FDD-based analysis. Item-level data. No franchisor input.
McDonald's is a global quick-service restaurant franchise built around burgers, fries, breakfast, beverages, drive-thru traffic, delivery, digital ordering, and high-volume restaurant operations. The brand has enormous consumer awareness, but the economics still depend on site control, rent or occupancy structure, labor productivity, food cost, royalty, advertising, and required reinvestment. For a buyer, the question is whether the specific restaurant or development opportunity can produce enough cash flow after the brand's operating and capital requirements.
Source: FDD Item 1 and public profile data, rewritten by Zorzee
Every value here comes straight from the FDD; anything not yet source-verified stays blank rather than estimated. The Pro figures and full interpretation unlock with a Pro membership.
Every data point Zorzee tracks for this brand, in FDD Item order. Missing source data stays blank; Pro-only interpretation remains locked.
| Item | Data Point | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item 3 | Litigation Actions (total) | 26 actions disclosed | FDD Item 3 |
| Item 5 | Initial Franchise Fee | The Initial Franchise Fee is $45,000 (Item 5, p.17). | FDD Item 5 |
| Item 5 | Development Fee | No separate development fee cleanly sourced for the standard franchise in Item 5; initial franchise/application fees are disclosed separately. | FDD Item 5 |
| Item 6 | Royalty Fee | Royalty is 5% or 4% of Gross Sales, depending on the circumstances, payable monthly on the 10th day of the next month. | FDD Item 6 |
| Item 6 | National Media Fund | Pro | FDD Item 6 |
| Item 6 | Corporate Ad & Development Fund | Pro | FDD Item 6 |
| Item 6 | Total Ongoing Fee Burden | Pro | Calculated (Item 6) |
| Item 7 | Total Investment (low) | $1,472,000 | FDD Item 7 |
| Item 7 | Total Investment (high) | $2,807,000 | FDD Item 7 |
| Item 8 | Required Purchases (food/supplies) | Pro | FDD Item 8 |
| Item 11 | Franchisor Assistance | Pro | FDD Item 11 |
| Item 12 | Exclusive Territory | Pro | FDD Item 12 |
| Item 12 | Territory Size | Pro | FDD Item 12 |
| Item 15 | Operating Participation | Pro | FDD Item 15 |
| Item 17 | Initial Term Length | Pro | FDD Item 17(a) |
| Item 17 | Renewal Terms | Pro | FDD Item 17(b)-(c) |
| Item 17 | Required Remodel at Renewal | Pro | FDD Item 17(c) |
| Item 17 | Termination Triggers | Pro | FDD Item 17(f)-(h) |
| Item 17 | Transfer Fee | Pro | FDD Item 17(m), Item 6 |
| Item 17 | ROFR Provisions | Pro | FDD Item 17(n) |
| Item 17 | Post-Termination Non-Compete | Pro | FDD Item 17(r) |
| Item 19 | Revenue Metric Disclosed | Pro | FDD Item 19 |
| Item 20 | Total Franchised Units (2025) | 13,062 | FDD Item 20 |
| Item 20 | Company-Owned Units (2025) | 644 | FDD Item 20 |
| Item 20 | Total System Net Unit Growth (YoY) | +147 | FDD Item 20 |
| Item 20 | Terminations | Pro | FDD Item 20 |
| Item 20 | Agreements Signed, Not Yet Open | Pro | FDD Item 20 |
| Item 21 | Audited Financials | Pro | FDD Item 21 |
Each signal turns one part of the filing into a read a buyer can act on. Strength means the disclosed data is favorable. In Line means it is typical for the category. Deal-Specific means the term is populated but you still have to model it against your own deal. Concern means the disclosed data is a real risk. The read is free. The reasoning behind it is the Pro read.
Item 19 earnings data is disclosed for McDonald's. The unit sales or revenue metric itself remains locked in Pro; the caution below stays free.
McDonald's trajectory is shown only where source-backed. Missing Item 20 fields stay blank inside the locked layout instead of removing the section.
Source: FDD Item 20 where present. Total system units, franchised plus company-owned. Not financial advice.
26 actions disclosed in FDD Item 3. Case-level detail remains locked in Pro.
Zorzee editorial. Independent analysis. No franchisor review or approval. Not financial advice.
The filing tells you what McDonald's costs to open. Pro adds the read on whether the numbers work for you, in your market, and whether this brand is a business or a job you bought.
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