McDonald's vs TCS: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
McDonald's reported $26.9B of revenue in FY2025 and $8.6B of net income. TCS reported ~$31B of revenue in FY2026 and ~$5.7B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
McDonald's
- Latest revenue
- $26.9B (FY2025)
- Net income
- $8.6B
- Net margin
- 31.9%
- Revenue growth
- +1.0% a year, FY2016–FY2025
TCS
- Latest revenue
- ~$31B (FY2026)
- Net income
- ~$5.7B
- Net margin
- 18.4%
- Revenue growth
- +8.6% a year, FY2022–FY2026
Financial summary
McDonald's
McDonald's corporate revenue ($26.885 billion in 2025, up 3.7%) is a fraction of the roughly $139 billion that customers spend across the system, because franchised restaurant sales are not booked as company revenue. What the company does book is mostly franchise rent and royalties, which explains net income of $8.563 billion in 2025 and operating margins well above typical restaurant operators. In Q2 2026, revenue rose 4% (2% in constant currency) to about $7.1 billion, diluted EPS was $3.32 ($3.38 adjusted), and systemwide sales grew 5% to $37 billion. The company returns most free cash flow through dividends, which it has raised every year since 1976, and share buybacks.
TCS
TCS reported FY2026 revenue of ₹2,67,021 crore ($30.017 billion), up 4.6% in rupees but down about 0.5% in dollars, with net income of about $5.71 billion (₹49,210 crore) and a 19.8% net margin. Q1 FY2027 revenue was ₹72,275 crore ($7.624 billion), up 13.9% in rupees and 2.7% in dollars year over year, with an operating margin of about 24% and net profit of ~$1.55 billion (₹13,349 crore). The growth story now rests on AI: TCS put its annualized AI services revenue at $1.8 billion in Q3 FY2026 and $2.6 billion in Q1 FY2027, while total contract value held at $9.5 billion for the quarter.
Revenue and profit by year
McDonald's
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $26.9B | $8.6B | 31.9% | +3.7% | Source |
| FY2024 | $25.9B | $8.2B | 31.7% | +1.7% | Source |
| FY2023 | $25.5B | $8.5B | 33.2% | +10.0% | Source |
| FY2022 | $23.2B | $6.2B | 26.6% | -0.2% | Source |
| FY2021 | $23.2B | $7.5B | 32.5% | +20.9% | Source |
| FY2020 | $19.2B | $4.7B | 24.6% | -10.1% | Source |
| FY2019 | $21.4B | $6B | 28.2% | +0.5% | Source |
| FY2018 | $21.3B | $5.9B | 27.9% | -6.8% | Source |
| FY2017 | $22.8B | $5.2B | 22.8% | -7.3% | Source |
| FY2016 | $24.6B | $4.7B | 19.0% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
McDonald's
- Franchise rent and royalties~45%
Franchise rent and royalties
- Company-operated restaurants~25%
Company-operated restaurants
- Licensing and delivery economics~15%
Licensing and delivery economics
TCS
- IT services
Primary revenue source
Application development, maintenance, modernization and managed technology services.
- Consulting and transformation
Strategic growth stream
Business and technology transformation programs for large enterprises.
- Cloud, AI and cybersecurity
Fast-changing growth area
Cloud migration, AI, data, automation, cybersecurity and platform simplification.
- Business process services
Recurring enterprise stream
Technology-enabled operations and business process services.
- Platforms
Differentiated platform stream
Industry platforms such as TCS BaNCS and related software-led offerings.
Business model and strategy
McDonald's
How it makes money
About 95% of McDonald's restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees or developmental licensees. The corporation makes money in three main ways: (1) rent, because it owns or leases the land and buildings at many franchised sites and charges franchisees rent, often tied to a percentage of sales; (2) royalties, a percentage of each restaurant's monthly sales;
Growth strategy
McDonald's growth plan, branded Accelerating the Arches, rests on marketing, core menu (burgers, chicken, coffee), and the 3 D's: digital, delivery, and drive-thru. The company targets roughly 50,000 restaurants worldwide by the end of 2027, with China, other developmental licensed markets, and the U.S. contributing the largest number of openings.
Competitive advantage
McDonald's advantage is scale that rivals cannot easily copy: more than 45,000 restaurants, control of prime real estate at many franchised sites, a long-tenured franchisee base that funds most store capital, and a supply chain that buys beef, potatoes, chicken, and packaging at volumes few chains match.
TCS
How it makes money
TCS earns revenue through global IT services and consulting, built around eight industry verticals and geographic diversification.
Growth strategy
TCS is growing through AI, cloud modernization, cybersecurity, data, engineering services, platforms, large transformation deals, partnerships and deeper penetration of existing enterprise accounts.
Competitive advantage
TCS' advantage is delivery scale, Tata trust, large-account depth, industry domain expertise, training infrastructure, strong margins and a reputation for mission-critical execution.
Questions about McDonald's vs TCS
Which company has higher revenue — McDonald's Corporation or Tata Consultancy Services Limited?
McDonald's Corporation reported $26.9B (FY2025), while Tata Consultancy Services Limited reported ~$31B (FY2026). By last reported revenue, Tata Consultancy Services Limited is the larger business, with McDonald's Corporation reporting a smaller revenue base. Note: these are from different fiscal years and are not a direct like-for-like comparison.
What is the market cap of McDonald's Corporation vs Tata Consultancy Services Limited?
McDonald's Corporation's market capitalisation stands at $175.7B, while Tata Consultancy Services Limited's is $84.0B. McDonald's Corporation carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Tata Consultancy Services Limited.
Which is more financially efficient — McDonald's Corporation or Tata Consultancy Services Limited?
McDonald's Corporation generates $179k / employee in revenue per employee, while Tata Consultancy Services Limited generates $52k / employee. McDonald's Corporation shows higher revenue efficiency per headcount, though this reflects business model differences — capital-light software companies routinely outperform labour-intensive manufacturers on this metric.
How do McDonald's Corporation and Tata Consultancy Services Limited make money?
McDonald's Corporation and Tata Consultancy Services Limited generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. McDonald's Corporation: About 95% of McDonald's restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees or developmental licensees. Tata Consultancy Services Limited: TCS earns revenue through global IT services and consulting, built around eight industry verticals and geographic diversification.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — McDonald's Corporation or Tata Consultancy Services Limited?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, McDonald's Corporation trades at 6.5x P/S and Tata Consultancy Services Limited at 2.7x P/S. McDonald's Corporation commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Tata Consultancy Services Limited. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is McDonald's Corporation bigger than Tata Consultancy Services Limited?
By last reported revenue, Tata Consultancy Services Limited (~$31B (FY2026)) is the larger company compared to McDonald's Corporation ($26.9B (FY2025)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the McDonald's vs TCS overview