McDonald's Dominates Israeli Burger Market, Data Reveals Geographic Disparities

McDonald's holds a commanding position in Israel's burger market, operating nearly half of all national chain restaurants, according to a new report by geographic analysis firm Points. The company boasts 238 branches across 96 locations, representing a 45.3% market share. This figure surpasses the combined total of the next six largest burger chains in the country. Burger Ranch follows in second place with 55 branches, then Burgerim with 47, and Burger's Bar with 42.

The report, which surveyed 526 restaurants from 14 national chains in 114 localities, highlights significant geographic and demographic disparities in the distribution of these eateries. While Tel Aviv-Yafo leads in the sheer number of branches with 31, its ratio of 0.14 branches per thousand households is relatively low. Eilat, however, stands out with the highest ratio of 0.64 branches per thousand households, despite having only 15 branches in total. Other cities with notable presence include Haifa, Jerusalem, Rishon LeZion, Netanya, and Be'er Sheva.

The data also reveals stark differences across socio-economic and religious sectors. Cities in higher socio-economic clusters (8-9) show a high concentration and variety of burger chains, while those in lower clusters (2-4) have fewer options. The ultra-Orthodox sector has a minimal presence, with only five branches across the entire sector, primarily in Bnei Brak and Beit Sheva. Similarly, the Arab sector has only 21 branches, with Nazareth having the most. The report attributes this limited presence in certain sectors to complex kashrut requirements, different consumption patterns, price sensitivity, and competition from local businesses.

Despite a general growth trend in the industry, with a net increase of 17 branches between August 2025 and August 2026, expansion is not uniform. McDonald's led this growth with eight new openings. Notably, expansion is occurring outside the central region, with cities like Haifa, Ashdod, and Eilat seeing new openings, while Tel Aviv experienced two branch closures and no new openings. Yifat Ben Haim, CEO of Points, stated that the data provides a "competition map" for chains, indicating saturated markets and areas with expansion opportunities.