McDonald's Top-Selling Menu Items: Fries, Big Mac Dominate Decades-Long Sales

McDonald's has served billions of customers across nearly seven decades, and while the company does not publicly disclose exact item-by-item sales figures, a consistent picture has emerged. A handful of menu items account for the overwhelming majority of what customers order.

The top-selling item is McDonald's French fries, made from specific potato varieties including Russet Burbank, Ranger Russet, Umatilla Russet and Shepody potatoes. The profit margin on fries is estimated to be between 75% and 90%, making them not just the most popular but also one of the most profitable items.

The Big Mac, a double-patty burger introduced in 1968, ranks second among top sellers. Its enduring popularity is often credited as much to marketing as to the sandwich itself, which has spawned size variations and extensions across different appetite levels and price points.