Inside the McDonald's franchise disclosure
You searched the right thing. The FDD is the document that spells out what a McDonald's franchise is really about — what you're committing to, and what they're committing to you. Here's a sampling of what their 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document reveals:
Every detail below is drawn straight from McDonald's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document — and in your Clearly Workspace, Clara links each one back to the exact page in the FDD. See what that looks like →
McDonald's $1.4M–$2.9M sits against a median of $757,000 across the 47 fast food franchises on file that disclose an investment range.
You cannot change the FDD — and that's not the point. The point is to walk into your next conversation with McDonald's knowing what you're agreeing to, so you ask the questions that matter most to you. We're not here to talk you out of anything — we're here to make sure your excitement is the clear-eyed kind.
The Workspace is where you and Clara review the FDD together. She's read every page, and she'll walk you through any of it — the basic questions, the ones you're not sure are smart, the ones keeping you up at night. No judgment, ever. Ask her what a royalty really costs you, whether you could sell one day, what happens if you get sick — anything.
It's the smart first step before you sign, or before you spend on an attorney: get into the Workspace for $49, get to know the FDD, and walk into your attorney conversation already knowing the document, so your time with them goes to the parts that matter most to you. Ask Clara as many questions as you need to understand the FDD — there's no limit, and no question is too small.
The Workspace doesn't go anywhere. It's saved to your Clearly Library, so you can reopen the Clearly Report, the FDD, and your notes whenever you come back to the decision.
Evaluating more than a couple of brands? Professional gives you unlimited access from $158/mo. See plans →
A full transcript of the video above, for reference and accessibility.
Thinking about buying a McDonald's
franchise? Clearly FTD has all the data,
including McDonald's. Let's go take a
look. It will cost you between 1.47
million and 2.81 million to open a
McDonald's franchise.
They do include a financial performance
representation that is quite detailed.
There are 13,706
locations in the US. 231 opened in 2025
and 55 closed. You'll pay 5% in royalty
fees and contribute 4% to the brand
fund. The franchise fee is $45,000
and you do not receive a protected
territory. For a limited time, the
McDonald's workspace is unlocked and
available at no cost. You'll see a
detailed guide to item 19, all 23 items
in the FDD, and receive the Clearly
report with all the FTD data at a
glance