Here at Nation’s Restaurant News, we like to demonstrate our value through action.
We’ve got the best reporting on the restaurant industry, so we think the best way to show that is through our daily commitment to news, business insights and analysis. The proof is in the pudding, right?
But, every once in a while, it’s good to remind readers of everything we offer.
I want you to picture the deep voice of an Arby’s commercial that says, with enthusiasm, “We have the meats.”
Because here at Nation’s Restaurant News, “We have the data.”
And more importantly, we share the data — openly and broadly — with our readers.
So here is number three in our Top 200 trilogy. Just as in our comprehensive June chain sourcebook, we don’t hold back here. Our data tables detail the U.S. revenue and growth of the Top 200 restaurant company giants, those behemoths that own restaurants. I don’t know anyone else that compiles this information. It’s certainly not an easy task.
This year, mergers, acquisitions and bankruptcies weighed heavily on our companies’ ranking.
“These are dynamic times in the U.S. foodservice industry, as changing consumer demographics, expectations, connectivity and sources for prepared foods — not to mention crowding in some segments — have heightened investor and owner tensions and accelerated brand turnover,” said Alan J. Liddle, senior editor of data and event content for Nation’s Restaurant News and Top 200 analyst. “Our ‘follow the money’ approach to company data presentations that show the reported or estimated impact of traumatic business events on revenue streams makes it easier to spot where the action is, and we strive to back that up in our extensive footnotes with pro-forma looks at how the underlying operations performed for the fiscal year in question, regardless of the number of owners during that period.”
If this exhaustive list of company revenue and growth weren’t enough, we are also featuring The Next Generation chains. These brands haven’t made our Top 200 list of restaurant chains just yet, but they are well on their way with steady sales and unit growth. They are on their way up.
This pairing of the biggest of the big and brands on their way up is not accidental. Successful restaurants can learn from the nimble, smaller operators as much from the massive foodservice institutions. Both have lessons to share.
We’ve also introduced our Top 200 interactive database online, available to all paid subscribers. Visit NRN.com and you can access three years of Top 200 data on systemwide sales, sales growth, estimated sales per unit and market share trends.
Filter and sort, and find your own stories.
Jenna Telesca, Editor-in-Chief
E-mail Jenna Telesca at [email protected]
Follow her on Twitter: @jennatelesca
