Subway trumps McDonald's as world's largest restaurant chain

According to its survey, Subway boasted 33,749 outlets globally by the end of 2010, eclipsing the 33,737 outlets of McDonald’s.

The race for global dominance across the fast food sector is an important one and is largely fought out in the companies’ US homeland.

Pinching top spot from McDonald’s has been powered by the sandwich chain's significant move into international markets, targeting low-cost outlets.

McDonald’s has fast food outlets in 117 countries, compared to Subway’s 95.

Subway has also recently pushed into what it perceives as healthier options, The company said McDonald’s Big Mac contains up to five times more fat than Subway's made-to-order filled rolls.

But McDonald’s generated significantly more income than its rival. In 2010, McDonald’s reported revenue of US$24 billion, compared to Subway’s US$15 billion.

This article was first published on Brandrepublic.com.