There’s no other list like this one. The QSR 50 brings the biggest names in the quick-service and fast-casual industries together in an all out sprint to the finish. Their domestic sales would make companies like Nike, Whirlpool, and Progress Energy blush. And at the top of the heap again this year is McDonald’s with $31 billion in systemwide sales in 2009—more than double its closest competitor Subway. While the sandwich chain may have more stores, it’s McDonald’s that leads the chart thanks to its solid AUV of $2.35 million.
But Subway’s No. 2 spot is nothing to scoff at. Just this year alone, the company added more than 1,000 new locations around the world, crossed the milestone of 33,000 locations, and premiered its new breakfast menu at about 25,000 U.S. and Canadian stores.
Rounding out the top five spots are industry giants Burger King, who is still working through franchisee issues, Wendy’s, whose new breakfast menu is set to roll out nationwide soon, and Starbucks, whose revamped loyalty program is paying off in a big way.
Below are the top 50 companies shaping our industry. How does yours stack up?
| 2010 Rank |
Chain | Segment | U.S. Systemwide Sales ’09 (millions) |
U.S. Average |
Franchised/ Licensed Units ’09 |
Company- Owned Units ’09 |
Total Units ’09 |
| 1 | McDonald’s | burger | $31,000.00 | $2,350.00 | 12,402 | 1,578 | 13,980 |
| 2 | Subway* | sandwich | $10,000.00 | $445.00 | 23,034 | 0 | 23,034 |
| 3 | Burger King | burger, | $9,000.00 | $1,240.00 | 6,333 | 917 | 7,250 |
| 4 | Wendy’s* | burger | $8,388.00 | $1,422.00 | 4,622 | 1,255 | 5,877 |
| 5 | Starbucks Coffee* | snack | $8,347.20 | $952.00 | 4,364 | 6,764 | 11,128 |
| 6 | Taco Bell2 | mexican | $6,800.00 | $1,229.00 | 4,308 | 1,296 | 5,604 |
| 7 | Dunkin’ Donuts* | snack | $5,700.00 | $820.00 | 6,566 | 0 | 6,566 |
| 8 | Pizza Hut2 | pizza/pasta | $5,000.00 | $786.00 | 6,917 | 649 | 7,566 |
| 9 | KFC2 | chicken | $4,900.00 | $960.00 | 4,307 | 855 | 5,162 |
| 10 | Sonic | burger | $3,837.40 | $1,093.00 | 3,069 | 475 | 3,544 |
| 11 | Arby’s* | sandwich | $3,228.80 | $897.00 | 2,427 | 1,169 | 3,596 |
| 12 | Chick-fil-A* | chicken | $3,217.00 | $2,095.00 | 205 | 1,275 | 1,480 |
| 13 | Jack in the Box | burger | $3,072.10 | $1,420.00 | 1,022 | 1,190 | 2,212 |
| 14 | Domino’s* | pizza/pasta | $3,030.80 | $598.00 | 4,456 | 481 | 4,937 |
| 15 | Panera Bread* | sandwich | $2,796.50 | $2,081.00 | 719 | 585 | 1,304 |
| 16 | Dairy Queen* | burger | $2,640.00 | $530.00 | 4,469 | 71 | 4,540 |
| 17 | Papa John’s | pizza/pasta | $2,057.00 | $755.00 | 2,193 | 588 | 2,781 |
| 18 | Quiznos Subs* | sandwich | $1,776.50 | $415.00 | 4,200 | 3 | 4,203 |
| 19 | Hardee’s* | burger | $1,660.00 | $1,002.00 | 1,430 | 475 | 1,905 |
| 20 | Popeyes* | chicken | $1,597.00 | $1,057.50 | 1,539 | 37 | 1,576 |
| 21 | Chipotle | mexican | $1,500.00 | $1,728.00 | 0 | 956 | 956 |
| 22 | Carl’s Jr.* | burger | $1,370.00 | $1,438.00 | 802 | 422 | 1,224 |
| 23 | Panda Express | asian | $1,245.00 | $1,023.00 | 24 | 1,265 | 1,289 |
| 24 | Whataburger | burger | $1,178.90 | $1,679.00 | 173 | 529 | 702 |
| 25 | Little Caesars* | pizza/pasta | $1,130.00 | $450.00 | 2,000 | 600 | 2,600 |
| 26 | Church’s Chicken* | chicken | $835.00 | $680.00 | 975 | 287 | 1,262 |
| 27 | Steak 'n Shake* | burger | $753.80 | $1,500.00 | 73 | 412 | 485 |
| 28 | Zaxby’s | chicken | $718.00 | $1,581.00 | 406 | 86 | 492 |
| 29 | Long John Silver’s*2 |
seafood | $700.00 | $660.00 | 989 | 0 | 989 |
| 30 | Checkers/Rally’s | burger | $663.50 | $814.00 | 498 | 323 | 821 |
| 31 | Bojangles’ | chicken | $659.50 | $1,556.40 | 296 | 163 | 459 |
| 32 | Culver’s | burger | $656.00 | $1,630.00 | 404 | 9 | 413 |
| 33 | Papa Murphy’s | pizza/pasta | $630.00 | $560.20 | 1,136 | 35 | 1,171 |
| 34 | Jimmy John’s* | sandwich | $602.00 | $688.30 | 948 | 21 | 969 |
| 35 | El Pollo Loco | chicken | $582.00 | $1,600.00 | 243 | 172 | 415 |
| 36 | Baskin-Robbins* | snack | $570.00 | $218.00 | 2,597 | 0 | 2,597 |
| 37 | Del Taco | mexican | $568.00 | $1,100.00 | 231 | 287 | 518 |
| 38 | CiCi’s Pizza | pizza/pasta | $563.60 | $909.00 | 609 | 16 | 625 |
| 39 | Boston Market* | chicken | $545.00 | $1,020.00 | 0 | 520 | 520 |
| 40 | White Castle | burger | $544.40 | $1,304.60 | 0 | 418 | 418 |
| 41 | Sbarro* | pizza/pasta | $517.10 | $645.00 | 300 | 485 | 785 |
| 42 | Five Guys Burgers & Fries |
burger | $499.00 | $1,100.00 | 457 | 91 | 548 |
| 43 | Jason’s Deli | sandwich | $471.60 | $2,194.00 | 94 | 121 | 215 |
| 44 | Captain D’s | seafood | $461.20 | $839.00 | 263 | 286 | 549 |
| 45 | In-N-Out Burger* | burger | $457.00 | $1,950.00 | 0 | 239 | 239 |
| 46 | Qdoba | mexican | $434.80 | $905.00 | 353 | 157 | 510 |
| 47 | Cold Stone Creamery |
snack | $429.90 | $325.00 | 1,163 | 35 | 1,198 |
| 48 | Krystal | burger | $413.80 | $1,078.00 | 147 | 237 | 384 |
| 49 | Tim Hortons1 | snack | $410.00 | $957.00 | 558 | 5 | 563 |
| 50 | Einstein Bros. Bagels* |
sandwich | $378.40 | $874.00 | 182 | 350 | 532 |
* includes figures estimated by Technomic, Inc.
1 systemwide figure from franchised stores only
2 systemwide sales includes license sales
3 stores open 1 year or longer
4 includes Philippines
5 U.S. & Canadian
