Over 90% of McDonalds locations are owned by franchisees - less than 10% corporate-owned. The franchisees have pricing decision-making authority.
Interesting! Are they completely free or does corporate set a range and you are only free within that range?
That I don't know! I imagine they have a lot of freedom contractually but are constrained by the realities of how much people would actually pay.
Some things cost more depending on their situational advantage. For example a run-down Jeep sitting in a garage and thought of as 'worthless' would be worth a fortune at a Jeep fair and seen as a collectible.
Sure, but it’s McDonald’s, their thing is consistency, but I guess it’s only for how their stuff tastes.
Well, some stuff can be centralized, like burger production, or ordering million gallons of Coke. Some stuff, however, has to remain local, like labor, or real estate costs.
Honestly, that's the only reason I'd ever go there (and even then only very rarely). Not because it was "good," but because I knew what to expect. Although... I should probably qualify that bit about expectations: Last time I was there was probably early '22 and only because my dad was in hospice with a craving for one of their menu items (and fries). I bought a BigMac for myself, got home, and saw that the bun was moldy. No thanks!
Price is also dictated by factors like labor costs, taxation, etc.