First Got Curious
Okay, so yesterday? I was scrolling through TikTok, mostly watching folks eat ridiculously big burgers, right? Then bam – someone commented saying McDonald’s owns like, tons of other places. They mentioned something about chicken sandwiches. My brain just stopped. McDonald’s owns other food chains? Seriously? Honestly, I always thought they were just… McDonald’s. Big golden arches, Happy Meals, the whole shebang. This felt like finding out your quiet neighbor runs a secret ninja academy or something. Totally unexpected.
Started Digging Around
My curiosity was itchier than a mosquito bite. Couldn’t just leave it there. So, fired up my laptop and hit the search bar. “What brands does McDonald’s own?” Seemed simple enough, but holy cow, the results were messy. First few links looked promising, but they were drowned out by ads for DoorDash or news about the latest McRib. Felt like panning for gold in a muddy river. Kept digging, skipping past corporate reports that sounded like they were written by robots with thesaurus implants. Needed something real, something folks actually eat at.
- Started Simple: Typed in “McDonald’s subsidiaries”. Got fancy stock market stuff. Useless.
- Tried Phrasing: Switched to “chains owned by McDonald’s”. Better! Lists started popping up. Progress!
- Scanned the Lists: Found this one site (won’t name it, rules!) that listed them like, clearly. Just names and what they sell. Perfect for my brain.
What I Actually Found Out
Going through those lists was eye-opening. Like, genuinely surprising stuff. Here’s the kicker:
- Chipotle? Yup! McDonald’s actually owned Chipotle way back? Sold it off ages ago though. I always thought it was totally separate. That burrito place? Seriously?
- Pret A Manger? Hold up! The fancy sandwich spot? People in suits grabbing lunch? Turns out, McDonald’s bought a big chunk of them back in… whatever year. Not 100% maybe, but a huge piece. Mind slightly blown.
- The Coffee Stuff: Found out they bought McCafe ages ago to fight Starbucks, which makes sense. But also saw something about Aroma? Think they owned that in Europe somewhere. Coffee game is serious for them.
- Totally Forgot: Boston Market! Remember those? Roast chicken dinners? Turns out McDonald’s owned them for a hot minute before selling them off. That rotisserie chicken place? Okay, did not see that coming at all.
- Donatos Pizza: Pizza? McDonald’s? Sounds crazy, but apparently, they took a run at pizza chains too? Bought some places that specialize in pies. Wild.
The Big Picture That Hit Me
Thinking back on everything I dug up, one thing stuck out way more than just a list:
It wasn’t just about flipping burgers anymore. McDonald’s, this giant company known for fries and Ronald, was basically going shopping for years. They weren’t just sticking to the fast-food lane. They were buying up places selling coffee like it’s gold, fancy sandwiches, whole chickens, even pizza. It’s like they saw the whole food world out there and thought, “We want in on ALL of that.”
Finding out about Pret A Manger? That was the real mind-bender for me. You walk past those places downtown, it feels like a totally different vibe – cleaner, pricier, not a deep fryer in sight. And McDonald’s had the key? It completely changed how I see that big red and yellow logo. They’re not just a burger joint; they’re this massive empire playing chess with our lunches across the whole planet. Kinda makes you wonder what surprise they’ll buy next.
