America's 50 Biggest Restaurants Ranked With One Major Surprise

Do you ever wonder what the country's most popular restaurant chains are? The good news is thanks to a new report from Technomic, you no longer have to ponder. It just revealed the 500 Top Chain Restaurants by annual system sales, allowing foodies to do a deep dive into which restaurants reign supreme. Whether it's a plethora of new menu items or a strong value proposition, each of the top-performing restaurant chains offers something unique to customers, resulting in a strong showing year after year.

Rankings like this offer a lot of insight into how these restaurant chains perform compared to their competitors. It can also provide clues into dining trends on a nationwide scale. You may even notice a few surprises here and there, either from an underdog chain performing well or a presumably high-ranking chain appearing lower on the list.

While Technomic's report outlines the top 500 chains, we'll cover the best of the best – the top 50, to be exact. This ranking is shown from number 50 down to the big #1, so be sure to click through to the end to see which restaurant chain takes home the top prize.

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse is best known for its pizza and house-brewed beer. For those with a sweet tooth, its pizookies are always a hit for dessert. It recently capitalized on the popularity of the flagship dessert while doubling down on value with its $13 Meal Deal. The meal included your choice of one of eight entrees plus a Pizookie, all for just $13.

Fun fact: BJ's is serious about the beer that it brews, so much so that the chain has won multiple national awards over the years.

Waffle House

More than a hit Jonas Brothers song, Waffle House is the iconic Southern 24-hour breakfast hot spot known as a metric for the severity of oncoming hurricanes. Aside from being a stand-in meteorologist, Waffle House has a menu filled with fan favorites like Pecan Waffles for breakfast and T-Bone Steak for dinner. The chain also embraces its quirky pop culture-induced market position by offering things like Valentine's Day reservations.

Fun fact: Waffle House claims that if you laid all of the Smithfield Bacon that they serve in one year, end-to-end, it would wrap around the equator.

Dutch Bros Coffee

Oregon-based coffee chain Dutch Bros Coffee has locations nationwide, though the bulk of its cafes can be found west of the Mississippi River. Dutch Bros has aggressively entered the competition for viral seasonal drinks, with recent installments including the cereal-inspired coffees Cinnamon Swirl and Marshmallow Dream, as well as unique holiday beverages you'd be hard-pressed to find anywhere else, like the Hazelnut Truffle Mocha.

Fun fact: Dutch Bros was started by two brothers, Dane and Travis Boersma, who are of Dutch descent.

Red Robin

The family-friendly restaurant chain Red Robin has a menu filled with tasty hamburgers. The popularity of the burgers can only be matched by Red Robin's bottomless sides, which include Steak Fries tossed with Red's Original seasoning. The home of classics like the Freckled Lemonade is also coming up with new menu items that keep loyal customers returning.

Fun fact: Red Robin has been around since the 1940s, though it originally opened as Sam's Tavern. Its founder, Sam, loved the song "When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob Bobbin' Along)" so much that he eventually changed the restaurant's name to Sam's Red Robin.

Golden Corral

When no one can seem to agree on what to have for dinner, head to Golden Corral. The all-you-care-to-eat buffet serves a little bit of everything–over 150 items on its endless buffet to be exact–catering to a wide array of palates. Golden Corral drives home its value proposition by claiming they are more affordable than groceries, with entirely different buffets available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Fun fact: Since 2010, customers can enjoy fresh, hand-spun cotton candy at Golden Corral.

Carl's Jr.

Carl's Jr.'s reach is nationwide with over 1,000 restaurants, though it's mostly associated with being a Western fast food chain. Last summer, Carl's Jr. launched its "More Bang, Less Buck" Value Menu with everything from burgers to dessert costing less than $4.00 each. It also added brand new items to the value menu, offering customers looking for a deal the ability to still enjoy something different than their usual Carl's Jr. order.

Fun fact: Carl's Jr. started as a hot dog cart in 1941 in Los Angeles, California.

Bojangles

The North Carolina-based fast-food chain Bojangles is known for its tea, biscuits, and juicy fried chicken. While drumsticks, thighs, and tenders remain a menu staple, Bojangles offers a variety of chicken-centric dishes, including sandwiches. Matched with sides like Mac & Cheese and Dirty Rice and you have the makings of a meal that keeps Bojangles in the top 50 restaurants nationwide.

Fun fact: Bojangles opened its first location in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1977. It has since expanded to 17 states and approximately 800 restaurants.

