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
Annual Sales
Per Unit ’09
(Thousands)

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

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