McDonald’s held on to its position as the world’s most valuable restaurant brand for a second straight year, according to a new Brand Finance ranking for 2026. The fast-food giant increased its brand value by 5 percent to $42.6 billion. The study covered the 25 most valuable restaurant brands in the world, whose combined value reached $190.1 billion. Reports Kun.uz.
Starbucks stayed in second place, although its brand value fell 4 percent to $37 billion as competition intensified in key markets, especially China. KFC ranked third after its brand value rose 8 percent to $16.5 billion. Subway and Chick-fil-A completed the top five, with Subway up 18 percent to $9.5 billion and Chick-fil-A surging 44 percent to $8.1 billion thanks to strong financial results and expansion in the United States.
Brand Finance said McDonald’s growth was supported by stable franchise income and active expansion. In 2024, the company opened 102 new restaurants in the United States, its strongest annual increase since 2013. By the end of 2024, McDonald’s operated 43,400 restaurants worldwide, making it the industry’s largest chain.
Subway also gained from international development and digital sales, signing 25 master franchise deals that could lead to more than 10,000 new restaurants, including in Paraguay and Mongolia. At the same time, its US network continued to shrink to 19,500 outlets, the lowest level in 20 years. Chinese brands Mixue, Haidilao and Luckin Coffee entered the top 25 for the first time, reflecting growing demand for affordable, large-scale business models.
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