How many burgers would a world of abundance eat?
Yes, I think deep thoughts at McDonald’s. My regular order is the $2.99 double cheeseburger off the value menu and a small caramel frappe, also $2.99. Even this modest lunch is a whopping 860 calories.
Knowing that McDonald’s is the largest burger company, by far, can give you manic thoughts about feeding the world. It has more than 40,000 outlets. This includes one in Antarctica. But despite all that, McDonald’s isn’t nearly huge enough.
Here’s the math.
This is quick napkin math, to be sure, since McDonald’s no longer publishes regular burger counts. But it has been estimated that the company sells 2.36 billion burgers a year. The historic total sold has been estimated at more than a trillion. Talk figures like that regularly, and you’ll eventually grow a dark blue suit and find yourself transported to Washington, D.C.
Our Burgers-For-All problem isn’t nearly solved. Here’s why. There are 8.3 trillion people in the world. If we just talk in billions, there are 8,300 billion people for a piddling 2.36 billion burgers a year. So as a world provider, Ronnie McDonald would be making the average human wait nearly 10 years for a burger.
Yes, I know, McDonald’s isn’t alone.
In addition to well-known competitors such as Burger King and Wendy’s, we’ve got Whataburger, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, and In-N-Out Burger putting muscle on the grill. Not to mention lots of others.
But still, however many burgers they add, I’d bet global humanity, on average would still be at least two years between burgers. Maybe five years. In hamburger love, that’s way short of abundance.
A similar exercise with Starbucks production is slightly more encouraging. By their broad figures, they might be able to serve humanity nearly one drink a year. That’s a long time between caffeine boosts.
Why am I telling you this?
The American notion of abundance cannot be replicated worldwide. It’s that simple.
Here’s an extreme example. In the United States we consume 121.4 kilograms of beef, pork and chicken a year per person. India consumes 5.91 kilograms per year, one twentieth of what we consume. India has four times as many people. To reach our level of consumption, India would have to find a way to increase its production (or imports) 80-fold.
You can explore these figures for yourself at worldpopulationreview.com, https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/meat-consumption-by-country .
To be sure, there are lots of cultural reasons India won’t care to try. Nor will Indonesia or Pakistan. Even so, those countries and dozens of other countries waiting for their rides on the affluence and abundance escalator will find it hard slogging.
Whatever consumption product we consider, there is no way that future global abundance can possibly look like the American-defined abundance.
Who defines abundance and affluence?
Only one thing is certain. It won’t be old Americans. It will be a problem –and an opportunity — for young Americans and Americans yet to be born. If America has any say at all.
Related columns:
Scott Burns, “Meditation at McDonald’s, 5,” 10/20/2024: https://scottburns.com/meditation-at-mcdonalds-5/
Scott Burns, “Meditation at Chick-Fil-A,” 3/26/2023: https://scottburns.com/meditation-at-chick-fil-a/
Scott Burns, “Still Meditating At McDonald’s,” 7/20/2019: https://scottburns.com/still-meditating-at-mcdonalds/
Scott Burns, “Meditation At McDonald’s, 4,” 8/26/2018: https://scottburns.com/meditation-at-mcdonalds-4/
Scott Burns, “Meditation On McDonald’s, Once More: 11/01/2013: https://scottburns.com/meditation-on-mcdonalds-once-more/
Scott Burns, “Meditation On McDonald’s, Part 2: 4/17/2011: https://scottburns.com/meditation-on-mcdonalds-part-2/
Scott Burns, “A Meditation On McDonald’s,” 2/22/2009: https://scottburns.com/a-meditation-on-mcdonalds/
Sources and References:
United States Census Bureau, U.S. and World Population Clock: https://www.census.gov/popclock/world
“How Many Burgers Does McDonald’s Actually Sell Each Day?,” 1/31/2025:
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/many-burgers-does-mcdonalds-actually-111512658.html
“11 Fascinating Starbucks Statistics & Facts to Know in 2026,” 5/29/2026: https://cornercoffeestore.com/starbucks-statistics/
“How Many Customers Does Starbucks Get a Day,” https://www.facebook.com/fb-answers/how-many-customers-does-starbucks-get-a-day/
Superyacht Times, directory: https://www.superyachttimes.com/directories/yachts
“How Many Yachts in the World,” https://yachtrentaluae.ae/blog/how-many-yachts-in-the-world/
Wikipedia, “List of countries by household final consumption expenditure per capita,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_household_final_consumption_expenditure_per_capita
Gale L. Pooley, “McDonald’s Abundance Serves the World,” 9/30/2025: https://humanprogress.org/mcdonalds-abundance-serves-the-world/
This information is distributed for education purposes, and it is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, recommendation, or endorsement of any particular security, product, or service.
Photo: Scott Burns, 6/14/2024, At ease in downtown Burgos, while walking the Camino de Santiago
(c) Scott Burns, 2026
Piont is accurate, figures aren’t. 8.3 BILLION people, not trillions. Looking for a blue suit?
Point is accurate, figures aren’t. 8.3 BILLION people, not trillions. Looking for a blue suit?