Arby’s, America’s leading Fast Crafted restaurant brand with more than 3,300 restaurants worldwide, today announced U.S. system same-store sales (SSS) growth of 1.6 percent in Q1 2017. Arby’s U.S. system two-year SSS growth was 7.6 percent.

This marks 26 consecutive quarters of SSS growth for Arby’s as well as 17 consecutive quarters of outperforming the QSR industry. Arby’s also reached 12 consecutive quarters of growing transactions system-wide in the United States.

“Our ability to maintain a strong pace of sales and transaction growth—despite the headwinds the industry is facing—underscores that our strategy is working,” says Paul Brown, CEO of Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc. (ARG). “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in the first quarter, and I’m confident that we have the team, the product pipeline and the vision to continue to deliver strong results.”

The brand remains on track to achieve $4 billion in system sales by the end of 2018—a goal that the company set in 2014.

Additional highlights from the first quarter include:

Guest Experience Ratings Increase: Arby’s customer experience rating rose seven percentage points year-over-year in Temkin Group’s 2017 Temkin Experience Ratings, moving Arby’s to place among the top five fast food companies in the report. The ratings increase helps to validate Arby’s continuing focus on enhancing the guest experience.

Executive Leadership Recognition: Arby’s executives continue to be recognized by the industry. CEO Paul Brown was named the 2017 Restaurant Leader of the Year by Restaurant Business Magazine. PRWeek honored Brand President & CMO Rob Lynch as the 2017 Outstanding Marketer of the Year.

Culinary Innovation: Arby’s introduced a new Chicago-Style Beef Dip in March as part of its line of Big City Sandwiches that also included the Fire-Roasted Philly and the New York Reuben. The brand’s largest ever sandwich, the Meat Mountain, was also a guest favorite with more than 150,000 sold in March 2017.

Continued Restaurant Development: ARG signed 29 development agreements for the building of 86 new restaurants in the United States.

“Restaurant development remains a top priority for the business, and we’re excited about our strong pace of remodels and new builds,” says Brown. “We will continue to make strategic investments to meet the needs and expectations of our guests.”