Franopolis
    vs

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Little Caesars vs McDonald’s Corporation

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Little Caesars2026 FDDMcDonald’s Corporation2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Little Caesars

    Not available

    McDonald’s Corporation

    $701,000 – $1,472,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Little Caesars

    $20,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    McDonald’s Corporation

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Little Caesars

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    McDonald’s Corporation

    5% · 1) — 5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • McDonald’s Corporation discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only McDonald’s Corporation has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Little Caesars

    Not available
    No reviewed Item 7 total

    McDonald’s Corporation

    $701,000 – $1,472,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Little Caesars

    $20,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    McDonald’s Corporation

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Little Caesars

    6%
    Weekly royalty greater of 6% of Gross Sales or $300
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    McDonald’s Corporation

    5% · 1) — 5%
    0- Item 6 Other Fees OTHER FEES Type of fee Amount Due Date Remarks Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Little Caesars

    7%
    Advertising fee up to 7% of Gross Sales — 7%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    McDonald’s Corporation

    4% of 5) not less than — 4%
    Advertising and Promotion
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Little Caesars

    4,374
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74

    McDonald’s Corporation

    685
    Outlets at end of 2023
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 45
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Little Caesars

    +3,799
    Calculated: 575 at end of 2023 → 4,374 at end of 2025

    McDonald’s Corporation

    Not available
    Only one year reported
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Little Caesars

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    McDonald’s Corporation

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Little Caesars

    1962
    From a verified franchisor listing

    McDonald’s Corporation

    1955
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Little Caesars

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    McDonald’s Corporation

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Little Caesars

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    McDonald’s Corporation
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — domestic traditional McDonald’s restaurants
    $20,421,000
    other domestic traditional McDonald’s restaurants
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 42
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — domestic traditional McDonald’s restaurants
    81 percent
    other domestic traditional McDonald’s restaurants
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 42
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — domestic traditional franchised McDonald’s restaurants
    $4,057,000
    other domestic traditional franchised McDonald’s restaurants
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 42
    +4 more groups in the full report

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Little Caesars vs McDonald’s Corporation: common questions

    How do Little Caesars and McDonald’s Corporation royalties compare?
    Little Caesars: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18); McDonald’s Corporation: 5% · 1) — 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Little Caesars or McDonald’s Corporation?
    Little Caesars: 4,374 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74); McDonald’s Corporation: 685 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 45). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Little Caesars and McDonald’s Corporation disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Little Caesars makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; McDonald’s Corporation has reviewed Item 19 figures for 7 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Little Caesars report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full McDonald’s Corporation report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Compare Little Caesars with

    Compare McDonald’s Corporation with

    Add a third brand

    Compare up to four side by side

    Explore by brand

    Filter every published report

    FDD glossary

    Plain-language meaning of each Item