As of 2021, the company operates in 119 countries. Out of the 40031 McDonald's restaurants, 37295 or 93% were franchised, while the remaining 2736 were company operated. This totals to almost $42 billion worth of assets on the balance sheet, making McDonald's one one of the biggest real estate company in the world.

As mentioned, McDonald's has earned over $7.3 billion in rental income so far in 2023. This represents 63.5% of the revenue it has generated from its franchisees this year. And it represents 38% of the company's overall revenue, making real estate the biggest moneymaker.

How Much Does A McDonald's® Franchise Cost?* Most McDonald's franchise owner/operators have entered the corporation by purchasing an existing restaurant. To open a McDonald's franchise, however, requires a total investment of $1-$2.2 million, with liquid capital available of $750,000. The franchise fee is $45,000.

McDonald's is owned by different shareholders, as it's a publicly traded company. According to CNN Business reports, most of this company's owners are institutional investors, who make up 70.14% of the outstanding shares. Individual owners only make up about 0.31%.