No longer taking the top spot for the most fast food outlets in the world, has been dethroned by a fast food chain relatively unknown in the west. The number of McDonald's chains totals to 41,800, according to Statista via Chowhound, but its competitor owns over 3,000 more.

Mixue Bingcheng is a Chinese chain selling bubble tea and ice cream, with an impressive 41,800 worldwide, as of September 2024. The chain is famous for its cheap and cheerful ice cream cones for just one yuan, around 11p, and drinks as cheap as 21p. First founded in 1997, the brand has skyrocketed to popularity and sells in over 10 different countries.

Despite its presence across numerous countries, including those in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, 90% of them are based in China, and not a single location is in the UK or the .

What began as a small business venture has since evolved into a global powerhouse, thanks to its successful franchising approach. Large amounts of Mixue Bingcheng's revenue come from selling food materials, equipment and packaging to its franchises, with over 99% of the chain's stores being franchised.

Despite covering large ground, Mixue Bingcheng is not at the top of the rankings when it comes to revenue, still falling behind other drink-based chains such as and Tim Hortons. However, there's no saying it can't eventually get there.

With a net profit jumping to 3.49 billion yuan in the first nine months of 2024, its net profit increased by an impressive 42% in comparison to the previous year. It also saw a revenue jump of 21% in those same nine months, to 18.7 billion yuan.

Founder of Mixue Bingcheng, Zhang Hongchao, previously told Chinese state media about the vision behind his big business idea, saying: "Let people around the world eat well and drink well for just two American dollars."

McDonald's, however, seems to have suffered another loss when it was reported in February that a fourth-quarter net income was down to $2.02 billion from $2.04 billion the year prior.

It's thought that the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention's link of a fatal E. coli outbreak to its Quarter Pounder burgers could be the reason behind the suffering sales.

No matter what McDonald's does in the world of business, it seems its impact on popular culture and popularity will never falter. The fast food chain launched a special Oscars video revealing A-listers breakfast orders the day after the awards show.

The video, titled "After the Biggest Night", included orders from the likes of Julia Fox to Kieran Culkin, Michael B. Jordan and Keke Palmer, all championing the renowned fast food brand. Orders included McDonald's famous Egg McMuffins, McGriddles, hash browns and a wide range of go-to drinks.

Mixue has a long way to go before it beats its competitors in profits, but if they expand into the US markets, this could soon change. The Chinese brand's rapid growth may pose a threat to other brands like McDonald's, highlighting the strength of its own internal market.