Most people don't realize it, but McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) is not a burger-flipping restaurant chain; it is one of the world's best real estate portfolios. Franchisees flip the burgers. McDonald's simply owns the best commercial property all over the world.

Although McDonald's first opened its doors in 1954, it wasn't until 1956 after courting many an investor did Ray Kroc consider and implement an idea put forth by Sonneborn, to tap into the real estate market. Shortly after Sonnenborn made his pitch to the investors , the Franchise Realty Corporation, McDonald's Real Estate subsidiary was born.

In simplified terms, McDonald's makes money on real estate via two methods. First, it buys and sells properties, as one might suspect. Often