These 2 Restaurant Chains Could Be Better Investments Than McDonald’s — Here’s Why
Written by
Adam Palasciano
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
When you think of fast food, the first thing that comes to mind is probably The Golden Arches, famously known as McDonald’s.
What started as a small burger restaurant in California back in 1953, the fast-food giant has become one of the largest restaurant chains in the U.S. and the world. Today, there are about 36,000 restaurants in over 100 countries worldwide, according to the restaurant’s site. McDonald’s is, of course, famous for its budget-friendly hamburgers and french fries, which we’ve pretty much all tried at one time or another.
“Mickey D’s” may seem like the obvious choice if you’re considering a fast-food investment. However, there are currently a few other fast-food chains that might be a better option. Here are two restaurant chains that could be better investments than McDonald’s in 2025 for one shared reason, according to the 2024 QSR Report and company sources.
Also if you had invest in McDonalds in 2019, here’s how rich you’d be.
Starbucks
Starbucks was founded in 1971 in Seattle, Washington and today it’s one of the largest coffee franchises in the world. One key reason why Starbucks may be a better investment than McDonalds in 2025 is that the chain expanded by the most locations of any restaurant in the U.S. in 2023 alone. According to the report, the coffee chain opened 473 new stores in 2023, compared with McDonald’s 13 new openings. With so many new stores, there’s an opportunity for increased revenue and shareholder profits.
Starbucks’ total 2023 U.S. sales were about $28.7 billion, operating more than 16,300 stores nationally.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A was founded in 1956 and today it’s well-known for its hand-breaded fried chicken and a strong focus on customer care.
With not nearly as wide a national footprint as McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A may also be a better fast-food investment in 2025 for the same reason you might want to invest in Starbucks: a much larger increase in new stores.
Chick-fil-A is rapidly speeding up its store openings, with 141 new stores in 2023 alone, compared with 100 and 102 store openings in the two prior years. With such rapid expansion, shareholders may expect a nice return on investment.
Chick-fil-A’s total 2023 U.S. sales were about $21.59 billion, operating more than 3,000 stores in 48 U.S. states as well as in Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.
More From GOBankingRates
