17 Incredible Facts About McDonald's

Before, during, and after the recession, McDonald's has been an unstoppable global force. The fast food giant can now be found in 119 countries, where it serves over 75 burgers every second.

And if you don't like burgers, the chain is great at localization with countless unique items served at around the world, and now it's taking over coffee — oh yeah, the McRib is coming back soon.

1. McDonald's sells more than 75 hamburgers every second
(Source: McDonald's Operations and Training Manual via Side Dish)

(McDonald's) 
2. McDonald's feeds 68 million people per day, that's about 1 percent of the world's population
(Source: Societe General via Dominic Chu)

3. McDonald's' $27 billion in revenue makes it the 90th-largest economy in the world
(Source: SEC)

4. The $8.7 billion in revenue from franchise stores alone, makes McDonald's richer than Mongolia
(Source: SEC)

5. McDonald's hires around 1 million workers in the US every year
This estimate from Fast Food Nation assumes a 700,000 domestic workforce with 150% turnover rate.

6. McDonald's has 761,000 employees worldwide, that's more than the population of Luxembourg
(Source: McDonald's / Statistics Iceland)

7. According to company estimates, one in every eight American workers has been employed by McDonald's
(Source: McDonald's own estimate in 1996 via Fast Food Nation)

8. Sharon Stone worked at McDonald's before she was famous. So did Shania Twain, Jay Leno, Rachel McAdams and Pink
(Source: NNDB)

9. McDonald's is the world's largest distributor of toys, with one included in 20% of all sales
(Source: QSR via Motley Fool)

(McDonald's) 

10. Back in 1968 McDonald airlifted hamburgers to homesick U.S. Olympic Athletes in France
(Source: McDonald's)

11. McDonald's' iconic golden arches are recognized by more people than the cross
A survey by Sponsorship Research International found that 88 percent could identify the arches and only 54 percent could name the Christian cross, according to Fast Food Nation.

12. The Queen of England owns a retail park in Slough, which has a drive-thru McDonald's
(Source: The Telegraph)

13. The Egg McMuffin was modeled on eggs Benedict
Herb Peterson invented the Egg McMuffin as a way to introduce breakfast to McDonald's restaurants. From MSNBC:

"Peterson came up with idea for the signature McDonald's breakfast item in 1972. He "was very partial to eggs Benedict," Fraker said, and worked on creating something similar.

The egg sandwich consisted of an egg that had been formed in a Teflon circle with the yolk broken, topped with a slice of cheese and grilled Canadian bacon. It was served open-faced on a toasted and buttered English muffin."

(Source: MSNBC)

14. From 2011 to 2013, McDonald's plans to open one restaurant every day in China
(Source: Reuters via Paul Kedrosky)

15. McDonald's delivers – in 18 countries!
(Source: Japan Times)

16. The only place in the lower 48 that is more than 100 miles from a McDonald's is a barren plain in South Dakota
(Source: AggData via Side Dish)

17. Americans alone consume one billion pounds of beef at McDonald's in a year – five and a half million head of cattle
(Source: John Hayes, McDonald's senior director of U.S. food and packaging, via Side Dish)