Fast casual has stormed the QSR 50 in the last few years, with Panera Bread entering the top 10 and Chipotle close at its heels. That trend continued in 2015; Panera and Chipotle each padded their sales, with the latter leap-frogging both Sonic and KFC in the rankings. (Of course, Chipotle’s food-safety woes struck at the end of 2015, a sales hit that will likely be reflected in next year’s QSR 50). Elsewhere in fast casual, a pair of sandwich chains—Jersey Mike’s and Firehouse Subs—continued their incredible momentum up the list, while Wingstop similarly managed to jump multiple spots in the rankings.
Meanwhile, legacy quick-service chains were a mixed bag in 2015. McDonald’s finally found its footing after years of disappointing sales returns, and Taco Bell managed to jump Wendy’s and solidify a spot in the QSR 50’s top five. But KFC ceded more ground in the chicken wars, slipping to spot No. 14 overall—only six spots and just over $1 billion in sales ahead of Popeyes, which enjoyed a major boost in 2015.
| Segment Rank | QSR 50 Rank | Company | 2015 U.S. Systemwide Sales (millions) | 2015 U.S. Average Sales per Unit (thousands) | Number of Franchised Units in 2015 | Number of Company Units in 2015 | Total Units in 2015 | Total Change in Units from 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Subway* | $11,500.0 | $424.3 | 27,103 | 0 | 27,103 | 145 |
| 2 | 10 | Panera Bread | $4,900.0 | $2,500.0 | 1,071 | 901 | 1,972 | 92 |
| 3 | 16 | Arby's | $3,540.0 | $1,073.0 | 2,210 | 1,004 | 3,214 | -12 |
| 4 | 23 | Jimmy John's Sandwiches | $1,978.6 | $877.1 | 2,354 | 51 | 2,405 | 296 |
| 5 | 40 | Jersey Mike's Subs* | $675.0 | $645.3 | 1,006 | 40 | 1,046 | 189 |
| 6 | 41 | Firehouse Subs | $648.5 | $726.0 | 913 | 32 | 945 | 95 |
| 7 | 42 | Jason's Deli | $643.6 | $2,664.0 | 106 | 154 | 260 | 7 |
| 8 | 47 | McAlister's Deli | $547.7 | $1,634.5 | 318 | 43 | 361 | 24 |
