The annual Datassential 500 report ranks the largest restaurant chains in the United States.
In the Datassential 500, we proudly present a ranking of the largest restaurant chains in the United States by unit count and sales, the fastest-growing chains, and provide an in-depth look at leaders across 16 different segments – from limited service chicken operators to full service steak and seafood chains.
The Datassential 500 offers a clear picture of industry performance overall, as well as trends by segment that can arm food and beverage companies with what they need to get ahead of the competition. From comprehensive data on sales across the landscape to key consumer perception metrics, think of the report as a one-stop shop for competitive intel.
The Datassential 500 goes beyond a ranking of the nation’s biggest chains by offering a look at chains by region and segment for a granular look at how chains are performing across the country. The report also offers the latest data on key consumer perceptions across a number of metrics, from quality and service to overall experience and net promoter score (NPS), offering a holistic look at true performance from every angle.
We believe ranking chains by units provides the most accurate representation of growth and chain potential. What’s more, in our Operators database, we track chain size fluctuations by unit throughout the year and our internal experts can leverage that data to understand what is next for the biggest chains.
Each year, restaurant chains are invited to share unit and sales performance figures. We then supplement those figures with data from our Sales Intelligence, Launches & Ratings, and Brand Performance solutions.
Publicly available brand data from securities filings, investor research, and franchise disclosures also inform Datassential estimates. Where specific chain information was not available, estimates were made based on growth rates seen in the industry overall and among similar chains.
Get a live sneak peek from Datassential experts on the highly-anticipated report, which takes a comprehensive look at the restaurant landscape and performance of the largest 500 chains. Explore key industry news, learn about segment leaders, top growing chains, and more.