Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI)
Darden Restaurants owns full-service dining chains including Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.
DRI vs MCD: how the two businesses compare
- Bigger business: MCD, with $26.9B of yearly revenue, about 2.0× DRI's $13.2B.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
McDonald's (MCD) is the larger business by reported revenue: $26.9B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 2.0× DRI's $13.2B (fiscal year ended May 2026). Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 5812 (Retail-Eating Places).
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Consumer Discretionary
- Retail-Eating Places
- Same classification
- Different
- DRI May 30 · MCD December 31
- Jul 24, 2026
DRI vs MCD: quick comparison
| Company fact | DRI | MCD |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Darden Restaurants, Inc. | McDonald's Corporation |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Headquarters | — | Chicago, Illinois |
| Founded | — | 1955 |
| SEC industry | Retail-Eating Places | Retail-Eating Places |
| Fiscal year-end | May 30 | December 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-07-24 | 10-K · 2026-02-24 |
DRI vs MCD: audited financials
- Scale: MCD's $26.9B of revenue is about 2.0× DRI's $13.2B.
- Periods: the fiscal years end about 5 months apart (2026-05-31 for DRI, 2025-12-31 for MCD), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.
| Metric | DRI | MCD |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $13.2B2025-05-26 to 2026-05-31 · SEC filing | $26.9B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net income | $1.2B2025-06-01 to 2026-05-31 · SEC filing | $8.6B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | — | $10.6B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $10.382025-05-26 to 2026-05-31 · SEC filing | $11.952025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | — | 31.9%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
DRI: FY ending 2026-05-31 · MCD: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where DRI and MCD overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Same SEC industry: both report under SIC 5812, Retail-Eating Places.
Differences
- Offset fiscal calendars: DRI's year ends May 30 and MCD's December 31, about 5 months apart.
- Only MCD maps to International markets.
- Scale: MCD reported about 2.0× the annual revenue of DRI.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
McDonald's Corporation (MCD)
McDonald's operates and franchises one of the world's largest fast-food restaurant systems across more than 100 countries. Its heavily franchised model produces steady royalty and rent income from global operators.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves DRI
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for DRI. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-07-24.
What moves MCD
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for MCD. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-24.
The investment question
You now know MCD reports about 2.0× DRI's revenue. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about the retail-eating places cycle, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
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Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. DRI's fiscal year ends May 30, while MCD's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 11 matched transaction rows for DRI and 33 matched transaction rows for MCD. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
DRI primary filings
MCD primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
DRI vs MCD FAQs
Are DRI and MCD direct competitors?
Darden Restaurants and McDonald's share the SEC industry classification “Retail-Eating Places.” That makes the operating comparison relevant, but it does not prove that every product, customer, or revenue stream competes directly.
Is DRI or MCD the bigger company by revenue?
McDonald's (MCD) is the larger business by reported revenue: $26.9B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 2.0× DRI's $13.2B (fiscal year ended May 2026). Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 5812 (Retail-Eating Places). Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, DRI or MCD?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this DRI vs MCD comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Darden Restaurants, Inc. and McDonald's Corporation tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
DRI vs MCD compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.
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