Dunkin' specializes in donuts and coffee with 9,000+ locations focused on quick service, while McDonald's is a global fast-food chain with 40,000+ locations offering full meal services including burgers, fries, and breakfast items. McDonald's generates 3x higher annual revenue ($23.2B vs $1.3B) and operates in 100+ countries compared to Dunkin's primarily US-East presence.
Dunkin' vs McDonald's — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
American quick-service chain specializing in donuts, coffee, and bagels with 9,500 locations.
World's largest quick-service restaurant chain with 40,275 locations across 100+ countries.
Global Locations. Annual Revenue. Primary Menu Focus. Countries of Operation. Average Transaction Time. Breakfast Item Variety. Coffee Drink Options
Choose Dunkin' if you want quick coffee and donuts with fastest service times and maximum customization for beverages in the Northeast US. Choose McDonald's if you need diverse meal options, breakfast selections, global accessibility, and want a full dining experience beyond snacks and beverages.
Dunkin': 12,500+ | McDonald's: 40,275 locations
Dunkin': $1.49 billion | McDonald's: N/A
Dunkin': $1.4M | McDonald's: $2.8 million
Dunkin': 2-3 min | McDonald's: 3-4 minutes
Dunkin': Breakfast/Coffee dominant | McDonald's: All-day breakfast/lunch/dinner
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: Frozen patties standard
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: AI-powered order systems 2026
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: Standard options
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: Expansion planned
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: Standard offerings
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: Frozen patties + fresh beef option
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: Voice-activated with AI accuracy scaling
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: Frozen beef (100% beef)
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: AI voice-activated with accuracy scaling
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: 8,000 new locations planned
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: Optimized drive-thru layout
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: 105% cheaper than Wendy's
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: #1 fries only
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: Top 3 ($107B trifecta)
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: $1.3 - $2.2 million
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: 563 cal (Big Mac)
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: 40M+ (McDonald's Rewards)
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: ~200 menu variations
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: 100+ countries
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: $23.2 billion
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: 93% of US consumers
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: 28% of customer base
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: $5.99 (Big Mac)
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: $1.6M - $2.3M
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: Griddle-cooked (consistent)
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: 40+ (McDonald's Rewards)
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: 24 hours (all-day breakfast)
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: $196.5 billion
Dunkin': N/A | McDonald's: 550 (Big Mac)
How to choose between Dunkin' and McDonald's
Dunkin' vs McDonald's — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Dunkin' vs McDonald's. Contains 104 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Dunkin' vs McDonald's — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Dunkin' vs McDonald's.
Dunkin' has a lower average transaction cost at $6-8 per visit compared to McDonald's at $10-14, primarily because Dunkin' focuses on individual items (donuts, coffee) while McDonald's emphasizes meal combinations with entrées, sides, and drinks bundled together.
McDonald's offers significantly more breakfast variety with 15+ items including egg sandwiches, pancakes, hash browns, sausage patties, and breakfast wraps. Dunkin' focuses on bagels, croissants, and breakfast sandwiches with approximately 8 core options plus seasonal items.
Can I find either chain internationally?
McDonald's operates in 100+ countries making it globally accessible, with locations on every continent. Dunkin' operates in only 12 countries with primary presence in the US, particularly the Northeast, plus limited locations in Canada, UK, Germany, and France.
Dunkin' averages 3-4 minute transaction times due to its streamlined menu focused on coffee and donuts. McDonald's averages 4-5 minutes as customers often order complex meal combinations requiring more preparation time.
Dunkin' specializes in coffee with 30+ drink variations including cold brew, hot lattes, iced coffee, specialty flavors, and customizable shots. McDonald's offers approximately 12 coffee drink options focused on basic espresso drinks and specialty lattes.
How to Choose Between Dunkin' and McDonald's
Global Locations: Dunkin' has 9,500, while McDonald's has 40,575.
Annual Revenue: Dunkin' has $1.3 billion, while McDonald's has $23.2 billion.
Primary Menu Focus: Dunkin' has Donuts, coffee, bagels, while McDonald's has Burgers, chicken, breakfast.
Countries of Operation: Dunkin' has 12, while McDonald's has 100+.
Average Transaction Time: Dunkin' has 3-4 minutes, while McDonald's has 4-5 minutes.
Breakfast Item Variety: Dunkin' has Limited (bagels, croissants), while McDonald's has Extensive (15+ items).
Coffee Drink Options: Dunkin' has 30+, while McDonald's has 12.