“Eat smart. Be healthy.” That is among the key marketing messages greeting visitors to the WaBa Grill counter-service chain’s website, which sets the stage for additional messaging by the charbroiling-specialty brand offering rice-and-protein plates and bowls, some with greens or steamed veggies, salad and miso soup from nearly 200 locations — mostly franchised — in California and Arizona. The chain also shares that it uses only boneless, skinless, fat-trimmed and never-frozen chicken, jumbo shrimp, marinated ribeye steak “because it tastes better” and wild Alaskan salmon — “certified responsible and sustainable.” Those ingredients may come with one of a variety of sauces, including teriyaki-esque “WaBa” and “Spicy WaBa” flavors, sweet-chile and a garlic-serrano.

Top 200 data (estimated):

Total U.S. sales: $133.5M

Sales growth: 3.9%

Total U.S. units: 192 (+1.1%)

Estimated sales per unit: $699.0K

Founded in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1952, where it is based, and franchising since 1991, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue operates in 15 states, but is concentrated in California, Hawaii and Nevada, with 90, 64 and 19 restaurants in those states at the end of 2019, respectively, according to its franchise disclosure documents. The counter-service brand is known for island-laborer-style “plate lunches,” or combo meals with two servings of rice, macaroni salad and choice of protein, including chicken, smoky Kalua pork, fish or shrimp and beef, as well as for rice bowls, burgers and Spam-brand canned-meat Musubi, or sushi-like grilled Spam with rice bar wrapped in seaweed, and Spam Saimin noodle soup. Sales and unit estimates from Datassential’s Firefly 500+ report.

Top 200 data (estimated):

Total U.S. sales: $133.4M

Sales growth: 6.8%

Total U.S. units: 197 (+6.5%)

Estimated sales per unit: $698.4K

One look at the food selections telegraphs that Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is not your typical wings-and-beer athletics-themed restaurant. Crawfish Étouffee, battered and fried alligator and signature blackened Redfish Rudy with Louisiana street corn are among the “game day, with a taste of Louisiana” brand’s unique offerings. Baton Rouge, La., based, the chain’s name stems from founders’ Brandon Landry and Jack Warner’s status on the Louisiana State University basketball team as unrecruited and unsigned players, or “walk-ons.” NFL quarterback Drew Brees is an owner. Predominantly franchised, Walk-On’s has locations in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas, and latest-year NRN-estimated sales per unit of $4.6 million.

Top 200 data (reported):

Total U.S. sales: $130.5M

Sales growth: 29.3%

Total U.S. units: 33 (+37.5%)

Estimated sales per unit: $4,578.9K

With an eclectic menu of signature Chickenjoy fried chicken and Jolly Spaghetti with sweet sauce, as well as ground-beef patties with mushroom gravy and pork-egg-and-rice breakfast, quick-service, Philippines-based Jollibee has pleased ex-patriot Filipinos and won new converts in the U.S. since 1998. Fiscal 2019 saw notable U.S. growth for the chain that has averaged about 1.8 openings per year across its American campaign, as it added a net four locations, to end with 40 units, and saw NRN estimated sales per unit rise about 10%, to $3.3 million. In late 2018, Jollibee leadership shared with multiple business news outlets a brand goal of fielding up to 150 U.S. restaurants by 2023.

Top 200 data (reported):

Total U.S. sales: $126.6M

Sales growth: 15.2%

Total U.S. units: 40 (+11.1%)

Estimated sales per unit: $3,331.6K

Fox Restaurant Concepts-created North Italia’s biggest recent news was around its late 2019 acquisition by the Cheesecake Factory Inc., whose leadership indicated — pre-pandemic — that North Italia could sustain 20% annual growth for the near term. With average yearly unit sales of about $7 million, North Italia’s polished cuisine features dishes such as starter of grilled cauliflower with fried egg, baby asparagus, toasted bread crumbs, pancetta cream and lemon; pizza with pecorino crema, mozzarella and cracked pepper; and main dish of white shrimp, calamari, aqua pazza, mint, fennel pollen and Calabrian chili. Its décor has an open and airy feel, with tall ceilings, and, at some locations, unique architectural features such as indoor-outdoor bars.

