Is 7-Eleven the world's largest franchise by number of locations?

Yes. By unit count, 7-Eleven is the world's largest franchise system, with roughly 85,000+ locations globally — ahead of Subway and McDonald's. By revenue, McDonald's leads; the two answer different questions.

The confusion is a metric mismatch. 7-Eleven leads on number of units; McDonald's leads on system revenue. Both statements are true — they just measure different things.

The verified picture

—Most units: 7-Eleven (~85,000+), concentrated in Japan and Southeast Asia.

—Most revenue: McDonald's.

Always ask 'largest by what?' when a franchise ranking is quoted — units and revenue rank brands very differently.

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