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Latest U.S. McDonald’s Location Map:
McDonald’s Restaurant Count and Distribution in the U.S.

Number of McDonald’s Locations in the U.S.
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U.S. McDonald’s Map (2026 Update)

*The data on this page is based on publicly visible restaurant location information from Google Maps in the United States as of January 2026.The dataset has been manually deduplicated and standardized for address formatting.

How many McDonald’s locations are there in the U.S.?

As of January 2026, there are 13,604 McDonald’s locations in the U.S.

As one of the most iconic fast-food chains in the country, McDonald’s has built a dense nationwide network across large-population states, commercial corridors, highway routes, and major metro areas.

Where are McDonald’s locations concentrated in the U.S.?

Overall, the distribution of McDonald’s closely follows U.S. population patterns and transportation networks.

  • The South and both coasts show the highest concentration.

Texas (TX), California (CA), and Florida (FL) are the three states with the most McDonald’s locations.

  • The Midwest forms a dense fast-food corridor.

States such as Illinois (IL), Ohio (OH), and Michigan (MI) remain long-established strongholds for McDonald’s.

  • Major metro areas and highway-linked markets are especially concentrated.

Regions with mature fast-food demand and heavy traffic volume show clear clustering effects.

Top 5 U.S. States by McDonald’s Location Count

  1. Texas (TX) accounts for 9.13% of all McDonald’s locations in the U.S., with 1,242 locations.
  2. California (CA) accounts for 9.03% of all McDonald’s locations in the U.S., with 1,229 locations.
  3. Florida (FL) accounts for 6.60% of all McDonald’s locations in the U.S., with 898 locations.
  4. Illinois (IL) accounts for 4.77% of all McDonald’s locations in the U.S., with 649 locations.
  5. Ohio (OH) accounts for 4.51% of all McDonald’s locations in the U.S., with 614 locations.

Together, these five states account for 34% of all McDonald’s locations in the U.S., meaning more than one-third of the chain’s stores are concentrated in the country’s largest population and economic markets.

Distribution Highlights

Based on the current McDonald’s location data, several key patterns stand out:

1. Large states and major metro areas are McDonald’s core markets.

Texas, California, Florida, and New York all have clear scale advantages.

From Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, and Miami to Chicago and the New York metro area, McDonald’s density is especially high, supported by mature fast-food habits, heavy traffic, and strong commuter demand.

The Midwest forms a dense fast-food belt with deep market roots

States such as Illinois (IL), Ohio (OH), Michigan (MI), and Indiana (IN) share several common traits:

  • Dense urban networks

  • Large working-class populations

  • Fast food deeply embedded in everyday dining habits

As a result, McDonald’s location counts in these states have consistently remained among the highest in the country.

3. The South and high-growth states continue to support McDonald’s expansion

States such as Georgia (GA), North Carolina (NC), Virginia (VA), Arizona (AZ), Tennessee (TN), and Missouri (MO) have seen clear growth in McDonald’s location count as their populations continue to expand.

These markets tend to share several characteristics:

  • Ongoing population inflows

  • Expanding metro areas

  • Heavy traffic volume

  • Strong demand for fast food

4. West Coast cities are highly concentrated, while inland areas are more scattered

California, Washington, and Oregon show especially strong concentration patterns:

  • Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, and Portland have very high location density

  • Mountain and desert regions have fewer locations and a more scattered distribution pattern

This creates a clear coastal concentration and inland dispersion pattern.

5. McDonald’s has become a standard dining option across small-town America

The data shows that even states that are not among the largest by population still maintain solid McDonald’s location counts, including:

  • Wisconsin (WI): 284 locations

  • Alabama (AL): 239 locations

  • Louisiana (LA): 234 locations

  • Kansas (KS): 149 locations

  • Iowa (IA): 140 locations

These are not the largest-population states, yet McDonald’s store counts remain stable.

This suggests that McDonald’s has already expanded deep into small towns, rural communities, and highway exits across the U.S.,becoming a nationwide everyday dining staple.

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