Who McDonald's buys from and sells to
Franchisor and landlord to ~45,000 burger restaurants, collecting rent and royalties from franchisees.
Buys from 5
- Cargillbeef patties and other proteins
- Lamb WestonLWfrozen french fries
- McCain Foodsfrozen french fries
- Tyson FoodsTSNchicken products
- Coca-ColaKOfountain soft-drink syrup
Sells to 2
- Franchiseesrent, royalties and initial fees~95% of 45,356 restaurants franchised; franchised revenue ~62% of total (FY2025 10-K)
- Diners at company-operated restaurantsmeals in ~5% of restaurants it runs itself
Where the chain could break
- Earnings depend on franchisee sales; low-income diner pullback hits rent and royalties
- Beef and potato costs feed franchisee margins and menu prices
Competes with
- Restaurant BrandsQSRBurger King and Tim Hortons
- Yum! BrandsYUMKFC and Taco Bell value meals
- Wendy'sWENburgers
- StarbucksSBUXbreakfast and coffee occasions
Mapped by hand from filings and company reporting, as of October 2026. It shows the relationships that matter most, not every contract: most are never disclosed, and agreements change.