As countries battle it out in the World Cup for the ultimate prize in soccer, we decided to launch a competition of our own. Over the next four weeks we’ll take a look at 16 companies that battle it out everyday in the business world. Our third match up is McDonald’s versus Yum Brands. We want your take! Tell us your pick:
McDonald’s
Born: 1955
International Headquarters: Oak Brook, Illinois
2013 Revenue: more than $28 billion
In 1940 Maurice McDonald opened the first restaurant in San Bernardino, California. But it was Ray Kroc, a franchisee who later bought the company and it expanded it into a global icon with 35,000 restaurants serving about 70 million people a day.
Yum Brands
Born: 1997
International Headquarters: Louisville, Kentucky
2013 Revenue: more than $13 billion
Yum is a collection of brands including Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. It was founded in 1997 and it was spun off from PepsiCo. It has 40,000 restaurants, which is more than McDonald’s and its in more countries. Like McDonald’s its dividend has grown consistently, but also like McDonald’s Yum has struggled to find growth at home. With few international competitors, Yum now gets 70% of its profit from outside the U.S.
