Head to head · SEC data as of July 10, 2026
McDonald's
76
Quality score · out of 100
Starbucks
54
Quality score · out of 100
McDonald's comes in ahead: a quality score of 76 versus 54 for Starbucks. McDonald's wins on net margin (31.6% vs 3.9%), cash generation (FCF) (25.6% vs 7.1%) and earnings growth (13.3% vs 9.1%). Starbucks doesn't take a single major metric today.
| Metric | McDonald's | Starbucks |
|---|---|---|
| Quality score (0-100) | 76 | 54 |
| Net margin | 31.6% | 3.9% |
| Gross margin | — | — |
| ROE | — | — |
| Net debt/EBITDA | 3.01× | 2.56× |
| FCF margin | 25.6% | 7.1% |
| Revenue growth (annualized) | 7% | 9.4% |
| Earnings growth (annualized) | 13.3% | 9.1% |
TTM metrics with official SEC data, refreshed daily. Bold green marks the winner of each metric. A dash means the metric doesn't apply or isn't reliable.
McDonald's. McDonald's is the world's largest fast-food chain. It largely operates as a real-estate franchise business: most of its restaurants are run by franchisees who pay it rent and royalties, giving it very stable income.
Starbucks. Starbucks is the world's largest coffeehouse chain. It sells coffee and drinks across tens of thousands of company-owned and licensed stores, leaning on a very strong brand and a loyalty app that drives a large share of its sales.
Open your account in minutes with regulated brokers and buy U.S. and European stocks from small amounts. No paperwork.
The serious investor's standard
Open free account →Anyone who wants low commissions and access to almost any market in the world.
Popular in the U.S.
Open free account →Anyone investing in the U.S. who wants a powerful, commission-free stock app.
What this comparison doesn't tell you
The score measures business quality, not whether the stock is cheap or expensive: the better company can be the worse investment if you overpay. For the valuation verdict, enter each one's current price in the analyzer:
Who has the stronger fundamentals today, McDonald's or Starbucks?
By the StockSemáforo model (profitability, growth and financial strength, built on official SEC data), McDonald's scores higher: 76 versus 54 out of 100. The score is recomputed nightly with the latest filings.
Does that make McDonald's the better investment?
No. The score measures business quality, not valuation: an excellent company can trade at an excessive price and be a poor investment at that price. To find out whether it's cheap or expensive, enter its current quote in the StockSemáforo analyzer.
Other comparisons
Amazon vs Walmart · Airbnb vs Booking · Coca-Cola vs Pepsi · Walmart vs Target · Costco vs Walmart · See all comparisons →