The claim
“7-Eleven is the world's largest franchise system by unit count”
Claimed by: Commonly repeated in franchise media and rankings
Our verdict
Supported. Seven & i Holdings reports 86,939 7-Eleven stores worldwide at the end of 2025 — more units than any other franchise-model retail or food system. McDonald's leads on systemwide sales, not unit count.
The evidence
Seven & i Holdings Corporate Outline FY2025 lists 86,939 7-Eleven stores worldwide (end of 2025)
Nearest challengers by unit count (Subway more than 35,000 restaurants, McDonald's 45,356 restaurants at year-end 2025 per its 10-K) are far smaller
Distinction matters: 'largest franchise' claims conflate revenue, market cap, and units — by units, 7-Eleven leads
How we checked
Company investor-relations disclosures cross-checked against ranking publications.
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SOURCE: FRANCHISEPULSE CLAIM FILE · FREE TO CITE WITH ATTRIBUTION + LINK · SUBMIT CLAIMS VIA THE NEWSLETTER