McDonald’s, one of the largest and most influential fast food chains in the world, has long been a powerhouse in the industry. But just how many burgers does McDonald’s sell in a day?
Unfortunately, the exact number is a bit unclear as McDonald’s has not been forthcoming with this information in recent years. However, according to USA Today’s estimation, McDonald’s sells over 6 million burgers daily in the United States alone. This means that approximately 75 hamburgers are sold every second in the US, which is an astonishing amount. To give a visual representation of this, there is even a website that calculates the number of patties sold in real-time.
On a global scale, the number of burgers sold by McDonald’s is even higher. With its expansion into numerous countries, McDonald’s sells closer to 50 million burgers worldwide each day. This demonstrates the company’s ability to move an immense amount of burgers efficiently and quickly.
Looking back at McDonald’s history, the emphasis on the number of burgers sold at its restaurants was significant in the early years. By the end of the 1950s, McDonald’s had already sold 100 million burgers. In 1963, the fast food chain celebrated the serving of its one billionth hamburger while on “The Art Linkletter Show.” McDonald’s used to advertise the number of burgers sold on its signs as part of its marketing strategy.
In 1984, McDonald’s repeated this stunt for its 50 billionth burger. Co-founder Richard McDonald was personally served the burger during a media event commemorating the occasion. Since then, McDonald’s has continued to grow as a company. However, the company stopped advertising the exact number of burgers sold and instead adopted the terminology of serving more than 99 billion. The actual number beyond 99 billion has been a mystery, but one writer at Science Everywhere estimated that McDonald’s has sold over 377 billion burgers throughout its existence.
McDonald’s dominance in the fast food industry is unparalleled. With over 38,000 locations worldwide, it surpasses other popular chains like Subway, which has around 36,000 locations. While other burger chains don’t disclose their daily burger sales, third parties estimate that Burger King sells around 275 burgers per hour, compared to McDonald’s 75 burgers per second. Although there are no known statistics for Wendy’s burger sales, the chain generates approximately $2 billion in annual revenue. In contrast, McDonald’s brings in around $23 billion annually.
Even White Castle, the oldest fast food chain, has struggled to match McDonald’s dominance. White Castle announced in 2022 that it has sold over 28 billion burgers since its founding in 1921. While this is an impressive accomplishment, McDonald’s had already doubled this figure by the 1980s. Moreover, White Castle typically sells multiple sliders at a time. Regardless of personal opinions about McDonald’s, it is undeniable that the company excels at efficiently selling burgers.
In conclusion, McDonald’s sells a staggering number of burgers each day, with an estimated 6 million sold in the US and 50 million sold worldwide. The exact total number of burgers sold by McDonald’s throughout its history remains a mystery, but it is believed to be over 377 billion. With its vast number of locations and impressive revenue, McDonald’s continues to dominate the fast food industry.
