The world’s 30 biggest fast-food chains -

If you’re like much of the world, fast food restaurants are a huge help on those busy nights when cooking feels like a daunting task. Over the years, restaurants in this industry have had to adapt in multiple ways, from shifting consumer preferences and technological advancements to global events that impacted operations. In this gallery, you’ll find the top 30 biggest fast-food chain restaurants as ranked by industry magazine QSR in 2023, as well as information about what has made each of them unique, profitable, and successful. 

Did your favorite fast-food restaurant make the list? Click through to reveal the top 30. 

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30. Hardee's - In March of 2022, Max Wetzel, former Papa John's executive, became Hardee’s new CEO. The same year, the parent company of Hardee’s, CKE, revealed that they planned a $500 million rebranding program to update things like the signage, brand statement, lighting, and more. The company also launched a loyalty program in 2022.

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29. Five Guys -

Five Guys and their burger chain grew by 19 stores in 2022 and reached $2.2 billion in systemwide sales. Additionally, the brand's per-store sales rose from approximately $400,000 to $1.7 million.

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28. Jimmy John's -

The sandwich chain first introduced drive-thru-only restaurants in 2022 and while they closed 26 regular storefronts the same year, they still saw an increase in AUV (average unit volume) from $886,000 to $900,000.

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27. Zaxby's -

The new loyalty program, Zax Rewards, was launched in late 2022 and not only boosted app downloads but also helped with customer engagement. Zaxby's had grown to over 922 locations and $2.38 billion in systemwide sales as of 2022.

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26. Wingstop -

 In 2022, market prices for bone-in wings fell by 44% causing the cost of sales to decrease. Due to the lower expenses, Wingstop was able to drive an 8.7% same-store sales increase in the fourth quarter. Additionally, in 2022, Wingstop opened more than 200 new stores globally, plus 255 more in 2023.

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25. Jersey Mike's Subs - Jersey Mike's had been expanding rapidly and added 297 stores in 2022 totaling 2,397 stores with an average unit volume of over $1.2 million. The brand has a very strong philanthropic culture and raised $21 million for local charities during March of 2022.

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24. Culvers -

In 2022, US sales surpassed $2.8 billion which put them up 13.7% from $2.489 billion in 2021. Another highlight from 2022 was the return of the famous CurderBurger which is topped with cheese curds. The promotion helped 20% of the restaurants systemwide break their single-day sales records.

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23. Raising Cane's -

From 2019 to 2022, Raising Cane’s added 246 locations and the AUV rose from $3.6 million to $5.4 million. The company is also known for having spent hundreds of millions on things like wage increases and other employee efforts in recent years. Additionally, over $100 million has been donated to communities in need.

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22. Whataburger -

This burger chain expanded by 52 new stores in 2022 which was a 9.6% increase from the previous year. The brand witnessed sales of 23.8% and the average unit volume (AUV) rose 16.5% reflecting strong growth and an expanding footprint. 

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21. Little Caesars -

For Little Caesars, 2022 was a very difficult year. From staffing shortages, a difficult delivery environment, and macroeconomic headwinds, the quick-service pizza category suffered. The company is seeking multi-unit deals with both new and existing franchisees to energize its domestic system.

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20. Papa John's -

Papa John's anticipated a 2-4% growth in 2023, but went on to achieve 5%. They also opened 200 new units internationally.

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19. Jack in the Box - This restaurant chain aims to significantly increase its presence in the US. Jack in the Box has targeted over 6,000 stores and has signed 335 agreements for new restaurants since mid-2021. The chain focuses on profitability through AI-enabled pricing, updates to equipment, and new prototypes.

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18. Arby's -

Arby’s leadership changed when Rita Patel became president and Ellen Rose was named the CMO. The brand expanded domestically and internationally. It opened its first restaurant in Riyadh and has plans for further growth in Saudi Arabia and Southeast Mexico.

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17. Dairy Queen -

Dairy Queen in 2023 began selling its Blizzard treat for $0.85 to celebrate the product’s 1985 debut. To reap this reward, customers simply needed to download the Dairy Queen app which led to 3.3 million new installs in April of 2023 alone and a further 974% increase between March and April. This put Dairy Queen in the top 10 apps for the first time in Apptopia’s records.

