U.S. consumer company · large-cap · listed on the NYSE · headquartered in Illinois.
Clue 2 · The Numbers
Only about $26 billion in revenue — surprisingly small — because franchisees run ~95% of its 40,000+ locations and it skims the royalties.
Clue 3 · The History
Two brothers built the original in 1940s California; a 52-year-old milkshake-machine salesman bought them out and built the empire. There's a movie about it.
Clue 4 · The Secret
Insiders joke it's a real-estate company that happens to sell food — it owns the land under thousands of its franchises and collects rent on top of royalties.
Clue 5 · The Lore
It feeds roughly 1% of the world's population every day, and The Economist uses its flagship product as an unofficial global currency index.
Clue 6 · The Giveaway
Golden arches. A clown named Ronald. You know exactly what the fries taste like.