A convenience store known for its grab-and-go snack items, Slurpee drinks and, particularly in its home market of Japan, a selection of private label ready-to-eat foods, such as bento boxes, noodle dishes and rice balls.

Headquarters: Tokyo
Parent company: Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd.
Segment: C-Store
Worldwide sales: $20.7 billion
Worldwide units: 54,578
Estimated sales per unit: $388,500

Although this C-store concept got its start in Ohio, it has thrived in its new home base of Japan, where it sells a number of prepared foods.  

Headquarters: Tokyo
Parent company: Lawson Inc.
Segment: C-Store
Worldwide sales: $5.4 billion
Worldwide units: 12,296
Estimated sales per unit: $449,200

Popular Japanese convenience store offering groceries, alcoholic beverages like sake and food such as onigiri, or rice balls. 

Headquarters: Tokyo
Parent company: FamilyMart Co. Ltd.
Segment: C-Store
Worldwide sales: $4.4 billion 
Worldwide units: 16,909
Estimated sales per unit: $274,300

A pub chain with a focus on value, known for early moves into the breakfast daypart, included expanded coffee offerings.

Headquarters: Watford, England
Parent company: JD Wetherspoon PLC
Segment: Bar/Pub
Worldwide sales: $2.1 billion 
Worldwide units: 893
Estimated sales per unit: $2.3 million

With major penetration in South Korea, this bakery brand focuses on quality, freshness and customer service.  

Headquarters: Seongnam, South Korea
Parent company: SPC Group
Segment: Limited Service/Bakery Products
Worldwide sales: $1.8 billion
Worldwide units: 3,386
Estimated sales per unit: $542,200

With its focus on handmade Italian-style coffee, Costa was the first U.K. coffee shop to commit to sourcing Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee.

Headquarters: Bedfordshire, England
Parent company: Whitbread PLC
Segment: Coffee Shop
Worldwide sales: $1.7 billion
Worldwide units: 2,873
Estimated sales per unit: $615,300

Chinese quick-service chain that specializes in Western-style food like fried chicken, burgers and fries.

Headquarters: Changhua, China
Parent company: Ting Hsin International Group
Segment: Chicken
Worldwide sales: $1.5 billion 
Worldwide units: 2,250
Estimated sales per unit: $723,500

This concept specializes in gyudon and donburi, which are rice-bowl dishes, as well as curry. 

Headquarters: Tokyo
Parent company: Zensho Holdings Co. Ltd.
Segment: Limited Service/Asian
Worldwide sales: $1.5 billion
Worldwide units: 1,981
Estimated sales per unit: $770,500

Cafeterias in this home-goods store offer traditional Swedish food, with some variations, in the 40-plus countries IKEA serves.

Headquarters: Delft, Netherlands
Parent company: Inter Ikea Systems B.V.
Segment: Cafeteria 
Worldwide sales: $1.5 billion
Worldwide units: 357
Estimated sales per unit: $4.3 million

A quick-service burger chain that aims to adapt American fast-food for a European audience.

Headquarters: La Plaine Saint-Denis, France/Wilrijk, (Antwerp), Belgium
Parent company: Quick Group
Segment: Limited Service/Burger
Worldwide sales: $1.5 billion
Worldwide units: 515
Estimated sales per unit: $2.9 million

A takeaway bento chain specializing in freshly prepared food. It opened its first overseas unit in China in 2010.

Headquarters: Fukuoka, Japan
Parent company: Plenus Co. Ltd.
Segment: Delivery/Takeaway
Worldwide sales: $1.5 billion
Worldwide units: 2,705
Estimated sales per unit: $546,200

A quick-service chain specializing in low-priced gyudon, or rice-and-beef bowls.

Headquarters: Tokyo
Parent company: Yoshinoya Holdings Co. Ltd.
Segment: Limited Service/Asian
Worldwide sales: $1.4 billion
Worldwide units: 2,048
Estimated sales per unit: $696,100

Offering a unique and relaxed atmosphere, this South African and Portuguese-fusion eatery is known for its spicy PERi-PERi marinated and basted chicken.

