This year’s ranking of limited-service chicken restaurants holds a few surprises: A swap in the No.2 spot, and a struggling chain hanging on to its position.
Every year, Nation’s Restaurant News and Datassential partner to present The Top 500, the definitive sales ranking of restaurants in America.
One element of this data is restaurant segment, meaning each can be broken down by systemwide domestic sales, units, and estimated sales per unit. NRN has been analyzing the Top 10 restaurant chains in each segment by sales.
The 10 biggest limited-service chicken restaurants, out of 28 on the full Top 500 list, are the same 10 as they were last year — albeit in a different order, specifically in the Top 5.
Seven of these chains grew domestic systemwide sales in 2022, one as much as 31.2%, and the same seven added net new units. Eight grew their estimated sales per unit. KFC was the only chain to see each of those metrics fall.
Boston Market is hanging onto its ranking despite its struggles in recent years, though its sales fell and it brought in roughly $359 million less than the chain above it.
Click through the gallery to meet the 10 biggest limited-service chicken restaurants in America.