Derivatives Pretax Amounts Affecting Income and Other Comprehensive Income (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated OCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)	$ (76.0)	$ 28.6
Gain (Loss) Reclassified into Income from Accumulated OCI (Effective Portion)	(14.2)	24.1
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative (Amount Excluded from Effectiveness Testing and Ineffective Portion)	0.0	0.0
Net Investment Hedging Relationships
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated OCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)	(1,608.6)	664.8
Interest rate \| Derivatives in Fair Value Hedging Relationships
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative	(6.2)	(1.8)
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Related Hedged Items	6.2	1.8
Interest rate \| Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated OCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)	0.0	0.0
Gain (Loss) Reclassified into Income from Accumulated OCI (Effective Portion)	(0.5)	(0.5)
Foreign currency denominated debt \| Net Investment Hedging Relationships
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated OCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)	(1,599.7)	654.9
Foreign currency \| Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated OCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)	(76.0)	28.6
Gain (Loss) Reclassified into Income from Accumulated OCI (Effective Portion)	(13.7)	24.6
Foreign currency derivatives \| Net Investment Hedging Relationships
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated OCI on Derivative (Effective Portion)	(8.9)	9.9
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative	68.5	30.3
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Foreign currency
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative	(24.2)	4.3
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Equity
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative	$ 92.7	$ 26.0

The amount of gain (loss) recognized in earnings during the period of the hedged item in a fair value hedge.

No definition available.

Name:	mcd_GainLossOnHedgedItemInFairValueHedge
Namespace Prefix:	mcd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in the fair value of derivatives recognized in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5618551-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (a),(c),(d),(e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The effective portion of net gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into income on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5624177-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossReclassifiedFromAccumulatedOCIIntoIncomeEffectivePortionNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of gains and losses (net) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments representing (a) the amount of the hedge ineffectiveness and (b) the amount, if any, excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1),(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6886632&loc=d3e76258-113986

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossRecognizedInIncomeIneffectivePortionAndAmountExcludedFromEffectivenessTestingNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The effective portion of gains and losses (net) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments that was recognized in other comprehensive income during the current period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossRecognizedInOtherComprehensiveIncomeEffectivePortionNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_NetInvestmentHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=mcd_OtherForeignCurrencyDenominatedDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_EquityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: