Top 500 chain restaurant sales growth slows to 3% in 2024, per Technomic’s annual report

CHICAGO, April 17, 2025—The 500 largest restaurant chains in the U.S. experienced a slowdown in sales performance, increasing by just 3% in 2024, according to Technomic's newly released 2025 Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report. Weakening sales momentum for several top-ranked chains proved to be a key reason the Top 500 fell short of growth results from recent years.

"The restaurant industry faced significant headwinds in 2024, including higher prices, shifting consumer spending patterns and increased competition," said Kevin Schimpf, senior director of industry research at Technomic. "Despite a challenging environment, Top 500 chain sales stayed positive, climbing for the fourth consecutive year.”

Key findings from the report include:

• Top 500 chain sales reached an annual total of $437 billion, accounting for more than 60% of all U.S. restaurant industry sales in 2024
• Annual sales results for 55% of Top 500 chains fell short of the 4% foodservice inflation rate
• Location development continued to lift Top 500 performance, with the domestic footprint expanding to a total of 236,000-plus restaurants
• Texas Roadhouse and Chili’s Grill & Bar were bright spots in a struggling full-service sector, as both chains moved up the ranks after achieving double-digit sales increases in 2024
• Strong growth from Taco Bell and Chipotle Mexican Grill helped propel overall Mexican chain sales past the pizza category
• Competition intensified among coffee cafe concepts, driven by the impressive expansion of players like Dutch Bros Coffee, Scooter’s Coffee and 7 Brew Drive Thru Coffee
• Led by brands like Starbucks and Wingstop, 30 chains within the Top 500 achieved triple-digit location openings

Technomic’s 2025 Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report provides a comprehensive overview of the U.S. chain restaurant industry, offering detailed analysis of the top chains' sales performance, location development and segment trends. The full report is available for purchase at https://store.technomic.com/products/top-500-chain-restaurant-report-3.