This statistic shows the leading quick-service restaurant (QSR) chains in the United States in 2016, by sales per unit. Panera Bread placed second on the list with an average of 2.7 million U.S. dollars in sales per unit.
Quick-service restaurants - additional information
The leading quick service restaurant chain in terms of sales per unit was Chick-fil-A, with 4.41 million U.S. dollars worth of sales per unit in 2016. Chick-fil-A is a southern American fast food chain specializing in chicken sandwiches. It was founded in 1946 in Atlanta, Georgia, and has since grown to compete with the global leaders of the fast food industry. In 2016, the chain was the third largest quick service restaurant company in the world with revenues of 6.83 billion U.S. dollars. While Chick-fil-A is still far behind global giant McDonald’s in terms of revenue (McDonald’s generated nearly 25 billion U.S. dollars in 2016), the chains plans for expansion may see it rise in the ranking.
Expansion may well be welcomed in the U.S. In a March 2017 survey, Chick-fil-A placed as the U.S. consumer’s favorite chicken restaurant eight percent ahead of its closest competitor Raising Cane’s. Consumers clearly cannot get enough of Chick-fil-A’s offerings: leading to the chain being voted as the tastiest chicken restaurant in America, beating the likes of El Pollo Loco, Popeyes and Boston Market.
The fast food industry in the United States is certainly a profitable one. In 2018, the fast food restaurants are forecasted to generate approximately 214.8 billion U.S. dollars in revenue – a figure which was forecasted to reach 223.9 billion by 2020. The industry is still expanding, with rising establishment numbers expected to near 250 thousand in the coming years. Good news for U.S. consumers, 20 percent of whom visit quick service restaurants at least once per week.
