# McDonald's Franchise Funding for Existing Owner/Operators

> Funding for existing McDonald's owner/operators: equipment, reinvestment projects, crew payroll and working capital, sized from deposits after rent and service fees.

Source: https://mfebusinessloans.com/franchise-funding/brands/mcdonalds/ (Merchant Fund Express, updated 2026-10-21)

## The short answer

Already operating McDonald's restaurants and need capital? Merchant Fund Express funds existing McDonald's owner/operators: business loans, merchant cash advances, revenue-based financing, lines of credit, equipment financing and working capital, from $25,000 to $5,000,000. Conventional franchisees pay rent and royalties based on a percent of sales, so we size every payment after those drafts. A complete file gets a same-day decision, and funding often follows the next business day.

## Who is this page for?

Owner/operators who already run open McDonald's restaurants in the U.S. The 10-K describes the conventional franchise: the company generally owns or leases the land and building, and the franchisee pays for equipment, signs, seating and decor, and reinvests in the business over time. The operator's balance sheet carries the kitchen, drive-thru technology and dining room.
Most new U.S. openings include a drive-thru, and restaurants run breakfast, McCafe beverages, shakes and soft serve beside burgers and fries. See the burger franchise funding guide and our restaurant industry page.

## What the franchisor publishes

McDonald's: facts from official sources
Parent company: McDonald's Corporation (SEC filer) (source)
Royalty: Conventional franchisees pay rent and royalties based on a percent of sales, with specified minimum rent payments; fees vary by site type and amount of company investment (10-K) (source)
Published formats: Conventional franchise: McDonald's generally owns or leases the land and building; the franchisee pays for equipment, signs, seating and decor; agreements generally run 20 years (source)
Locations: 13,706 U.S. restaurants at year-end 2025; U.S. segment 95% franchised as of December 31, 2025 (10-K) (source)
US franchising status: Actively franchising; the 10-K describes initial fees paid when a new restaurant opens or a new franchise is awarded (source)
Checked Oct 2026 against official sources: the franchisor's own franchising site, its FDD or SEC filings, or the SBA Franchise Directory. Figures change; confirm current numbers in the latest Franchise Disclosure Document. Figures we could not confirm from an official source are left out.

## Every way to fund your McDonald's location

Already running a McDonald's location and need capital? Merchant Fund Express funds existing franchise owners with every product below. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.
Franchise business loan: Fixed payments for a planned reinvestment project across a multi-restaurant organization.
Merchant cash advance: A fast advance on daily card settlements when one restaurant needs cash now.
Revenue-based financing: Repayment that follows deposits for a highway or tourist restaurant.
Business line of credit: A standing line for payroll and food orders through promotions.
Equipment financing: Shake machines, fryers, kiosks and drive-thru order technology against a quote.
Working capital: Short capital for an urgent HVAC, walk-in or ice machine failure.

## Which problems do McDonald's operators bring to a funding review?

Reinvestment lands on the operator
The franchisee owns equipment, signs, seating and decor, so upgrades are paid from operator cash. Spreading part of the cost protects payroll; see franchise remodeling funding.
Shake, soft serve and beverage equipment
Frozen dessert machines, ice machines and beverage towers are high-use and costly. Equipment financing on a quote keeps the menu complete.
Large payroll in high-volume stores
A busy drive-thru carries a big weekly payroll before sales settle. A franchise line of credit handles the timing.

## Which product fits which McDonald's need?

Need | Product | Published requirement it leans on | What to send |
Shake machine or fryer | Equipment financing | Vendor quote and useful life | Quote, 3 months of statements |
Modernization work | Business loan | Tier 1: 3+ years, FICO 650+, about $25K/month revenue | Project scope, statements |
Payroll through promotions | Line of credit | Tier 1: 8+ deposits a month, NSFs max 6/month | Statements, debt schedule |
Walk-in or HVAC failure | Working capital | Tier 2: 6+ months, FICO 600+, $60K verifiable revenue | Repair invoice, statements |
Seasonal tourist restaurant | Revenue-based financing | Tier 2: minimum daily balance $800 | Statements for that entity |

## How does the review read a McDonald's restaurant?

Entity: organizations often hold restaurants in several entities; we read the one that signs and its deposit account.
High-volume deposits: large daily settlements; we read count, consistency and average balance.
Rent and royalty drafts: percent-of-sales charges with a minimum rent, read as recurring costs, along with food and paper drafts.
Existing positions: equipment loans, leases and advances are counted; a new structure can sometimes lower the combined payment. See existing positions.

## What documents does a McDonald's funding review need?

About 3 months of business bank statements (bank PDFs) per restaurant entity
The five-minute application, which opens with a soft credit pull
Vendor quotes or a scope for reinvestment work
A list of current loans, leases and advances
Full financials above $250,000, common for multi-restaurant projects
Spanish-speaking support is available, and ITIN applicants are accepted.

## A hypothetical McDonald's budget scenario

Consider a drive-thru restaurant with $310,000 in monthly deposits. Rent and service fee drafts total $43,000, food and paper $95,000, payroll $90,000 and existing payments $9,000. The operator wants kiosks and drive-thru order equipment quoted at $180,000.
Monthly deposits$310,000
Less franchisor drafts, food and paper, payroll, existing payments$310,000 - $43,000 - $95,000 - $90,000 - $9,000 = $73,000
$180,000 over 60 monthsabout $3,000/month before cost of funds
Share of what remains$3,000 / $73,000 = about 4.1%
Figures in this example are illustrations of the arithmetic, not an offer, quote or approval. Real terms depend on the file and the funder.

## What if you are buying or opening a McDonald's instead?

A new operator or unopened restaurant has no deposit history, so it needs operating history first; see buying a franchise. A current operator adding a restaurant is read on existing deposits (second-location funding); buying from another operator follows franchise transfer financing.

## Keep reading

Burger franchise funding: the sector view
Franchise brands we cover: every brand page
Franchise equipment financing: quote-based terms
Franchise remodeling funding: modernizations
Multi-unit franchise funding: store by store

## Common questions

### Can I finance equipment if McDonald's owns the building?

Yes. The franchisee pays for equipment, signs, seating and decor, so that equipment can be financed against a vendor quote.

### How are rent and service fees treated?

As normal recurring costs. New payments are sized after them.

### Is each of my restaurants read separately?

Each entity is read on its own deposits; a request can cover one restaurant or the organization.

### Can a large reinvestment project be funded?

Funding runs up to $5,000,000; above $250,000 we also need full financials.

### Are you affiliated with McDonald's?

No. Merchant Fund Express is independent. We use the McDonald's name only to identify the owners this page is for; it does not mean the franchisor endorses or works with us.

Merchant Fund Express is independent. Not affiliated with or endorsed by McDonald's or its franchisor.

Apply with Merchant Fund Express: https://merchantfundexpress.com/current-application.html?utm_source=mfebusinessloans.com&utm_medium=franchise&utm_campaign=franchise-funding&utm_content=mcdonalds