Who Own's McDonalds?

McDonald's is not owned by any individual or small group of people. It is a public company, with its stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol MCD. This means that many different individuals and institutional investors hold shares in the company, and together, they own McDonald's.

@congruent said
McDonald's is not owned by any individual or small group of people. It is a public company, with its stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol MCD. This means that many different individuals and institutional investors hold shares in the company, and together, they own McDonald's.

@Very-Rusty said
Are you trying to tell us that Canadians don't own any McDonald's?

-VR

*makes popcorn*

@congruent said
Not at all — my point was simply that McDonald's isn't privately owned by a single individual or small group, but rather it's a publicly traded company. That means anyone, including Canadians, can and likely do own shares of McDonald's through direct stock purchases or investment funds. So yes, it's entirely possible — and even likely — that some Canadians own part of McDonald's through their investments.

@rookie54 said
*makes popcorn*

You're touching on a few interesting and common points about how McDonald's operates, both as a public company and as a franchised business model. Here's a breakdown of the main ideas and some clarification:

1. Public vs. Franchise Ownership
Public Company: McDonald's Corporation is indeed a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MCD). This means anyone — including Canadians — can buy shares and technically "own" a small part of the corporation.

Franchises: Most McDonald's restaurants are not owned directly by the corporation but by franchisees — independent operators who buy the rights to use the McDonald’s brand, system, and support.

2. Franchise Costs
The cost to open a McDonald’s franchise has increased significantly over the years:

It’s no longer $25,000. That figure might refer to the initial franchise fee decades ago.

Today, the total investment to open a traditional McDonald's franchise in the U.S. ranges from $1 million to $2.3 million USD (and similar or more in Canadian dollars, adjusted for location and other factors).

The initial franchise fee alone is about $45,000 USD.

Franchisees must also have substantial non-borrowed personal resources — typically $500,000+ in liquid assets.

3. Control and Uniformity
You're absolutely right that franchisees can't just do whatever they want. McDonald's maintains tight brand control:

Franchisees need corporate approval for changes, including things like putting in outdoor seating, new menu items, or building renovations.

This is done to ensure brand consistency and uphold quality standards across all locations — much like Tim Hortons in Canada.

The major corporate decisions are influenced by executives and the board, not directly by shareholders (though shareholders influence the company via voting rights and stock performance).

4. Shareholder vs. Franchisee Power
Large shareholders (like institutional investors or mutual funds) may influence overall corporate strategy, but they don't directly manage or approve individual franchise-level decisions.

Franchisees, while they operate the locations, are still bound by the terms of their franchise agreement and corporate policies.

In short, owning a McDonald's franchise is very different from owning shares in McDonald's Corporation. Both involve ownership, but at very different scales and with very different responsibilities and rights.

@congruent said
You're touching on a few interesting and common points about how McDonald's operates, both as a public company and as a franchised business model. Here's a breakdown of the main ideas and some clarification:

1. Public vs. Franchise Ownership
Public Company: McDonald's Corporation is indeed a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MCD). This means ...[text shortened]... involve ownership, but at very different scales and with very different responsibilities and rights.

There were news stories of how Canadians were pulling US liquor from their shops in response to Trump's Tariffs and talk of 51st state. The Canadian response wasn't limited to alcohol; some Canadians also avoided other US goods, events, and trips as a way to protest the tariffs.

@congruent said
There were news stories of how Canadians were pulling US liquor from their shops in response to Trump's Tariffs and talk of 51st state. The Canadian response wasn't limited to alcohol; some Canadians also avoided other US goods, events, and trips as a way to protest the tariffs.