Future Gross Minimum Rent Payments due to Company under Existing Franchise Arrangements (Detail) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Leases Disclosure [Line Items]
2019	$ 2,961.7
2020	2,855.6
2021	2,734.3
2022	2,597.8
2023	2,481.4
Thereafter	20,796.5
Total minimum payments	34,427.3
Owned sites
Leases Disclosure [Line Items]
2019	1,452.3
2020	1,417.1
2021	1,374.0
2022	1,322.8
2023	1,275.5
Thereafter	11,116.4
Total minimum payments	17,958.1
Leased sites
Leases Disclosure [Line Items]
2019	1,509.4
2020	1,438.5
2021	1,360.3
2022	1,275.0
2023	1,205.9
Thereafter	9,680.1
Total minimum payments	$ 16,469.2

Leases Disclosure [Line Items]

No definition available.

Name:	mcd_LeasesDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	mcd_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Future minimum rental payments in aggregate as of the balance sheet date under operating leases.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84164653&loc=d3e41551-112718

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Future rental payments receivable within one year of the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Future rental payments receivable within the fifth year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInFiveYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Future rental payments receivable within the fourth year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInFourYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Future rental payments receivable within the third year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInThreeYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Future rental payments receivable within the second year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInTwoYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Future minimum lease payments receivable under operating leases for periods greater than five years following the balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableThereafter
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorPropertyClassAxis=mcd_OwnedSitesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorPropertyClassAxis=mcd_LeasedSitesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: