Most of the UK stores are owned by the parent company. There are a few franchisee stores though.

More than half UK stores are franchised.

http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/whatmakesmcdonalds/questio...

> There are 1,200 McDonald's restaurants in the UK. 65% of which are franchised and 35% company-owned. We take great care in selecting our franchisees and once they're with us, we invest heavily in a comprehensive training programme and providing ongoing support for them.

> We actively encourage our franchisees to expand their business and this is evident in the fact that, on average, a McDonald's franchisee owns five restaurants. Our franchisees commit to operating their restaurants for 20 years so they're also often heavily involved in their local communities – for instance, being involved with local business groups, local environmental initiatives or supporting local grassroots football.

Is there a way to tell them apart?

your receipt will show you who you paid VAT to

my local is a franchise and it shows the name of the local franchise owner