Hardee's

Primarily found in the Midwest and Southern states, Hardee's is known for its tasty Made from Scratch Biscuits. The biscuits come in various options, like classic Biscuits and Gravy and Maple Biscuits with frosting. This year, Hardee's partnered with country music star Thomas Rhett to promote a year of goodness among communities.

Fun fact: Hardee's Biscuit Bakers arrive at work at 4:00 a.m. each morning to begin making the Made from Scratch Biscuits. Each year, Hardee's holds an annual competition among the bakers to find the best nationwide.

In-N-Out Burger

The famous California fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger has an almost cult-like following, with loyal customers lining up into the late hours of the night to order one of their freshly prepared hamburgers. With a Not-So-Secret menu allowing for seemingly infinite customizations, In-N-Out's nationwide popularity continues to impress, especially considering its hyper-local roots.

Fun fact: In-N-Out introduced the two-way speaker box system in 1948, revolutionizing the drive-thru experience.

Red Lobster

Few restaurant chains' bread service holds a candle to Red Lonster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits. If you have room for more food after the biscuits arrive, you'll find a menu filled with seafood classics. Despite financial hardships in recent years, the company's strategies, like partnering with outspoken Red Lobster fan Flavor Flav, have kept the chain afloat.

Fun fact: Red Lobster prides itself as the place where Popcorn Shrimp was first introduced to customers, along with calamari.

Five Guys

Five Guys may be pricier than many of its competitor burger chains, but the high-quality ingredients and free toppings prove that there is still plenty of value. Pair your burger with Five Guys' freshly made boardwalk-style fries, and you'll see why it remains a popular fast food chain to this day. With the Patty Melt recently added to the permanent menu, the chain also continues to innovate when it comes to bringing new offerings to its customers.

Fun fact: The original "five guys" were the company's founders: Jerry Murrell and his four sons Jim, Matt, Chad, and Ben.

Zaxby's

Southern chicken chain Zaxby's is heading North with its debut in New Jersey in 2024. While fried chicken and wings are the stars of Zaxby's menu, there are other highlights, including the Chicken Philly, which just returned to the menu for a limited time. If you're feeding a crowd, Zaxby's also recently redesigned its Family Packs, which are available permanently at all locations.

Fun fact: The first Zaxby's opened in 1990 in Sattleboro, Georgia, near the Georgia Southern University campus. It was founded by two childhood friends.

Jimmy John's

Sandwich chain Jimmy John's has its eyes on international expansion. Last year, the chain announced plans to grow its footprint by opening restaurants in Canada and Latin America. It has good reason to feel confident in a successful global expansion with customers loving Jimmy John's for its freshly baked bread, quality ingredients, and convenient POS integration on its industry-leading mobile app.

Fun fact: While there are dozens of sandwiches available now, Jimmy John's opened its first location in 1983 with only four menu options: smoked ham and provolone, hand-sliced turkey, homemade tuna salad, and capocollo and salami.

The Cheesecake Factory

When it comes to sit-down restaurant chains, few national brands have the recognition of The Cheesecake Factory. Its distinct interior design and seemingly endless menu are only matched in popularity by its classic dishes and signature cheesecakes. New menu items are plentiful, from Honey Roasted Carrots to Grilled Branzino.

Fun fact: The Cheesecake Factory started as a bakery in the 1940s before its first full-service restaurant opened 30 years later. The company insists that the original cheesecake recipe is still used to this day.

Cracker Barrel

With an old-fashioned general store at the front of each restaurant, Cracker Barrel provides a dose of Southern comfort to its customers. Cracker Barrel's menu is filled with cozy favorites like a full Turkey dinner and Grilled Catfish, with many meals priced under $10. The chain started the year with new menu items like Crispy Tender Dippers and a new Chicken n' Dumplin Soup.

Fun fact: Cracker Barrel claims that each year, it serves 140 million slices of bacon, 162 million eggs, and 210 million biscuits. The peg games seen at each table are also popular, with approximately 300,000 games sold in the general store each year.

Denny's

Eating breakfast for dinner is a hallmark feature of Denny's. Denny's is known for its classic diner-style menu that is loaded with value. Despite its nostalgic factor, Denny's has faced troubled waters, with over 100 locations closing. In 2024, it sought to reverse course and revived its fan-favorite $2 $4 $6 $8 menu, bringing even more savings to its customers with breakfast, lunch, and dinner favorites included on the menu.

Fun fact: The iconic Grand Slam Breakfast was first launched on Denny's menu in 1977 to honor baseball icon Hank Aaron.

