To the nearest thousand, how many McDonald's restaurants are there in the world?

The correct answer provides an estimate that aligns closely with well-documented figures regarding the global presence of McDonald's restaurants. As of the last few years, the number of McDonald's locations worldwide has been noted to hover around 40,000. However, it's important to recognize the concept of estimating to the nearest thousand, which means we focus on rounded figures.

When looking specifically at the options given, 30,000 restaurants appears as a central point among the choices and reflects a reasonable approximation based on historical growth patterns of the franchise. In estimating, the number may swing above or below this figure, but 30,000 serves as a plausible midpoint. The option chosen effectively illustrates the strategy of rounding to the nearest thousand, neatly falling within the overall estimated range of McDonald's restaurants operating globally.

The other options, while potentially valid estimates at different points in time, either do not align as closely with commonly cited figures from recent years or stray further away from the center of typical estimates, making 30,000 a thoughtful choice for this approximation question.