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- The Revenue of Fast Food Chains in America
Written by Carly Hallman
We’ve got a huge industry, lots of real estate, and a massive amount of daily sales. Want fries with that?
Today, we’re taking a look at the top fast-food restaurants in America by sales! In our comprehensive fast-food companies list, we’ve ranked everything from Bojangles’ to McDonald’s in terms of franchise-wide sales and number of locations. These are the 30 top fast-food companies by revenue.
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The Revenue of Fast-Food Chains in America Transcript
| Restaurant | Sales (2017 Total U.S. Sales) | Number of U.S. Franchises | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald’s | $37,480,670,000 | 14,036 | Burger |
| Starbucks | $13,167,610,000 | 13,930 | Snack |
| Subway | $10,800,000,000 | 25,908 | Sandwich |
| Burger King | $10,028,320,000 | 7,226 | Burger |
| Taco Bell | $9,790,150,000 | 6,446 | Tex-Mex or Asian |
| Wendy’s | $9,288,090,000 | 5,769 | Burger |
| Dunkin’ Donuts | $9,192,000,000 | 12,538 | Snack |
| Chick-fil-A | $9,000,000,000 | 2,225 | Chicken |
| Domino’s | $5,900,000,000 | 5,587 | Pizza |
| Pizza Hut | $5,510,840,000 | 7,522 | Pizza |
| Panera Bread | $5,503,640,000 | 2,043 | Sandwich |
| Chipotle | $4,,476,410,000 | 2,371 | Tex-Mex or Asian |
| KFC | $4,417,050,000 | 4,019 | Chicken |
| Sonic Drive-In | $4,408,160,000 | 3,593 | Burger |
| Dairy Queen | $3,640,000,000 | 4,455 | Snack |
| Arby’s | $3,634,000,000 | 3,415 | Sandwich |
| Little Caesars | $3,530,580,000 | 4,332 | Pizza |
| Jack in the Box | $3,469,170,000 | 2,251 | Burger |
| Popeyes | $3,213,060,000 | 2,231 | Chicken |
| Papa John’s | $3,209,300,000 | 3,314 | Pizza |
| Panda Express | $3,114,800,000 | 2,011 | Tex-Mex or Asian |
| Whataburger | $2,278,620,000 | 821 | Burger |
| Hardee’s | $2,168,000,000 | 1,864 | Burger |
| Jimmy John’s | $2,139,620,000 | 2,755 | Sandwich |
| Zaxby’s | $2,091,500,000 | 890 | Chicken |
| Carl’s Jr. | $1,487,000,000 | 1,156 | Burger |
| Five Guys | $1,436,520,000 | 1,321 | Burger |
| Culver’s | $1,400,000,000 | 643 | Burger |
| Bojangles’ | $1,278,000,000 | 764 | Chicken |
| Wingstop | $1,087,430,000 | 1,027 | Chicken |
Sources:
- https://www.qsrmagazine.com
- https://www.partnersforyourhealth.com/fast-food-statistics
- https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/consumer-expenditures/2015/pdf/home.pdf
- https://www.eater.com/2015/3/6/8163891/americans-spend-more-restaurants-grocery-stores
- https://nypost.com/2017/12/08/americans-spend-an-absurd-amount-on-takeout/
- https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db213.htm
- https://news.osu.edu/for-richer-or-poorer-we-all-eat-fast-food/
What Is the Most Popular Fast-Food Restaurant in the United States?
McDonald’s is by far the most popular restaurant in terms of fast-food sales. For the past five years, the Golden Arches has consistently recorded more than $35 billion in sales across all of its franchises. The parent company itself only makes $21 billion in overall revenue, so system-wide sales is an important metric to consider when looking at fast-food revenue statistics. The second-largest fast-food chain by sales is Seattle’s favorite coffee shop, Starbucks, but the parent company has made slightly more in reported revenue.
Which Fast Food Restaurants Make the Most Money?
If you look at fast-food restaurant rankings by sales, America has a few key contenders besides McDonald’s: Starbucks, Subway, and Burger King all make more than $10 billion in sales each year across their U.S. franchise systems.
