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- Technomic ranked the biggest restaurant chains in the US.
- Its annual list included fast-food, fast-casual, and casual-dining chains.
- Texas Roadhouse moved up four places in the ranking compared to last year’s list.
It’s a full-on food fight as taco chains, burger joints, and sandwich shops all vie to become the biggest restaurant chain in the US.
Nation’s Restaurant News reported the biggest chains in America based on Technomic’s annual ranking. The report, released this month, ranked the top 500 restaurant chains in the country and included each restaurant’s unit counts and sales for 2024.
Major brands like Chick-fil-A and Starbucks landed top spots, while Texas Roadhouse moved up four places in this year’s ranking to become the biggest casual-dining chain in the US.
McDonald’s topped the list as the biggest restaurant chain in the US, though Nation’s Restaurant News reported that growth across the three biggest chains slowed this year: They experienced a combined sales increase of 1.2% in 2024, compared to a combined sales increase of over 11% in 2023.
Despite a strenuous year marked by declining sales, inflation, and a heightened focus on value, McDonald’s saw significant growth in its loyalty program, which is up 30% compared to the previous year.
“We’re playing to win, focusing on our customers with outstanding value, exciting menu innovation, and culturally relevant marketing,” CEO Chris Kempczinski said in the fourth-quarter earnings report.
Here are the 15 biggest restaurant chains in the US, ranked.
15. Texas Roadhouse
Segment: Casual dining
Sales (2024): $5.5 billion
Restaurant count (2024): 664
Ranking change from 2024: +4
14. Pizza Hut
Segment: Quick service
Sales: $5.6 billion
Restaurant count: 6,557
Ranking change from 2024: -1
13. Popeyes
Segment: Quick service
Sales: $5.7 billion
Restaurant count: 3,148
Ranking change from 2024: +2
12. Panera Bread
Segment: Fast casual
Sales: $6.1 billion
Restaurant count: 2,216
Ranking change from 2024: -1
11. Panda Express
Segment: Fast casual
Sales: $6.2 billion
Restaurant count: 2,505
Ranking change from 2024: +1
10. Domino’s
Segment: Quick service
Sales: $9.5 billion
Restaurant count: 7,014
Ranking change from 2024: 0
9. Subway
Segment: Quick service
Sales: $9.5 billion
Restaurant count: 19,502
Ranking change from 2024: -1
8. Burger King
Segment: Quick service
Sales: $11 billion
Restaurant count: 6,701
Ranking change from 2024: -1
7. Chipotle Mexican Grill
Segment: Fast casual
Sales: $11.2 billion
Restaurant count: 3,644
Ranking change from 2024: +2
6. Dunkin’
Segment: Quick service
Sales: $12.5 billion
Restaurant count: 9,768
Ranking change from 2024: 0
5. Wendy’s
Segment: Quick service
Sales: $12.6 billion
Restaurant count: 5,933
Ranking change from 2024: 0
4. Taco Bell
Segment: Quick service
Sales: $16.2 billion
Restaurant count: 7,604
Ranking change from 2024: 0
3. Chick-fil-A
Segment: Quick service
Sales: $22.7 billion
Restaurant count: 3,109
Ranking change from 2024: 0
2. Starbucks
Segment: Quick service
Sales: $31.5 billion
Restaurant count: 16,941
Ranking change from 2024: 0
1. McDonald’s
Segment: Quick service
Sales: $53.5 billion
Restaurant count: 13,557
Ranking change from 2024: 0
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