Top 200 data (estimated):

Total U.S. sales: $125.4M

Sales growth: 35.1%

Total U.S. units: 22 (+46.7%)

Estimated sales per unit: $6,778.4K

The Bonchon Korean Fried Chicken concept was inspired by restaurants in “my hometown” (bonchon translated) in the Republic of Korea specializing in ultra-crispy twice-fried fowl. Bonchon units in the U.S., to date, mostly are bar-fitted casual-dining outlets that, uncharacteristically for that genre, saw about 50% of sales from off-premise users before the pandemic. The concept’s takeout and delivery share has grown even more with COVID-19. Company officials said there are a handful of limited-service Bonchon stores in the U.S., adding that such “fast-casual [restaurants] will be a much larger percent of our growth in 2020 and beyond.” Bonchon’s fried chicken wings, drummettes and strips are coated with “spicy or soy garlic” sauce.

Top 200 data (reported):

Total U.S. sales: $121.4M

Sales growth: 26.9%

Total U.S. units: 101 (+16.1%)

Estimated sales per unit: $1,291.5K

Cava, as did other “healthier for you” fast-casual brands, attracted private-equity investments in recent years, including one by Panera Bread co-founder Ron Shaich’s Act III Holdings. As a result, Mediterranean-flavored Cava has been opening stores at a quick clip, according to Datassential, which modeled Cava’s annual U.S. store growth at 22.4% and 65.2% for 2019 and 2018, respectively. Datassential estimated that the build-your-own salad, pita and grain bowl concept, which also offers some chef-curated offerings, increased 2019 sales to $115.3 million, from 2018’s $93 million. Cava rounds out its greens-veggies-and-grains-heavy ingredients list with such meaty add-ons as “harissa-honey chicken,” grilled ground-beef meatballs and braised lamb, six dips and spreads, and eight dressings.

Top 200 data (estimated):

Total U.S. sales: $115.3M

Sales growth: 24%

Total U.S. units: 93 (+22.4%)

Estimated sales per unit: $1,364.5K

Build-your-own-salads are definitely part of the Chopt Creative Salad Co. DNA, but uninspired hungry types can also find a large number of signature “classic” and “light favorites” recipe salads and “warm bowls,” as well as rotating “destination” specials, such as the Barbacoa Brisket Bowl included in the recent “visit to Mexico” promotion. Chopt, a pioneer in the fast-casual, make-it-to-order produce-grains-and-protein genre generally perceived as a more healthful alternative to conventional burger or chicken quick-service concepts, was already 12 years old when recognized as an NRN “Breakout Brand” in 2013. It, too, attracted, venture capital. Datassential pegged Chopt with 2019 unit growth of 14.3%, to 64 stores.

Top 200 data (estimated):

Total U.S. sales: $99.2M

Sales growth: 9.7%

Total U.S. units: 64 (+14.3%)

Estimated sales per unit: $1,653.3K

Despite its name, Tender Greens, the counter-service, plated-food concept that brags of a chef at each location and proclaims loudly its support of local farmers and using sustainably produced ingredients, offers more than salads. The 14-year-old chain also sells plates with a protein, a green, a side and grilled-herb crostini, including salt-and-pepper chicken and grilled steak, and bowls, such as the “pacific,” with sushi rice, spicy miso mayo, pickled cucumber, carrot, greens and sesame ginger dressing that can be ordered with proteins, such as togarashi tuna. Soups, salads, sides, burgers and sandwiches, including falafel with tzatziki and harissa on lavash, are also part of the core prepared foods menu. Sales and unit estimates from Datassential’s Firefly 500+ report.

Top 200 data (estimated):

Total U.S. sales: $95.7M

Sales growth: 12.5%

Total U.S. units: 30 (+11.1%)

Estimated sales per unit: $3,357.9K