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How do fast food chains make money?
Most big fast food brands don't run most of their restaurants. Together, Starbucks, McDonald's, Chipotle, Restaurant Brands International, Yum! Brands, Domino's and Wendy's took in $101 billion in their latest years and kept $15.4 billion in profit, $15.24 of every $100.
From each company's latest Form 10-K. Page updated November 8, 2026.
Most big fast food brands don't run most of their restaurants. Franchisees pay them royalties on sales, rent and ad fees, which is why their profit per $100 is so high. Chipotle and Starbucks run their own U.S. stores instead, so their revenue is the food itself.
| Company | Revenue | Net profit | Kept per $100 | Biggest line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starbucks | $37.2B | $1.9B | $4.99 | North America cafes |
| McDonald's | $26.9B | $8.6B | $31.85 | Big international markets |
| Chipotle | $11.9B | $1.5B | $12.88 | — |
| Restaurant Brands International | $9.4B | $1.1B | $11.39 | — |
| Yum! Brands | $8.2B | $1.6B | $18.98 | KFC |
| Domino's | $4.9B | $602M | $12.18 | Selling supplies to franchisees |
| Wendy's | $2.2B | $165M | $7.58 | — |
Where each company's money comes from.
Starbucks
McDonald's