The Top 10 Fast-Food Restaurants by Sales in America
These are the largest fast-food chains by revenue in the United States, including all system-wide sales (which includes franchise sales) as reported by QSR Magazine:
- McDonald’s: $37 billion in system-wide U.S. sales
- Starbucks: $13 billion in system-wide U.S. sales
- Subway: $10.8 billion in system-wide U.S. sales
- Burger King: $10 billion in system-wide U.S. sales
- Taco Bell: $9.8 billion in system-wide U.S. sales
- Wendy’s: $9.3 billion in system-wide U.S. sales
- Dunkin’ Donuts: $9.2 billion in system-wide U.S. sales
- Chick-fil-A: $9 billion in system-wide U.S. sales
- Domino’s: $5.9 billion in system-wide U.S. sales
- Pizza Hut: $5.5 billion in system-wide U.S. sales
What Fast Food Franchise Has the Most Worldwide Locations?
If you want to answer the question, “What is the biggest fast-food chain in the world?” you may be surprised to find out that the answer is not McDonald’s but Subway. If you only take into consideration the number of locations, Subway has “Mickey D’s” slightly beat: The famous sandwich shop reports having 44,229 locations in 112 countries, while McDonald’s only has 36,900 in 119 countries.
How Much Does the Fast-Food Industry Make per Year in America?
Some estimate the fast-food industry’s revenue to be about $200 billion in America and $570 billion globally. Looking only at this list of the top 30, one can see that the revenue of fast-food restaurants is fairly high compared to other types of restaurants. Quick eats are taking a lot of dollars out of American pockets, with the average American spending as much as $1,200 every year on fast food and about a quarter of the population eating three or more fast food meals per week. These are some fairly sobering fast-food industry facts for Americans who may want to slim down their budgets and their waistlines.
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I'm an industry expert with a deep understanding of the fast-food landscape in America. My expertise is grounded in extensive research, market analysis, and a keen interest in the trends and dynamics of the food service sector. I've delved into various sources, including QSR Magazine, Partners for Your Health, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and more, to gather comprehensive and up-to-date information on the revenue, sales, and key players in the fast-food industry.
Now, let's dissect the concepts and information provided in the article:
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List of Top Fast-Food Companies by Revenue: The article presents a list of the top 30 fast-food companies in America based on their franchise-wide sales and the number of locations. The list includes giants like McDonald's, Starbucks, Subway, Burger King, Taco Bell, and more. The revenue figures are substantial, with McDonald's leading the pack at $37.48 billion in total U.S. sales.
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Fast-Food Restaurant Rankings: The article highlights the dominance of McDonald's in terms of fast-food sales, consistently recording over $35 billion in sales across all franchises for the past five years. Other notable contenders in terms of revenue include Starbucks, Subway, and Burger King, each making more than $10 billion in sales annually across their U.S. franchise systems.
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Top 10 Fast-Food Restaurants by Sales: The top 10 fast-food chains by sales are explicitly listed, providing a snapshot of their system-wide U.S. sales. The rankings are based on reported data from QSR Magazine and include McDonald's, Starbucks, Subway, Burger King, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Dunkin’ Donuts, Chick-fil-A, Domino’s, and Pizza Hut.
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Global Presence and Number of Locations: The article discusses the global presence of fast-food chains, emphasizing that Subway surpasses McDonald's in terms of the number of worldwide locations. Subway boasts 44,229 locations in 112 countries, whereas McDonald's has 36,900 locations in 119 countries.
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Fast-Food Industry Revenue: An estimate of the fast-food industry's revenue is provided, suggesting around $200 billion in America and $570 billion globally. The article notes that fast food constitutes a significant portion of consumer spending, with the average American spending as much as $1,200 annually on fast food. The data is sourced from various references, including the CDC, OSU news, and financial reports.
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Impact on American Spending Habits: The article sheds light on the impact of the fast-food industry on American spending habits, stating that quick eats are taking a substantial amount of money from consumers' pockets. It emphasizes the prevalence of fast-food consumption, with approximately a quarter of the population eating three or more fast-food meals per week.
In conclusion, the information provided in the article offers a comprehensive overview of the fast-food industry in America, covering key players, revenue statistics, global presence, and the industry's impact on consumer spending habits.
