This is part of Nation’s Restaurant News’ annual Second 100 report, a proprietary census ranking restaurant brands Nos. 101-200 by U.S. systemwide sales and other data. This special report focuses on a smaller, more growth-oriented universe than the Top 100 report.
Second 100 chains stepped up their sales momentum in the Latest Year, with aggregate U.S. systemwide sales growing 3.8 percent, to $24.5 billion, compared with Preceding Year growth of 2.6 percent. The average rate of growth for Second 100 chains rose to 5.6 percent in the Latest Year from 5.3 percent a year earlier. In addition, 72 of the Second 100 chains grew sales in the Latest Year — up from 62 in the Preceding Year — but their average rate of growth declined from 11.4 percent to 10.3 percent. Among the chains whose sales declined in the Latest Year, the average rate of erosion climbed to 6.4 percent versus 4.8 percent in the Preceding Year.