LongHorn Steakhouse

There are few surprises when you open a menu at LongHorn Steakhouse. The nationwide steakhouse chain has held firm thanks to its affordable prices and quality ingredients, which have resulted in a sense of "affordable luxury." The proof is in the pudding: LongHorn has enjoyed 15 consecutive quarters of positive sales growth, a streak that began in 2021.

Fun fact: Despite the chain's affinity for Texas-inspired decor and menu items, LongHorn Steakhouse was actually born out of Atlanta, Georgia, in 1981.

Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse barely eked out ahead of its competitor, LongHorn Steakhouse. The Australian-inspired steakhouse chain gives a different vibe with popular menu items like the Bloomin' Onion, Shrimp on the Barbie, and the Tim Tam Brownie Cake. Outback continues to embrace its Australian brand with limited-time specials like the Great Barrier Eats menu, which launched in 2024.

Fun fact: While Australian-inspired, Outback Steakhouse is 100% authentically American. The restaurant chain opened its first location in Tampa, Florida, in 1988. According to its website, there are currently seven locations in Australia.

Wingstop

With over one dozen unique wing flavors, Wingstop is a force to be reckoned with. Its menu specializes in traditional wings and tenders, enabling Wingstop to perfect the art of this classic finger food. New flavors are always in the works, with sauces like Sweet BBQ Blaze debuting in 2024.

Fun fact: Wingstop opened its first restaurant in 1997. Since then, the restaurant chain claims it had served one billion wings by 2002.

Culver's

Culver's is the home of the ButterBurger, its signature hamburger made from never-frozen beef and Wisconsin cheese. For dessert, their frozen custard is hand-churned throughout the day to maximize freshness and flavor. Its menu also includes rotating specials, including the CurderBurger, which returns each October. In 2024, that included the limited-time launch of Hot Honey Cheese Curds.

Fun fact: Each ButterBurger is made fresh for each customer, meaning the meat does not touch a grill until an order is made.

Jersey Mike's Subs

Whether you prefer your subs hot or cold, Jersey Mike's Subs has a sandwich with your name on it. Customers love the chain for its fresh ingredients, including the meat, which is hand-sliced for every order. In 2025, Jersey Mike's launched two new sandwiches: a hot grilled Spicy Chicken Italian and a cold Roasted Chicken Breast.

Fun fact: Jersey Mike's Subs bread is baked fresh on-site each day.

IHOP

The International House of Pancakes is more than a breakfast hot spot. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, its menu features sweet and savory items. New menu items are plentiful, and its rotating Pancake of the Month ensures hungry customers return regularly. The recent launch of its new value menu also brings fans back during the week, contributing to the restaurant chain's popularity.

Fun fact: Every original IHOP restaurant was built based on its classic A-frame model. The last A-frame restaurant was built in 1979.

Raising Cane's

Raising Cane's has quickly acquired a nation full of "Caniacs," self-proclaimed fans of the fast-food chain. This has been partly due to its rapid expansion, with the West Coast chicken chain opening a flagship location in Times Square in New York City in 2023. The menu keeps things pretty straightforward with just a few key items, but its success–and Cane's Sauce–signals that it ain't broke, so don't fix it.

Fun fact: Raising Cane's was named after founder Todd Graves' labrador retriever, Cane.

Whataburger

Texas-based burger chain Whataburger has grown a reputation for a menu filled with hits outside its main wheelhouse. Its breakfast menu, for example, always draws a crowd. Whataburger has big plans for 2025 as the company celebrates its 75th anniversary. Expect O.G. menu items to make a comeback, along with more recent favorites like the Monterey Melt and Chicken Fajita Taco.

Fun fact: Whataburger claims its name originated from founder Harmon Dobson wanting to concoct a burger so delicious customers would exclaim, "What a burger!" after taking a single bite.

Papa Johns

Pizza chains have finally entered the Top 50 chat with Papa Johns. This restaurant chain keeps things interesting for those looking for alternative menu items like Papadias, a pizza and quesadilla hybrid, along with wings, bowls, and desserts. However, if it's pizza you're craving, Papa Johns has you covered with New York Style, thin crust, and stuffed crust varieties.

Fun fact: Papa Johns was the first pizza chain to offer online ordering, shaking up the food delivery industry in 2001.

