Top 8 America's largest fast food company
While locally owned eateries are flourishing in the United States, fast food establishments are probably much more so. From tiny communities to large cities, ... read more...there's a strong chance you'll come across at least one well-known food brand. Whatever your feelings about fast food, these regional cuisines help to bring 50 different states and the myriad communities that make them up together by allowing someone in Oregon to eat the same meal as someone in Florida. So, what are the most popular fast food chains in the United States? Based on their expected revenue in 2019, this is a list of the ten largest restaurant chains in the United States.
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McDonald's is an American fast food chain that began in San Bernardino, California, in 1940 as a restaurant run by Richard and Maurice McDonald. They renamed their business a hamburger stand and then transformed it into a franchise, with the Golden Arches emblem first appearing in 1953 at a Phoenix, Arizona site. Ray Kroc, a businessman, joined the company as a franchise agent in 1955 and went on to buy the McDonald brothers' franchise. McDonald's used to be headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, but in June 2018, the company relocated its global headquarters to Chicago.
This company, which has practically become associated with American fast food, was formed with the goal of offering fast, consistent, and high-quality cuisine at all of its locations.
With over 37,000 outlets in over 100 countries, McDonald's is the world's largest global foodservice retailer. McDonald's restaurants are owned and run by independent local businessmen and women in more than 90 percent of the world's McDonald's locations.
It all began when Ray Kroc became interested in brothers Dick and Mac McDonald's California drive-in burger shop. They kept things moving by just having nine menu choices, one of which was a 15-cent cheeseburger. Kroc bought a franchise and launched the first McDonald's in 1955, and the company sold its 100 millionth hamburger barely three years later. Kroc subsequently bought out the brothers and expanded the business to a national and international level.
Founded: 1955
Sales: $40.412 billion
Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois
Website: https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/home.html
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Chick-fil-A is one of the largest fast food restaurant chains in the United States, as well as the largest that specializes on chicken sandwiches. College Park, Georgia is where the company's headquarters are located. With locations in 47 states and the District of Columbia, the corporation runs over 2,723 restaurants, predominantly in the United States. In Hawaii and the US territory of Puerto Rico, more restaurants are planned. Chick-fil-A restaurants in Canada are still operational, despite the closure of its former outlets in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Before moving on to its lunch and evening menus, the restaurant serves breakfast. Customers may also order catered menu items from Chick-fil-A for special occasions.
From its personnel who are instructed to exclaim "My pleasure" when a customer appreciates them to its quick drive-through, the firm concentrates on giving excellent service to its consumers. Chick-fil-success A's is due in part to its high-quality franchisees.
Despite the fact that there are barely over 2,000 Chick-fil-A franchises around the country, the firm enables over 20,000 people to apply to become franchisees each year due to the inexpensive beginning expenses. As a result, Chick-fil-A may be picky about who operates their locations.
Chick-fil-A became a worldwide brand in 2019, with outlets in Canada and the United Kingdom.Founded: 1946
Sales: $11.32 billion
Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Website: https://www.chick-fil-a.com/
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Taco Bell is a fast food restaurant business established in the United States that was founded in 1962 by Glen Bell in Irvine, California. Yum! Brands, Inc. owns Taco Bell and is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. Tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, novelty and speciality dishes, as well as a selection of "discount menu" products, are among the Mexican-inspired cuisine served at the locations. Taco Bell serves approximately two billion consumers each year at 7,072 locations, with independent franchisees and licensees owning and operating more than 93 percent of them.
Taco Bell is noted for its distinctive logo, low-cost menu, and constantly changing goods. It's also teamed up with brands like Mountain Dew and Frito Lay to create distinctive menu items like Baja Blast Mountain Dew and Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos.
Through its charitable organization, the Taco Bell FoundationTM, they offer provide educational opportunities and assist the community, as well as connecting fans with their hobbies through initiatives like the Live Más Scholarship program. They were chosen America's favorite Mexican restaurant in 2018, according to the Harris Poll EquiTrend Study. They are constantly aiming for Más.
Taco Bell has gained notoriety as a result of its large-scale initiatives, which include providing a free taco to everyone in the United States for every base stolen in the World Series.
Founded: 1962
Headquarters: Irvine, CA
Sales: $11.293 billion
Website: https://www.yum.com/wps/portal/yumbrands/Yumbrands/company/our-brands/taco-bell
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Burger King (BK) is a hamburger fast food restaurant business based in the United States. Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida–based restaurant business, was formed in 1953 and is headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida. After Insta-Burger King got into financial problems in 1954, David Edgerton and James McLamore, two Miami-based franchisees, bought the firm and rebranded it "Burger King."
The Whopper, Burger King's most renowned menu item, was conceived in 1957 as a way to differentiate the restaurant from McDonald's and its little burgers. The competition between the two companies began even before that, with some even claiming that Burger King's founders got the concept for the company after visiting the restaurant that would later become McDonald's.
