McDonald’s Satellite Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A McDonald’s Satellite franchise requires a total initial investment of $523K – $907K, including a $500 franchise fee. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $523K – $907K
- 82nd pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 48th pct Service Resta…
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- N/A
- 95th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Quick-Service Restaurants avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- Total investment $523K – $907K including a $500 franchise fee.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 74/100 (higher is better).
- 20 litigation matters disclosed in Item 3, higher than typical. Review the summary for patterns (franchisor-initiated vs. franchisee-initiated).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- McDonald's USA, LLC
- Auditor
- Ernst & Young LLP
- Audited financials
Overview
About
- CEO
- Joe Erlinger
- Headquarters
- Illinois
- Founded
- 1955
- FDD year
- 2024
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 13% above the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $500 | $500 |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $522K | $906K |
| Total initial investment | $523K | $907K |
Source: McDonald’s Satellite 2024 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $523K – $907K
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- N/A
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Franchise fee
- $500
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- -n/d
- Ad fund
- 4.0%
- typical 3–5%
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marketing / ad fund | 4.0% of gross sales |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Quick-Service Restaurants averages
How McDonald’s Satellite Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- N/A
- Opened
- N/A
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- N/A
No multi-year history disclosed and no opening/closing activity in the last reporting year.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Ernst & Young LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Litigation count | 20 |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a McDonald’s Satellite franchise?
The total investment to open a McDonald’s Satellite franchise ranges from $523K – $907K, with an initial franchise fee of $500. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do McDonald’s Satellite franchise owners earn?
McDonald’s Satellite does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is McDonald’s Satellite's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for McDonald’s Satellite (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
Is McDonald’s Satellite a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates McDonald’s Satellite as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 74 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.