Mental Floss

The 20 Most Popular Businesses in America

iStock/KenWiedemann
iStock/KenWiedemann | iStock/KenWiedemann

Even if you go out of your way to support small businesses, shopping at stores run by major companies can be unavoidable in America. There are businesses dedicated to every type of product imaginable, from convenience food to luxury home goods. To see which of these businesses receive the most customers, check out the list below.

USA Today compiled this list of the 20 most popular businesses in the nation by looking at foot traffic patterns and reviewing the financial documents of U.S. companies for sales and store count data. Consumers who do a lot of their shopping at Walmart may be unsurprised to see the retail chain rank No.1. In April 2019, Walmart shoppers accounted for an astonishing 47 percent of all department store visitors. With 5368 stores in the U.S. alone, the corporation brings in $514.4 billion in annual revenue.

Walmart is followed by McDonald's, which received 8.51 percent of all U.S. restaurant visitors in April 2019. Behind that is the coffee giant Starbucks, accounting for nearly 78 percent of all cafe and coffee house visitors that same month. Drugstores like CVS and Walgreens, and hardware stores like Lowe's and Home Depot, also make the list.

After reading the full list below, you can read about what it's like to work at one of the most popular businesses in America.

  1. Walmart
  2. McDonald's
  3. Starbucks
  4. Walgreens
  5. Subway
  6. 7-Eleven
  7. CVS
  8. Target
  9. Dunkin'
  10. Dollar Tree
  11. Dollar General
  12. Taco Bell
  13. Shell
  14. Kroger
  15. United States Postal Service
  16. Rite Aid
  17. Burger King
  18. Wendy's
  19. The Home Depot
  20. Lowe's

Home/LISTS