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16. Popeyes -

The renowned chicken chain opened more than 200 North American stores in 2022. Also in 2022, Popeyes opened over 180 units outside of North America which was nearly seven times the amount which were opened in 2017. A new multistrategy, “Easy to Love,” was launched.

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15. KFC - KFC US system sales were $5.1 billion in fiscal year 2022 and though the brand closed 35 stores domestically, it expanded its global footprint to over 27,000 restaurants. New units opened in over 100 markets which included India, Thailand, Turkey, and China.

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14. Panda Express - In 2022, Panda Express introduced new dining options and reintroduced old favorites such as the Beyond the Original Orange Orange Chicken. The company also has been designing stores in ways that honor its American Chinese heritage.

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13. Sonic -

Sonic, known as a classic drive-up style restaurant, headed into 2024 with Jim Taylor as their President after longtime executive Claudia San Pedro stepped away to tend to family matters. Sonic downsized by six units in 2023 after growing by 26 the previous year.

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12. Pizza Hut - The Pizza Hut chain exploded globally in 2022 when 1,584 new restaurants were opened in 73 countries. They also integrated third-party delivery services and adopted AI technology in order to improve their kitchen and delivery options.

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11. Panera Bread - The customer convenience piece is crucial at Panera Bread. With digital-only restaurants, AI voice ordering, and contactless dine-in options, the company is continuing to grow. Additionally, their new CEO, José Alberto Dueñas is exploring IPO strategies.

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10. Chipotle -

Chipotle has increased its digital presence in a big way and has been driving substantial revenue from online orders. The company planned to expand drive-thru locations and continued to aim for steady annual growth and opened 271 new restaurants in 2023.

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9. Domino's -

As with many businesses, Dominos faced many challenges during COVID-19 including declining delivery sales and even labor shortages which led to reduced store hours and lower sales. In 2023, a focus on menu innovation, electric vehicle deliveries, and enhanced online ordering were priorities.

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8. Burger King -

Burger King underwent a major rebranding effort with a $400 million “Reclaim the Flame” strategy which focused on modernizing branding, premium menus, and better technology.

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7. Subway - Though Subway reduced its US store count to 20,576 in 2022, it remained one of the largest chains in America. 

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6. Dunkin' -

Dunkin’s AUV (average unit volume) has risen from $1.127 million to $1.2 million year-over-year. They have also begun more sustainable business practices including replacing their polystyrene cups with new double-walled paper cups made with paperboard that is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard.

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5. Wendy's -

Wendy’s CEO, Todd Penegor, said that the brand will aim to be more global as opposed to running the US and international business separately. During this time and as part of the redesign, the US president and chief commercial officer, Kurt Kane, was let go and various positions were eliminated. Wendy’s aimed to achieve 2-3% net unit growth in 2023 and 2024 as well as 3-4% in 2025.

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4. Taco Bell -

Digital business was up to 40 percent year-over-year in 2022. Additionally, in the US, Taco Bell ended 2022 with 7,198 domestic stores and of those 464 were company-owned and 6,734 were franchised.

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3. Chick-fil-A - Chick-fil-A bolstered $18.814 billion in US systemwide sales in 2022 alone, up from $16.674 billion in 2021. Despite Chick-fil-A being closed on Sundays, it still trails only McDonalds and Starbucks which have 10,607 and 13,036 more stores, respectively, in America.

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2. Starbucks -

In September of 2021, Starbucks announced a $450 million dollar investment in new equipment designed to boost efficiency and reduce complexity. In 2022, they opened more locations than any other restaurant in America, netting a total of 429 stores. The brand has changed drastically over the years and now offers more options such as digital ordering and mobile pay.

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1. McDonald's -

Mcdonald's is the world’s largest burger chain in the world and last year marked the first time they grew their domestic footprint in eight years from 663 to 693 stores. Product improvements such as softer buns, gooier cheese, and more onions as well as new ventures including meatless options are helping the company grow.

Sources: (QSR) 

See also: These foods can help curb your sugar cravings

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