Headquarters: Johannesburg
Parent company: Nando’s Group Holdings Ltd.
Segment: Chicken
Worldwide sales: $1.3 billion 
Worldwide units: 1,089
Estimated sales per unit: $1.3 million

Serving American-style fast food with Filipino influences, Jollibee specializes in hamburgers, spaghetti, and fried chicken. 

Headquarters: Pasig City, Philippines
Parent company: Jollibee Foods Corp.
Segment: Limited Service/Filipino
Worldwide sales: $1.2 billion
Worldwide units: 892
Estimated sales per unit: $1.4 million

Like Lawson, this chain was originally headquartered in the United States. It now serves its doughnuts, muffins, pastries and coffee mostly in its primary market of Japan.

Headquarters: Osaka, Japan
Parent company: Duskin Co. Ltd.
Segment: Limited Service/Bakery Products
Worldwide sales: $1.2 billion
Worldwide units: 2,728
Estimated sales per unit: $413,800

Known for affordable sushi and conveyor belt, self-serve operation.

Headquarters: Osaka, Japan
Parent company: Akindo Sushiro Co. Ltd.
Segment: Limited Service/Asian
Worldwide sales: $1.2 billion
Worldwide units: 393
Estimated sales per unit: $3.2 million

A burger chain with units throughout East Asia. Its eponymous menu item is a top-seller.

Headquarters: Tokyo
Parent company: MOS Food Services Inc.
Segment: Limited Service/Burger
Worldwide sales: $1.2 billion
Worldwide units: 1,738
Estimated sales per unit: $697,900

A 30-year old brand serving traditional fast food burgers, fried chicken and fries, but also more distinctive items such as squid rings and crab nuggets.

Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
Parent company: Lotte Group
Segment: Limited Service/Burger
Worldwide sales: $1.2 billion
Worldwide units: 1,784
Estimated sales per unit: $686,500

A Japanese chain specializing in family-style Italian cuisine.

Headquarters: Asahi City, Japan
Parent company: Saizeriya Co. Ltd.
Segment: Casual Dining
Worldwide sales: $1.2 billion
Worldwide units: 1,221
Estimated sales per unit: $963,900

This bakery chain offers a wide variety of sandwiches, meat pies, hot dogs, pastries and coffee.

Headquarters: Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Parent company: Greggs PLC
Segment: Limited Service/Bakery Products
Worldwide sales: $1.2 billion
Worldwide units: 1,650
Estimated sales per unit: $696,700

Family chain that serves both Japanese and Western foods. Steaks and hamburgers are some of the concept’s most popular dishes.

Headquarters: Tokyo
Parent company: Skylark Group
Segment: Casual Dining
Worldwide sales: $1.1 billion
Worldwide units: 1,369
Estimated sales per unit: $819,500

A leased and tenanted pub company that collects rent from its pub operators. Tenants purchase alcohol and other products from Enterprise.

Headquarters: Solihull, England
Parent company: Enterprise Inns PLC
Segment: Bar/Pub
Worldwide sales: $1 billion
Worldwide units: 5,300
Estimated sales per unit: $193,000

This business focused solely on concessions along the German Autobahn serves items such as coffee, schnitzel, cake and pasta. 

Headquarters: Bonn, Germany
Parent company: Autobahn Tank & Rast GmbH & Co KG
Segment: C-Store
Worldwide sales: $1 billion 
Worldwide units: 432
Estimated sales per unit: $2.4 million

One of the UK’s largest managed pub groups, operating, leasing, or franchising more than 2,000 units. Marston’s also operates five breweries. 

Headquarters: Wolverhampton, England
Parent company: Marston’s PLC
Segment: Bar/Pub
Worldwide sales: $1 billion 
Worldwide units: 2,210
Estimated sales per unit: $475,700

Japanese chain known for its dumplings, large portions and a reputation for being fast and affordable.

Headquarters: Kyoto, Japan
Parent company: Ohsho Food Service Corp.
Segment: Casual Dining
Worldwide sales: $902 million
Worldwide units: 695
Estimated sales per unit: $1.3 million