HONG KONG — As McDonald’s celebrates its 50th anniversary in Hong Kong, its flagship store in the Admiralty Centre is poised to become the busiest in the fast-food chain’s global network of over 40,000 outlets, a testament to its enduring success in the city.
A Milestone in the Making
The 9,000-square-foot Admiralty Centre store, which reopened in May 2025 after a three-week renovation, serves more than 1,000 customers per hour during peak periods. This high volume positions it to surpass the McDonald’s outlet in London’s Liverpool Street tube station, currently recognized as the world’s busiest, according to Hisham Sidky, McDonald’s international development lead.
“We are competing to get to first place, beating the Liverpool outlet,” Sidky said during an interview at the bustling Admiralty Centre location. “It’s going to make it very soon.”
The store’s strategic location near one of Hong Kong’s busiest subway stations in the central business district drives its high traffic. Over the past decade, it has served more than 24 million customers, selling over 7.5 million Chicken McNuggets, 4 million servings of French fries, and 2.3 million cups of coffee, including those from the attached McCafe.
Hong Kong: A McDonald’s Powerhouse
Hong Kong, where McDonald’s first opened on Paterson Street in Causeway Bay in January 1975, now hosts four of the chain’s five busiest stores worldwide. The company plans to add five to six more outlets in 2025, bringing the total to 260. This expansion will result in approximately 3.5 McDonald’s per 100,000 residents, making Hong Kong one of the most densely served markets in Asia, said Randy Lai, CEO of McDonald’s Hong Kong.
“Hong Kong’s high density of outlets and our focus on meeting customer demand through innovative store designs are key to our success,” Lai said.
The city’s fast-paced lifestyle and reliance on convenient dining options have made McDonald’s a cultural staple. Since its introduction by Daniel Ng Yat Chiu, known as the “Father of McDonald’s in Hong Kong,” the chain has grown from a single outlet to a network integral to the city’s dining landscape.
Historical Context
McDonald’s arrival in Hong Kong in 1975 marked a significant moment in the city’s culinary history. The first store in Causeway Bay introduced American fast food to a market eager for new dining experiences. Over the decades, McDonald’s has adapted to local tastes, introducing innovations like the “McDonald’s Next” concept in 2015, which featured open-concept designs and digital ordering .
The Admiralty Centre store, opened in 2006, has been a pioneer in its own right. It was the first McDonald’s in Hong Kong to offer free Wi-Fi and, in 2015, implemented the “Experience of the Future” concept with self-service ordering machines and digital menu boards .
Global Competition
While the London Liverpool Street outlet is currently the busiest, other locations have been noted for high traffic. For instance, the McDonald’s in Moscow’s Pushkin Square has been cited as serving over 40,000 customers daily, though recent data suggests it may no longer hold the top spot .
Hong Kong’s Admiralty Centre store, however, benefits from its prime location and recent upgrades, positioning it as a frontrunner. The store’s design, described as an experiment in “Non Design” to emphasize food and service, enhances its appeal .
