, introducing many innovative products and services that have now become the cornerstone of every modern fast-food restaurant. McDonald's eventually expanded to almost every corner of the world and became a symbol of globalization. Today, McDonald's Corporation has approximately 37,900 franchises worldwide. The company is currently headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. While Subway has surpassed McDonald's in the number of locations, McDonald's remains the largest fast food company by revenue. The “M” logo remains one of mankind’s most recognizable brand symbols.

3. Starbucks

~ 29,900 locations around the world

First opening: 1971

Headquarters: Seattle, Washington, USA

Main product: Coffee

Owner: Starbucks Corporation

Founded in 1971, Starbucks is now the third-largest fast food brand in the world. Technically, Starbucks doesn't primarily sell fast food, but coffee drinks. It was still officially recognized as a fast food restaurant chain and was one of the largest restaurant chains in the world at that time. Starbucks was opened by American friends Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker and Zev Siegl. The three wanted to start selling high-quality beans but eventually started making and selling their own coffee. Starbucks quickly developed into a popular coffee shop chain in Westcoast USA and especially in Seattle, Washington, where the company was founded and where it is still headquartered. In 1987, the three founders sold Starbucks to their former CEO Howard Schultz. Schultz began actively expanding the coffee chain across the United States and around the world. In so doing, Starbucks has revolutionized the entire coffee business and drinking culture. Today, there are 29,900 Starbucks locations worldwide.

4. KFC

~ 22.600 locations around the world

First opening: 1930

Headquarters: Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Main product: Fried chicken

Owner: Yum! Brands, Inc.

The fourth largest fast food chain in the world is also one of the oldest restaurant chains still in operation. KFC stands for Kentucky Fried Chicken. KFC was opened in 1930 by the American Harland Sanders of Kentucky. In a small town called North Corbin, Kentucky, to be exact. Sanders was a soldier in the US military. Although he is not a colonel, "Colonel Sanders" has become his nickname by which he is known worldwide. KFC may be the only global brand with the founder's logo. Indeed, it was Sanders who became his chicken chain's best and most valuable ambassador. Sanders passed away in 1980, but the KFC brand survived and expanded beyond Kentucky. Today, it is owned by the Kentucky fast food conglomerate 'Yum! Brands' and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. There are now 22,600 KFC locations worldwide.

5. Pizza Hut

~ 18.500 locations around the world

First opening: 1958

Headquarters: Plano, Texas, USA

Main product: Pizza

Owner: Yum! Brands, Inc.

Pizza Hut is the fifth largest fast food chain by number of locations. The pizzeria was founded in 1958 by American brothers Dan and Frank Darney in Wichita, Kansas, United States. Pizza Hut has rapidly expanded across the United States. In 1977, the Darney brothers sold the chain to PepsiCo, which expanded Pizza Hut to the global market. Today, there are approximately 18,500 Pizza Hut locations worldwide, making Pizza Hut the largest pizza maker and seller on the planet. The company and fast food chain is currently headquartered in Plano, Texas. It is another subsidiary of 'Yum! Brands', spun off from PepsiCo in 1997.