The American Fast Food the World Loves: Top Global Brands

With the American economy still sluggish, many fast-food chains have focused recent expansion overseas.

After a growth spurt last year, there are more than 66,000 units of U.S.-based fast-food restaurants abroad just among the 10 largest chains, data from trade publication QSR magazine shows.

The fastest-growing major U.S. chain abroad is Subway, which added over 1,000 international units last year. Growth markets include Russia, Brazil, China, and United Arab Emirates.

Subway operates in 100 countries now, adding Suriname and Romania last year. The chain does substantial menu changes for individual markets, including going vegetarian in its India restaurants.

Hot on Subway's heels is Dunkin' Donuts, which opened more than 900 donut shops overseas in 2012.

Last year saw Dunkin's first shops open in India and Guatemala, and Vietnam is coming this year. Chile, Colombia, and Peru were growth markets last year.

In third place in the international-growth derby is KFC, which added nearly 700 restaurants abroad. Sales at its more than 4,200 restaurants in China floundered, in part thanks to a poultry-supply scandal, but the Yum! Brands division kept on growing overseas.

Leading the pack in international presence is -- no surprise -- McDonald's, which now has more than 18,700 international units.

McDonald's had a slow year in 2012 for international growth, though, growing by only 212 units, QSR reports. The UK and Russia were standout international performers last year for the Golden Arches.

As McDonald's story shows, if you've got a big enough lead on the competition, you don't necessarily need big growth to be the biggest global player.

Some of the biggest chains internationally didn't grow a lot in the past year, but still have the largest overseas store counts.

Here are the top 10 fast-food chains with the most restaurants overseas:

1. McDonald's

Number of international restaurants: 18,710

McDonald's added just 212 eateries overseas last year, but its commanding lead left it still tops in international presence amongst American-based fast-food-chains. Pictured here is a McDonald's meal in Yichang, China.

2. KFC

Number of international restaurants: 11,798

The Yum! Brands division has more than 4,200 restaurants in China, where a poultry-feed scandal caused sales to decline last year. Shown here: A meal at a Shanghai KFC.

3. Subway

Number of international restaurants: 10,109

Subway operates in more than 100 countries now, having added Suriname and Russia last year. Above is a Subway sign at a restaurant in Paris.

4. Pizza Hut

Number of international restaurants: 5,890

Pizza Hut -- a sister company to Yum! Brands' KFC -- build 367 new international stores in 2012. The pizza chain also sold all its corporate-owned foreign restaurants to independent franchise owners last year.

5. Starbucks

Number of international restaurants: 5,727

  The java giant now has coffee shops in over 50 countries, and added 220 international shops last year. Shown here: A Starbucks in Japan.

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