Everyone has strong opinions about fast food, and public opinion can change the reputation of a fast food restaurant based on a variety of factors, including the price of the menu and the overall quality.
Every year, research firm Technomic tracks the popularity of restaurant chains across the United States and ranks them based on national sales. The company just released its 2023 report, and the top 10 might surprise you.
McDonald's ($53.1 billion, up 9%)
Starbucks ($31.6 billion, up 12.5%)
Chick-fil-A ($21.6 billion, up 14.7%)
Taco Bell ($15 billion, up 8.2%)
Wendy's ($12.3 billion, up 5.1%)
Dunkin' Donuts ($11.9 billion, up 5.7%)
Burger King ($11 billion, up 6.6%)
Subway ($10 billion, up 2.1%)
Chipotle ($9.9 billion, up 15.3%)
Domino's Pizza ($9 billion, up 3.1%)
Compared to the 2022 report, there are no major changes in the rankings. The only exception is Chipotle, which moves up from 10th to 9th place. The top 10 chains are growing at a faster pace than the other 410 companies featured in the report, accounting for 44% of all sales.
Technomic's sister company, Restaurant Business, reports that the overall growth is driven primarily by rising prices and an increase in the number of restaurant locations: The 500 restaurants on the list have added a net of 4,000 new locations nationwide, the fastest growth rate in the past seven years.
Restaurant prices increased by an average of 7.1 percent, according to the report, with Restaurant Business suggesting that the increases in prices and number of locations indicate “consumers are visiting chains less frequently, ordering lower-priced options, or a combination of both.”
McDonald's has held the top spot as the top restaurant chain in the U.S. since Technomic began its annual report, but its ranking has fluctuated over the past few years. In the 2014 report, Pizza Hut was the largest pizza chain, but was overtaken by Domino's. Subway has plummeted in the rankings, from third place in 2014 to eighth in 2023.
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One big change in restaurant popularity has been Applebee's: The casual chain was the 10th most popular restaurant in 2014 before dropping off the list entirely. Restaurants like TGI Fridays and Red Lobster have also struggled recently. And if the 2023 Technomic list, which now features only fast food and fast-casual restaurants, is any indication, the days of the sit-down chain may be coming to an end.
Is your favorite restaurant on this list? Let us know in the comments!
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