McDonald's vs Subway:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, McDonald's had more branded searches than Subway among fast food chains worldwide. McDonald's was estimated to have 101M branded searches compared to Subway’s 20.4M, and held a 47.5% Share of Search versus Subway’s 9.6%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, McDonald's or Subway?
Compare the fast food chains people choose between for burgers, chicken, subs and tacos. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for McDonald's, Subway. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | McDonald's | Burger King | KFC | Subway | Taco Bell | Wendy's | Popeyes | Carl's Jr. | Nando's |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 46.6% | 14% | 11.5% | 9.4% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 3.5% | 1% | 0.03% |
| Nov 2025 | 49.2% | 12.1% | 12.1% | 8.1% | 8.1% | 5.4% | 3.6% | 1.3% | 0.03% |
| Dec 2025 | 51.8% | 12.7% | 12.7% | 6.9% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 3.1% | 1.1% | 0.02% |
| Jan 2026 | 48% | 14.5% | 11.8% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 5.3% | 3.6% | 1.1% | 0.02% |
| Feb 2026 | 46% | 13.8% | 13.8% | 9.2% | 7.5% | 5.1% | 3.4% | 1.2% | 0.03% |
| Mar 2026 | 47.2% | 14.2% | 11.6% | 9.5% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 3.5% | 1% | 0.02% |
| Apr 2026 | 47.2% | 14.2% | 11.6% | 9.5% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 3.5% | 1% | 0.02% |
| May 2026 | 47.5% | 14.3% | 11.7% | 9.6% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 0.03% |
| Jun 2026 | 47.5% | 14.3% | 11.7% | 9.6% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 0.02% |
| Jul 2026 | 52% | 12.8% | 10.4% | 8.6% | 7% | 5.7% | 2.6% | 0.94% | 0.02% |
| Aug 2026 | 50.9% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 8.4% | 6.8% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 0.92% | 0.02% |
| Sep 2026 | 47.5% | 14.3% | 11.7% | 9.6% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 0.02% |
How has the McDonald's and Subway comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- McDonald's was ahead of Subway in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, McDonald's’ estimated Share of Search among fast food chains worldwide moved from 46.6% to 47.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 101M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Subway’s estimated Share of Search among fast food chains worldwide moved from 9.4% to 9.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 20.4M.
How did search popularity change for fast food chains worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Subway gained estimated Share of Search among fast food chains worldwide, from 8.4% to 9.6%.
In September 2026, McDonald's lost estimated Share of Search among fast food chains worldwide, from 50.9% to 47.5%.
Other head-to-heads among fast food chains
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using McDonald's’ and Subway’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
McDonald's
1 branded search term
- mcdonalds
Subway
1 branded search term
- subway
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