- Sector leader: McDonald's (#12 overall)
- Brands in the top 100: 13
- Average Power Score: 73.19
| # | Brand | US rank | Company | Power Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McDonald's | #12 | McDonald's Corporation | 78.11 |
| 2 | Starbucks | #17 | Starbucks Corporation | 76.46 |
| 3 | Hilton | #18 | Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. | 76.25 |
| 4 | Royal Caribbean International | #19 | Royal Caribbean Group | 75.90 |
| 5 | Marriott | #21 | Marriott International, Inc. | 75.50 |
| 6 | Delta | #23 | Delta Air Lines, Inc. | 75.01 |
| 7 | Domino's Pizza | #32 | Domino's Pizza, Inc. | 74.44 |
| 8 | Airbnb | #40 | Airbnb, Inc. | 73.94 |
| 9 | Chipotle | #83 | Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. | 70.08 |
| 10 | Hyatt | #85 | Hyatt Hotels Corporation | 69.92 |
| 11 | Taco Bell | #92 | Yum! Brands, Inc. | 68.88 |
| 12 | KFC | #93 | Yum! Brands, Inc. | 68.68 |
| 13 | United Airlines | #96 | United Airlines Holdings, Inc. | 68.24 |
Questions people ask
What is the most powerful hospitality & travel brand in America?
McDonald's is America's most powerful hospitality & travel brand of 2026, with a WCRC Power Score of 78.11 (#12 overall).
How many hospitality & travel brands are in America's Most Powerful 100?
13 brands from hospitality & travel are in the 2026 ranking.
Which are the best American hospitality & travel brands?
By WCRC Power Score, the top ones are McDonald's, Starbucks, Hilton, Royal Caribbean International, Marriott.
Part of WCRC's America's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026. See all the lists · How the ranking works
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Financials. Only brands whose owners publish financial results were considered for this research. Brands that do not publish their financials have not been assessed or ranked.
Independent opinion. This ranking is WCRC's independent research and opinion, based on publicly available information as of November 2026. It is not an endorsement of any brand, and it is not investment, financial or purchasing advice.
Facts and figures. Revenue is shown as reported in company filings and published results for the latest completed financial year. For brands that are part of a larger company, the figure shown is the owner's group revenue unless stated otherwise. WCRC has not audited these figures. Scores for brands in the World's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026 are their published global WCRC Power Scores; all other scores are provisional and subject to validation by the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit.
Trademarks. Brand names and trademarks belong to their owners. Their use here does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by WCRC.
Corrections. To report an error or request a review, write to consulting@wcrcint.com.