Yes, as of late 2025, Subway is bigger than McDonald's in Australia by store count, leading with around 1,249 locations compared to McDonald's 1,059, making Subway Australia's largest food chain by number of outlets, though McDonald's often leads in customer numbers or market dominance in other metrics.
Subway is now officially the largest restaurant chain in the world. The company passed McDonald's in the United States in 2002 but it has now passed it worldwide. Subway had 33,749 restaurants worldwide at the end of last year, according to company reports, and McDonald's Corp. had 32,737.
Together, they make up 50.74% of the ten largest networks operating in the country. Subway leads with 1,248 outlets as of 10 September 2025. New South Wales (NSW) hosts the largest share, 321 stores, or about 26% of the national total. McDonald's follows with 1,059 restaurants recorded as of 21 October 2025.
Subway has the most number of locations with 1,249 locations across 8 states and territories. McDonald's has 1,059 and KFC has 795 locations in Australia. These three together make 50.74% of the largest 10 food chains in Australia.
While McDonald's remains at the top globally, Starbucks, Burger King, and Subway are all hot on its heels. But this is just one part of the picture. Take a closer look at our foot traffic data, analyze individual stores, and compare historic performance.
Subway can be healthier than McDonald's because it offers more vegetables and lean proteins, but it depends heavily on your specific order; a heavily loaded Subway sandwich with processed meats, cheese, and creamy sauces can easily rival or exceed the calories, fat, and sodium of a McDonald's meal, especially if you skip sugary drinks and fries at McDonald's. Both can be unhealthy, but Subway gives you more control to customize a nutritious meal.
By U.S. systemwide sales, including both company-owned sales and franchised-unit sales, it's no surprise that McDonald's leads the rankings, followed by Subway and Starbucks Coffee. All three chains dominate the domestic landscape and have weathered the recession better than most.
The most unhealthy fast food in Australia, based on energy and sodium content, is often cited as Red Rooster's Bacon & Cheese Rippa meal combo (Rippa roll, large fries, large Coke) due to its extremely high kilojoules (7730kJ) and sodium (4571mg), exceeding daily recommendations, while Hungry Jack's Double Smoky BBQ Angus burger is a top offender in the burger category for its energy density. These meals pack significant energy (kilojoules), fat, and salt, contributing heavily to daily intake, with Red Rooster and Hungry Jack's often topping reports for poor nutritional profiles.
Australia's biggest companies, based on market capitalization (value), consistently include mining giants like BHP Group, the "Big Four" banks (Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Westpac, ANZ), healthcare leader CSL Limited, retail/industrial conglomerate Wesfarmers, and tech/finance firm Macquarie Group, alongside others like Fortescue Metals Group, Woolworths Group, and Telstra, though rankings shift with market conditions.
Subway Australia, like the global brand, operates on a franchise model, meaning individual restaurants are owned by independent franchisees, such as The Shamim Group (a large operator). The entire Subway corporation, including the Australian arm, was acquired in 2023 by the private equity firm Roark Capital, which now owns the brand and its intellectual property.
Yes, McDonald's has many locations in Japan (around 3,000), first opening in Tokyo in 1971, and offers a localized menu with unique items like the Teriyaki Burger and Shaka Shaka Chicken, plus seasonal specials, making it a popular spot with distinct offerings from its U.S. counterparts.
Mixue Surpasses McDonald's as the World's Largest F&B Chain. As of September 2024, Mixue has overtaken McDonald's as the world's largest F&B chain, with a total of 45,300 locations. McDonald's comes in second with 42,800 locations, followed by Starbucks with 40,200 locations. .
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The fast food landscape has shifted dramatically, with the United States firmly claiming the title as the world's most fast food obsessed country in 2024.
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The 2-hour/4-hour rule in Australia is a food safety guideline for potentially hazardous foods (like meat, dairy, cooked rice) held in the "temperature danger zone" (between 5°C and 60°C). If food is out for under 2 hours, it can be refrigerated or used. If out for 2 to 4 hours, it must be used immediately (cannot be refrigerated). If out for over 4 hours, it must be discarded to prevent bacteria growth.
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McDonald's. McDonald's maintains its position as the world's most profitable fast food chain, with McDonald's revenue for the twelve months ending June 30, 2025, at $26.060 billion, a 1.18% increase year-over-year .
Trophic levels are the order the organism is placed on the food chain. These levels are divided into producers (first), consumers (second, third and fourth) and decomposers (fifth).
McDonald's has a massive presence, with over 13,000 locations in the United States. This makes it the most extensive fast-food chain in the country. Burger King, on the other hand, operates around 7,000 locations across the U.S., which is roughly half of McDonald's footprint.
Many people believe that Subway is a healthier dining option compared to McDonald's, but recent findings suggest otherwise. When ordering a maple bacon sandwich, it's easy to overlook the calorie content. Surprisingly, some Subway sandwiches contain an astonishing number of calories—more than a single Big Mac!
The healthiest fast food in Australia often comes from places offering fresh ingredients like Roll'd (Vietnamese rice paper rolls, pho), Sumo Salad/Greenstreat (fresh salads, grain bowls), Nando's (grilled chicken, salads), Grill'd (veggie/lean meat burgers with salad), and Guzman y Gomez (veggie/chicken bowls/burritos), focusing on grilled options, plenty of vegetables, and avoiding fried items or heavy sauces for lighter choices like sushi, poke bowls, or kebabs with lean protein.
“Meatball marinara on white bread, while not the highest in calories, is the unhealthiest option,” says Ludlam-Raine.