McDonald's vs Starbucks Corporation
Business model, scale, and a side-by-side Litmus framework score — which model wins, and for whom.
McDonald's wins on scale, value, and margin; Starbucks owns the premium coffee daypart McDonald's is now attacking with McCafé.
At a glance
| Metric | McDonald's | Starbucks Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $26.9B (FY2025 franchisor + company revenue) | $37.2B (FY2025, ended Sep 2025) |
| Profit | $8.5B (FY2025 net income, EPS $11.95) | ~$1.9B (Net Income, FY2025) |
| Active users | ~210M 90-day active loyalty users + ~70M daily customers | ~34.6 Million Active Rewards Members (US) |
| Employees | ~150,000 corporate (~2.2M system-wide) | ~360,000 |
| Founded | 1955 | 1971 |
| HQ | Chicago, Illinois | Seattle, WA |
LLitmus Framework Score
Overall: McDonald's 92 · Starbucks Corporation 89
Customer Segment
97
95
Value Proposition
88
90
Marketing Channel
92
95
Engagement
88
98
Income Source
96
92
Asset Validation
95
90
Core Operations
90
80
Strategic Alliance
88
92
Expense Validation
93
85
McDonald's leads 5 modules, Starbucks Corporation leads 4. Overall edge: McDonald's.
Head to head
| Dimension | McDonald's | Starbucks Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Locations | ~45,356 | ~40,990 |
| Systemwide sales | $130B+ | ~$30B+ |
| Core occasion | Lunch, dinner, value | Premium morning coffee |
| Average ticket | Value ($5 Meal Deal) | Premium, higher beverage ticket |
| Net margin | ~32% | Lower; US comps roughly flat FY2025 |
FAQ
Is McDonald's or Starbucks Corporation a better business?
McDonald's wins on scale, value, and margin; Starbucks owns the premium coffee daypart McDonald's is now attacking with McCafé. It depends on what you optimise for — see the module-by-module breakdown above.
What is the difference between McDonald's and Starbucks Corporation's business model?
McDonald's operates in Food & Beverage (I'm Lovin' It), while Starbucks Corporation is Consumer Services (To inspire and nurture the human spirit). Their revenue, scale and Litmus scores are compared in detail above.
Which is more profitable, McDonald's or Starbucks Corporation?
McDonald's: $8.5B (FY2025 net income, EPS $11.95). Starbucks Corporation: ~$1.9B (Net Income, FY2025).