Short answer
Operating a McDonald's? Merchant Fund Express offers owner-operators a business loan, a merchant cash advance, revenue-based financing, a line of credit, equipment financing or working capital, from $5,000 to $5,000,000. The common asks are the owner's share of reinvestment projects, kitchen and McCafe equipment, digital and drive-thru technology, seating and decor, and crew payroll. A complete file (application, three months of business bank statements, owner ID) usually gets a decision in 2–4 hours.
Every way to fund your McDonald's location
Already running a McDonald's location and need capital? Merchant Fund Express funds existing franchise owners with every structure below, from $5,000 to $5,000,000, on one application. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.
| Product | What it does at a McDonald's location |
|---|---|
| Business loan | A lump sum for the operator's share of a planned reinvestment project. |
| Merchant cash advance | Fast cash repaid from card sales for an urgent kitchen repair. |
| Revenue-based financing | A payment linked to monthly sales, matching how rent and royalty already behave. |
| Line of credit | A revolving limit for timing gaps across several restaurants. |
| Equipment financing | Fryers, grills, McCafe and shake machines, kiosks, signs and seating. |
| Working capital | Crew payroll and the running costs during a remodel closure. |
What McDonald's owners call about
Reinvestment on the owner's dime
The company's own filings say franchisees reinvest capital in their businesses over time. That bill comes around again and again.
Equipment, signs and decor are yours
In a conventional franchise the company generally holds the land and building; the operator pays for equipment, signs, seating and decor.
Digital, delivery, drive-thru
Kiosks, order screens and pick-up lanes are where the system is pushing, and each upgrade has a price.
Rent and royalty on sales
Both scale with sales, with minimum rent, so a soft month does not shrink every fixed cost.
Fastest fit for each McDonald's need
| The need | Usually fits | Send with the application |
|---|---|---|
| Owner's share of a reinvestment project | Remodel funding | Project scope and owner share |
| Self-order kiosks or drive-thru screens | POS upgrades | Technology quote |
| Shake or McCafe machine replacement | Equipment financing | Vendor quote |
| Payroll while a store is closed for work | Working capital | Payroll per period |
| Cash flow across several restaurants | Multi-unit funding | Statements per entity |
Why McDonald's operators need speed more than size
McDonald's discloses in its annual report that conventional franchisees pay rent and royalties based on a percent of sales, with minimum rent payments, and that fees vary by site type and how much the company has invested. It also says franchisees are responsible for reinvesting in their restaurants over time, with the company sometimes co-investing to speed things up.
Reinvestment comes with dates attached, and contractors and vendors want deposits on their own schedule. Merchant Fund Express funds the operating restaurant on its own deposits, not the system's numbers, and answers in hours. Put the project scope and your share on the application and the specialist can match the structure to the timeline.
How fast it moves, and what to send
- Apply in about 4 minutesName McDonald's as the brand, the amount and the job the money does.
- Send three months of statementsBusiness bank statements for the entity that owns the location, plus photo ID for each owner.
- Decision in 2–4 hoursA specialist reads deposits and current payments, then returns the fit.
- FundsSame-day funding is available; funding often lands the next business day.
A McDonald's file, start to finish (hypothetical)
A McDonald's operator with four restaurants has a reinvestment project scheduled at one of them and a failing shake machine at another. They ask for $150,000: $130,000 toward their share of the project and $20,000 for the machine on a vendor quote. A specialist could place the project share on a business loan and the machine on equipment financing, each sized on the owning entity's deposits.
Illustration only. It shows how a request gets sized; it is not a past deal or an offer.
McDonald's at a glance (public sources)
From McDonald's Corporation's annual Form 10-K. The franchising pages blocked every fetch when we checked, and the 10-K does not state the initial fee, investment, advertising rate or financial requirements, so those are not shown.
Sources: SEC filing. Checked Oct 2026. Figures change with each disclosure year; confirm current terms with the franchisor. Anything we could not verify is left out.
Owner questions, answered
How fast can a McDonald's owner-operator get funded?
A complete file usually gets a decision in 2–4 hours, with same-day funding available.
Can you fund my share of a reinvestment project?
Yes. Send the scope and your portion. A business loan or working capital can sit beside any company co-investment.
Can I finance kiosks or drive-thru technology?
Yes. Technology and equipment at an operating restaurant are common requests; send the quote.
Does my rent structure affect the review?
Rent and royalty are counted as fixed draws. The specialist sizes the new payment after them.
Are you affiliated with McDonald's?
No. We have no business tie to McDonald's or the company that franchises it, and neither has endorsed us. The name is on this page only so McDonald's owners can find funding written for their locations.
Keep going
Not affiliated with or endorsed by McDonald's or its franchisor. Merchant Fund Express is a separate, independent company; the brand appears here so its owners can find this page. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.