Ever since Popeyes and Chick-fil-A squared off on social in the summer of 2019, chicken (and particularly chicken sandwiches) have turned into one of fast-food’s most crowded battlegrounds. Eight of the nine brands in this year’s rankings posted positive net growth last year, with three—Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, and Wingstop—all hitting triple-digits.

What’s more intriguing perhaps, however, is there’s a visible logjam in the middle. Raising Cane’s, Wingstop, and Zaxby’s, closed 2021 within $150 million of each other. Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A continues to roll. There are seven restaurant brands in America in the $10 billion-and-above club—Burger King, Dunkin’, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, and McDonald’s. But every chain listed there, sans Chick-fil-A, boasts well over 5,000 locations (Wendy’s had 5,938 last year, while the others were at 7,000 units and higher). Chick-fil-A hasn’t reached 3,000 stores yet. Its $6.1 million average-unit volumes fronted the top-50 grossing chains in America by a good distance; Raising Cane’s was next at $4.9 million. And it was even higher at standalone Chick-fil-A drive-thrus—north of $8 million.  

Here’s a look at how the top chicken chains measured up in this year’s QSR 50.

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Note: If viewing on desktop, click the arrow in the photo to see the next page. All figures are U.S. year-end 2021. * Indicates figure estimated by QSR.

1. Chick-fil-A*

U.S. systemwide sales (millions): $16,700

Average sales per unit (thousands): $6,100

Franchised stores: 2,650

Company stores: 82

2021 Total Units: 2,732

Total change in units from 2020: 155

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2. KFC

U.S. systemwide sales (millions): $5,100

Average sales per unit (thousands): $1,408

Franchised stores: 3,906

Company stores: 47

2021 Total Units: 3,953

Total change in units from 2020: 10

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3. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen

U.S. systemwide sales (millions): $4,775

Average sales per unit (thousands): $1,867

Franchised stores: 2,716

Company stores: 41

2021 Total Units: 2,754

Total change in units from 2020: 146

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4. Raising Cane’s

U.S. systemwide sales (millions): $2,377

Average sales per unit (thousands): $4,893

Franchised stores: 23

Company stores: 544

2021 Total Units: 567

Total change in units from 2020: 58

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5. Wingstop*

U.S. systemwide sales (millions): $2,278

Average sales per unit (thousands): $1,592

Franchised stores: 1,498

Company stores: 36

2021 Total Units: 1,534

Total change in units from 2020: 175

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6. Zaxby’s

U.S. systemwide sales (millions): $2,233

Average sales per unit (thousands): $2,484

Franchised stores: 761

Company stores: 147

2021 Total Units: 908

Total change in units from 2020: 3

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7. Bojangles

U.S. systemwide sales (millions): $1,485

Average sales per unit (thousands): $1,924

Franchised stores: 496

Company stores: 277

2021 Total Units: 773

Total change in units from 2020: 15

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8. El Pollo Loco

U.S. systemwide sales (millions): $973

Average sales per unit (thousands): $2,000

Franchised stores: 292

Company stores: 189

2021 Total Units: 481

Total change in units from 2020: 1

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9. Church’s Chicken

U.S. systemwide sales (millions): $776

Average sales per unit (thousands): $870

Franchised stores: 731

Company stores: 161

2021 Total Units: 892

Total change in units from 2020: -13

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