Buffalo Wild Wings

It's hard to find yourself in a corner of the United States without Buffalo Wild Wings nearby. The restaurant chain, made famous by its lineup of over two dozen sauces and dry rubs, has expanded its menu to include burgers, tacos, salads, and more. But it's the sauce that keeps customers returning, which is why Buffalo Wild Wings continues to innovate and develop new sauces, like the limited-time Maple Chipotle and Cajun sauces launched in the fall of 2024.

Fun fact: Buffalo Wild Wing's original name was Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck. These days, customers refer to the chain as B-Dubs for short, which is also a registered trademark.

Chili's Grill & Bar

With its iconic earworm jingle for baby back ribs, Chili's has been a part of the restaurant chain cultural zeitgeist for decades. Its menu has long-standing classics like the Margarita of the Month and the Triple Dipper and value meals like the 3 For Me. Most recently, the Big Smasher burger joined the 3 For Me lineup as Chili's aims to take market share from fast food competitors.

Fun fact: Chili's got its name from a chili cookoff attended by founder Larry Lavine. Following the cookoff, Lavine decided to open a restaurant that specialized in chili and burgers.

Applebee's

Applebee's is driving home value in 2025 with the launch of its $9.99 Really Big Meal Deal. It includes your choice of Big Cluckin' hand-breaded chicken sandwich or Big Classic Bacon Cheeseburger with fries and a fountain beverage for just $9.99. This value meal joins a lineup of other long-running favorites that makes Applebee's a force to be reckoned with in the restaurant chain industry.

Fun fact: Applebee's has consistently oriented itself towards maximizing value. In 2017 it launched the DOLLARITA, a $1 margarita that continues to be a menu favorite.

Jack in the Box

Big burgers and tiny tacos are menu staples at Jack in the Box, the fast-food chain primarily found on the West Coast. Listening to its customers, Jack in the Box expanded its popular Jack Wraps in early 2025 with the addition of the Fajita Jack Wrap and Caesar Jack Wrap to its menu.

Fun fact: Jack in the Box has been in business for over 70 years with its first location opening in 1951 in San Diego, California.

Little Caesars

There are only so many ways you can reinvent the wheel, or in this case, the pizza. Leave it to Little Caesars to be innovative, however. The pizza chain released its handheld pizza bites called Crazy Puffs in 2024, which helped to keep the chain's relevancy and dominance in popularity.

Fun fact: Little Caesars has always experimented with new, unique menu items. Previous experiments include spaghetti buckets and french fry pizza crust.

Arby's

It's rare to see well-established fast-food chains handing out free food, but that's exactly what Arby's did in 2024. Free Sandwich Month helped to bring in apprehensive customers who otherwise wouldn't give Arby's the time of day. It also gave returning customers the low-risk chance to try new menu items.

Fun fact: Arby's had a straightforward menu when it first opened in 1964, serving only its signature roast beef sandwich, soft drinks, and milkshakes.

Texas Roadhouse

If it's not the steaks that bring customers into Texas Roadhouse, it's the freshly baked bread with Honey Cinnamon Butter. The fast-growing restaurant chain is investing in new ways to improve efficiency, including moving away from a ticketing system and instead installing screens to its back-of-house areas to improve wait time.

Fun fact: Music icon Willie Nelson is a partial owner of a Texas Roadhouse located in Austin, Texas.

Dairy Queen

Whether you stop by your local Dairy Queen for lunch or its classic frozen dessert, there's no denying the chain's deeply rooted history that has made it a part of countless families' lives. Its mission to drive sales included the launch of a fall flavors Blizzard menu in 2024, extending the window past the summer season when customers are looking for ice cream.

Fun fact: Technically, Dairy Queen does not serve ice cream. Its formula, which was originally concocted in 1938, doesn't meet the FDA qualifications to be ice cream with less than 10% butterfat. Instead, call it a "frozen treat" for a more apt moniker.

Olive Garden

How does on-demand Olive Garden sound? It's an initiative between parent company Darden Restaurants and Uber launched in late 2024 as a pilot to bring food to customers even quicker. A nationwide launch is expected this May. So when Olive Garden brings back old favorites again like they did with the Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo and Stuffed Chicken Marsala in 2024, you can have it at your doorstep in minutes.

Fun fact: Olive Garden's legacy is one of hunger relief efforts. The company claims that over 20 years, Olive Garden restaurants have donated more than 49 million pounds of food to charities and organizations nationwide.

KFC

Kentucky Fried Chicken has been serving its tasty wings, drumsticks, and thighs for nearly a century. These days, its efforts include maintaining its market share with fried chicken by entering the Chicken Tender wars with a $5 Original Recipe Tenders Box, complete with your choice of sauces.

