States With The Most McDonald's And What It Means (Slideshow)
11: Virginia
Virginia has about 445 McDonald's locations throughout the state. As for its obesity rate, it has the highest out of the 11 states noted oin our list, clocking in at 33.8 percent up from 27.7 percent in 2003 and 13.7 percent in 1990. Back in 2000, a woman received an unwanted surprise in a box of chicken wings from McDonald's — an entire chicken head, which made quite a big splash in the press.
10: North Carolina
North Carolina has roughly 475 McDonalds' and an adult obesity rate of 29.6 percent up from 24 percent in 2003 and 12.3 percent in 1990. It is worth noting that North Carolina is home to the first LEED- certified McDonald's restaurant located at 1299 Kildaire Farm Road which opened in July 2009.
9: Georgia
Georgia clocks in with roughly 511 McDonalds' locations throughout its state. The adult obesity rate for the state is 29.1 percent up from 25.2 percent in 2003 and 10.1 percent in 1990. Childhood obesity is also an issue in the state. Nonprofit organization Strong4Life was created in Atlanta to address the childhood obesity epidemic. It partnered with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to design an ad campaign around childhood obesity to bring attention to the issue.
8: Pennsylvania
The state of Pennsylvania has roughly 583 McDonald's locations. Comparatively, the state's adult obesity rate is 29.1 percent, up from 23.8 percent in 2003 and 13.7 percent in 1990. According to an "F as in Fat Report: How Obesity Threatens Americans Future" released in 2012, reducing the average body mass index in Pennsylvania by 5% could translate to an $8 billion savings in health care costs in the next 10 years and $24 billion in 20 years.
7: Michigan
Michigan has 631 McDonalds' locations throughout the state. As for its obesity rate, it has a 31.1 percent obesity rate up from 25.2 percent in 2003 and 13.2 percent in 1990. In 2013, two McDonald's restaurants in Detroit that were serving food prepared according to Islamic law were forced to after a $700,000 settlement over a lawsuit that alleged the items weren't consistently halal.
6: Illinois
Illinois has a large amount of McDonald's clocking in at 738. It also happens to have a rather high obesity rate in the US with 28% of adults being obese, up from 23.2 percent in 2003 and 12.1 percent in 1990. Des Plaines, Illinois is where McDonald's founder, Ray Kroc opened the first McDonald's restaurant that we know today in 1955, after launching the brand in San Bernardino, California several years earlier.
5: New York
New York State has 767 McDonalds' locations. New York is the fourth least obese state in the United States and has an obesity rate of 23.6 percent up from 20.9 percent in 2003 and from 9.3 percent in 1990. Manhattan is home to one of the most upscale McDonalds' in the world, located at 160 Broadway The outpost features a doorman, marble tables, a private dining room, grand piano, wait staff and live music.
4: Ohio
3: Florida
Florida has 986 McDonald's locations throughout the state. Its adult obesity rate is 25.2 percent up from 19.9 percent in 2003 and 11.4 percent in 1990. However, there are thirteen states in the U.S. that now have adult obesity rates over 30 percent. Florida is also home to one of the largest McDonald's locations in the world in Orlando. The restaurant is shaped after a giant order their classic French fries.
2: Texas
Texas has 1225 McDonalds' throughout the state. Its adult obesity rate is higher than states like California and comes in with 29.2 percent, which is up from 24.6 percent in 2003 and 10.7 percent in 1990. And according to the Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas is also facing an issue with growing childhood obesity, affecting children as early as grade school.
1: California
California ranks first on our list with a whopping 1492 McDonald's locations within the state. However, the state is the 11th least obese state in the nation. In terms of its obesity rates, its adult obesity rate is 25 percent up from 23.2 percent in 2003 and 9.9 percent in 1990. California is where the McDonald's story first began. The founder Ray Kroc began his restaurant empire in San Bernardino in 1948 with a very limited menu with a few items such as burgers, fries, and beverages.