Australia's best-known fast food chain McDonald's is believed to be shunning shopping centres in favour of airports, railways and highways.

McDonald's is Australia's second-biggest fast food chain by store numbers, and is opening between 25 and 35 restaurants a year. Of its 960 stores, just over 10 per cent are in retail precincts.

Property experts say established fast food brands such as McDonald's are losing favour with shopping centres which are keen to increase the number of food outlets in their malls from 10 per cent of stores to more than 30 per cent.

McDonald's introduced new fitouts recently at its stores in Westfield's Bondi Junction and Vicinity's Chadstone mall in Melbourne, partly at the behest of landlords who want a more upmarket offering.