After nearly a decade, McDonald’s has once again claimed the top spot as the globe’s most valuable restaurant brand.

It has surpassed Starbucks, despite the company having a difficult year. Numerous complaints about steep pricing and extended waiting periods have caused many consumers to abandon the brand.

In January, it reported

Sales dropped once more from October to December.

– The company experienced a consecutive fourth quarter of decline. Disgruntled customers, frustrated with elevated costs and extended waiting periods, abandoned the brand.

And things might turn even more challenging for Starbucks as the US prepares to welcome

a rapidly-expanding Chinese competitor.


Luckin Coffee — which has

Starbucks has been overtaken by another brand as the largest coffee chain in China.

— is cooking up plans to


Take a $2 coffee to America.

Starbucks had held the top spot on Brand Finance’s yearly ranking for eight consecutive years until it slipped to second place in 2025.

The value of McDonald’s increased by 7% to reach $40.5 billion. In contrast, Starbucks saw a decrease of 36%, dropping to $38.8 billion, partly due to increasing customer discontent.

The
coffee chain
Additionally, it damaged consumer confidence following a prominent boycott movement linked to the tensions in Gaza.

The newly appointed CEO of Starbucks, Brian Niccol, is attempting to revitalize the company. He stated that the organization must undertake a significant transformation in its operational strategy, which encompasses several changes.
removing several beverages from the menu list
and
letting go over 1,000 employees
.

Currently, McDonald’s stands as one of the most widely recognized fast-food chains globally, boasting more than 43,000 outlets across different countries.

To stay competitive against rival dining establishments, it keeps reintroducing popular and well-loved menu items.

One of its highly discussed additions is the
‘McValue’ platform
, which includes the
$5 Meal Deal
And take advantage of Buy One, Get One for $1 deals.

A treat set to make a comeback this year is the beloved snack wrap, which has been renamed as the
McCrispy Wrap
.

According to Brand Finance, McDonald’s achieved a flawless rating in brand familiarity and leading positions in consideration and preference metrics, which reinforces its dominance within the industry.

The report stated, “McDonald’s consistently provides an efficient and reliable product, guaranteeing that customers understand what they will get.”

This approach has enabled McDonald’s to stay ahead of consumer preferences while maintaining rapid production speeds.

Even though McDonald’s saw a minor rise in its U.S. same-store sales for 2024 revenues relative to the previous year, Brand Finance noted that increasing menu prices might contribute to its 7.5 out of 10 rating for consumer acceptance of paying more.

Although Starbucks manages more than 35,000 outlets globally, the company faced four successive quarters of decline.
sales declines
.

The report stated concerning the decline in their Brand Strength Index (BSI), “These decreases indicate more significant problems for Starbucks, such as a mismatch with what customers expect.”

Starbucks’ strong emphasis on app-driven purchases has faced backlash from devoted patrons who cherish the company’s conventional café atmosphere.

Similar to McDonald’s, one of the factors leading to declining sales is the increase in product pricing.

The coffee company has been striving to overcome its decline in sales by
Back to Starbucks Strategy
implemented by CEO
Brian Niccol
.

The company aims to concentrate on its primary competencies in an effort to increase global profitability.

Although we are just one quarter into our turnaround, we are swiftly implementing initiatives under the ‘Back to Starbucks’ effort and have received encouraging feedback,” Niccol stated.

We think this strategic shift is essential for addressing our core problems, reviving trust in our brand, and steering the company towards sustained, long-term development.

One brand that also experienced significant value growth is
KFC
, with Brand Finance ranking it third.

Last year, it exceeded 30,000 operational eateries and saw an eight percent rise in valuation to reach $15.4 billion.

Last year, Subway increased its worth by 12 percent and maintained its fourth-place ranking with a valuation of $8.1 billion.

Although
Taco Bell
Its value dropped by 3% to $6.9 billion, similar to the
sandwich chain
, its rank remained unchanged.

The five additional brands completing the top 10 spots were Tim Hortons,
Domino’s
,
Chick-fil-A
,
Wendy’s
, and
Pizza Hut
.

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