Where to open a McDonald's franchise
12 cities ranked for restaurant locations, using real footfall, competition and rent data.
About McDonald's
Global quick-service burger chain. High-footfall, drive-through and transit-adjacent sites dominate its site-selection playbook.
Official franchising page →Franchise fees and contract terms are set by the brand. The figures below are WhereToOpen.ai estimates for the restaurant category, not brand-disclosed numbers.
Category investment
€120,000 - €400,000
Average ROI
18-35%
Payback
20-42 months
Best cities and areas
| City | Best area | Score | Competition | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berlin | Neukölln | 92/100 | 54 | €12-55/sqm |
| London | Canary Wharf | 92/100 | 67 | £35-150/sqm |
| Seoul | Itaewon | 92/100 | 63 | ₩80000-500000/sqm |
| Sydney | Marrickville | 92/100 | 58 | $25-150/sqm |
| Turin | San Salvario | 92/100 | 42 | €15-40/sqm |
| Hong Kong | Wan Chai | 86/100 | 58 | $350-1500/sqm |
| Singapore | Holland Village | 86/100 | 58 | $12-50/sqm |
| Tokyo | Asakusa | 86/100 | 63 | ¥10000-80000/sqm |
| Madrid | Lavapiés | 84/100 | 63 | €15-70/sqm |
| New York | Harlem | 84/100 | 58 | $35-250/sqm |
| Rome | EUR | 78/100 | 63 | €22-60/sqm |
| Dubai | Al Quoz | 76/100 | 54 | 60-280/sqm |
Scores rank each city's best neighbourhood for this category on footfall, competition, rent and business-type fit. Last reviewed 2026-09-01. Source: WhereToOpen.ai.