World’s Largest Fast Food Chain Has NO Locations in Minnesota

If you look at a list of the top fast food chains in the world, it's dominated by American restaurants, except for the top spot, which came as a surprise to me, and it was even more of a surprise that Minnesota has no locations.

The top 10 is filled with iconic American fast food brands like Burger King, McDonald's, Starbucks, Subway, and KFC. However, all but three spots belong to American companies.

READ MORE: Another Major Retailer Closing 12 Minnesota Locations—Here’s Where

A Chinese Chain Takes the Top Spot

The 10th and 1st place rankings belong to Chinese fast food chains. Coming in at number 10 is Luckin Coffee, with just over 13,000 locations. But the biggest fast food chain in the world is, believe it or not, an ice cream and tea fast food chain.

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Mixue Ice Cream & Tea has now claimed the title of the world's largest fast food chain. The Chinese company has been on the top 10 list for a while but only recently surpassed McDonald's in the rankings.

What is Mixue Ice Cream & Tea?

Founded in 1997, Mixue Ice Cream & Tea operates 45,000 locations across China, several Southeast Asian countries, and Australia. Notably, there are no locations in the United States.

The chain is known for its budget-friendly ice cream, bubble tea, and tea offerings. However, its reign at the top may not last long.

McDonald's is Fighting Back

McDonald's, with its current 41,822 locations, has big expansion plans. The fast food giant announced it will add 2,200 new stores in 2025, with about 1,000 of them in China. The company has also set a goal of reaching 50,000 locations by 2027, which could see it reclaim the top spot in the rankings.