Burger King Corporation, its affiliates, and franchisees now operate over 17,000 restaurants in over 100 countries and U.S. territories, serving over 11 million visitors daily, and they're still coming back for that flame-grilled deliciousness.
Founded: 1954
Headquarters: Miami, Florida, United StatesSales: $10.204 billion
Website: https://www.bk.com/
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Subway is a multi-national fast food restaurant chain based in the United States that specializes in submarine sandwiches (subs), wraps, salads, and drinks. In Bridgeport, Connecticut, Subway was created by 17-year-old Fred DeLuca and financed by Peter Buck in 1965 as Pete's Super Submarines. Two years later, the restaurant was renamed Subway, and a franchise operation began in 1974 with the opening of a second location in Wallingford, Connecticut. It has subsequently grown into a worldwide franchise.
Subway offers a variety of topping options, allowing customers to customize their sandwich with the toppings of their choice. "Eat Fresh," a long-running Subway tagline, refers to the fresh ingredients that go into their sandwiches.
Subway has approximately 23,000 locations, making it the largest restaurant chain in the United States. Subway began in 1965, when college student Fred DeLuca needed money for tuition and borrowed $1,000 from a family friend to begin a restaurant. They launched a second site a year later and kept expanding quickly after that.
In addition to its significant presence across the United States, Subway also has stores in over 100 countries. It's recognized for serving submarine sandwiches cooked with fresh meats, cheeses, and veggies rather than oily burgers and fried meals, making it a healthier fast food choice.
Founded: 1965
Sales: $10.2 billion
Headquarters: Milford, Connecticut, United States
Website: http://www.subway.com
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Wendy's is a fast food restaurant business in the United States that was created by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. On January 29, 2006, the corporation relocated its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio.
This is America's third-largest hamburger chain. Wendy's burgers are easily identifiable due to their square patties. Dave Thomas established Wendy's in 1969. He named the restaurant after his daughter, Wendy, and even based the design on her face.
Wendy's was the first fast-food business to launch a single-price-point bargain menu in 1988, with all products priced only at 99 cents. Due of growing expenses, the menu was reorganized in 2007 as the Super Value Menu, with prices ranging from 99 to $2.00 USD. Wendy's is recognized for its square burger patties, as well as its Frosty desserts and distinctive side items including chili and baked potatoes.
The restaurant also holds the distinction of being the first to install a drive-through with a speaker for ordering and a pick-up window. Wendy's now has more than 6,500 outlets in 29 countries across the world.
Founded: 1969
Headquarters: Dublin, Ohio
Sales: $9.762 billion
Websitehttp://www.wendys.com
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CEO Richard Allison leads the American global pizza restaurant business Domino's Pizza, which was founded in 1960. The company is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and has its headquarters at the Domino's Farms Office Park. Domino's sells an average of three million pizzas every day, with over 17,500 outlets worldwide, including over 6,000 in the United States. However, on Super Bowl Sunday, it sells nearly two million pizzas in the United States alone.
The Monaghan brothers took over an established pizza business named DomiNick's in 1960, and Domino's was born. A few years later, Tom Monaghan took control totally, and in 1965, he added two additional restaurants and changed the name to Domino's. From there, the restaurant evolved swiftly, and it now provides non-pizza menu items like chicken wings and desserts.
The menu at Domino's differs per area. In the United States, the current Domino's menu includes a mix of Italian-American main and side items. Pizza is the main attraction, with basic, specialized, and custom pizzas in a range of crust styles and toppings available. Domino's introduced artisan-style pizzas in 2011. Pasta, bread bowls, and oven-baked sandwiches are among the other options. Chicken and bread sides, as well as drinks and sweets, are available on the menu.
Founded: 1960
HeadquartersDomino's Farms Office Park, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Sales: $7.044 billion
Website: https://www.dominos.com/index.intl.html -
Panera Bread Company is an American bakery-café fast casual food company with more than 2,000 locations in the United States and Canada. Sunset Hills, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, is where the company's headquarters are located. Saint Louis Bread Company is the company's name in the Greater St. Louis area, where it has over 100 shops. Bakery goods, spaghetti, salads, sandwiches, soups, and speciality beverages are all available. Flatbread pizzas will be added to the menu in 2020.
Panera Bread is the eighth-largest restaurant chain in the United States. The bakery-café chain is unique in that it exclusively operates in the United States and Canada, unlike many of the others on this list. The restaurant is noted for its bagels and other baked products, as well as fresh, high-quality sandwiches, salads, soups, and coffee. Because of its cafe-style dining rooms and free internet, Panera Bread is a popular spot for individuals to work.
It was the best-performing restaurant stock over its final 20 years as a public business, from 1997 to 2017, giving an 86-fold return to stockholders.
Panera was formerly the country's leading provider of free Wi-Fi hotspots. During busy hours, several establishments limit free Wi-Fi access to 30 or 60 minutes. Paradise Bakery and Cafe and Au Bon Pain are two of Panera Bread's subsidiaries.
Founded: 1987
Headquarters: Sunset Hills, Missouri
Sales: $5.89 billion
Website: https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/home.html