Fun fact: To this day, KFC rolls its chicken in a secret blend of 11 herbs and spices before cooking it at a low temperature to preserve the flavor.

Popeyes

Not many chicken chains can hold a candle to the popularity of Popeyes. To stay ahead of the competition, Popeyes has new bold flavors and menu items like the Louisiana Garlic Wings just in time for the 2025 New Orleans-based Super Bowl or the Ghost Pepper Sandwich for Halloween in 2024.

Fun fact: Allegedly, superstar Beyoncé has a lifelong membership to free Popeyes.

Sonic Drive-In

It's easy to tell when you've pulled up to a Sonic Drive-In. The fast-food chain's unique ordering and POS system keeps customers in their cars while the food is brought to them via employees known as Carhops. Sonic's novelty is only matched by its extensive menu, which includes new additions like the Bacon Deluxe Double Sonic Smasher, which found its way onto the menu in January 2025.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Fun fact: There's an annual Carhop competition in Oklahoma City where employees can show off their best roller skating skills.

Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut shook up the restaurant industry in 2024 with the launch of a Cheeseburger Melt, signaling the chain's foray into the burger business. The launch of the burger was doubled down by the introduction of the My Hut Box Offer. Starting at $6.99, the box includes the customer's choice of a Melt or a 2-topping Personal Pan Pizza, plus a side of fries or four boneless wings and a 20oz drink.

Fun fact: Pizza Hut has been on the cusp of innovation with its ordering app first launching for iPhone in 2009.

Panda Express

Panda Express has made significant strides towards healthy menu options in recent years. It has an entire Wok Smart menu, with every item on that menu containing at least 8g of protein and 300 calories or less. It still delivers big on flavor, with longtime favorites like Orange Chicken and Honey Walnut Shrimp.

Fun fact: Despite growing to over 2,300 locations worldwide, Panda Express is still family-owned and operated. The Cherng family opened the first Panda Express restaurant in 1983.

Panera Bread

Panera Bread recently went through the largest menu change in the company's history, including "nine delicious new menu items and 12 enhanced classics." These changes have continued since then with the launch of even more new items like Ciabatta Dippers and Asiago Bagel Stacks. Don't fret that Panera strayed too far from what customers love because the You Pick Two is still a menu staple.

Fun fact: Panera opened its first location in 1987 with a sourdough starter from San Fransisco. The company claims that the same sourdough starter is still used in their sourdough bread.

Domino's

We've arrived at the top ten restaurant chains, and we're kicking things off with Domino's. The top-performing pizza chain in this roundup has maintained its popularity by diversifying its menu offerings with new items like 5-Cheese and Spicy Buffalo 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese, which launched in the fall of 2024. You'll find everything from sandwiches to chicken wings on the menu, in addition to Domino's classic pizzas.

Fun fact: Domino's is serious about giving its customers seemingly endless customization options for their pizzas. According to their website, Domino's claims there are more than 34 million ways to create a single Domino's pizza.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Famous for its build-your-own ordering system and fresh ingredients, Chipotle remains one of the most popular restaurant chains in the country. Chipotle makes waves with its menu every few years, with the most recent changes including the return of Chicken al Pastor and test-driving potential new proteins like Chipotle Honey Chicken in 2024.

Fun fact: Chipotle is big on valuing whole ingredients and environmental sustainability, with the goal of reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030.

Subway

Subway is one of the most popular restaurant chains in the nation, with over 20,000 restaurants in the United States. Its sheer size hasn't come with sacrificing innovation. Recent menu additions include new ways of stretching items to 12 inches, like the Footlong Cookie and Footlong Dippers.

Fun fact: Customizable sandwiches have been at the heart of Subway's operations since its first location opened in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1965.

Burger King

Burger King went through a recent brand refresh that included the goal of remodeling 85% to 95% of its American restaurant locations with a new modern design by 2028. Changes have also included a series of limited-time menu items as well as an emphasis on affordable dining with the return of the $5 Value Meal.

Fun fact: Burger King has been flame-grilling its burgers since its first location opened in Miami, Florida in 1954.

Dunkin'

If there was any doubt that Dunkin' was your parent's coffee chain, think again. Dunkin' has made significant strides in celebrity collaborations in the last year, including the launch of the Brown Sugar Shakin' Espresso in partnership with singer Sabrina Carpenter and the DunKings menu in collaboration with Boston's own Ben Affleck.

Fun fact: Dunkin' dropped the "Donuts" half of its name in 2019 to promote all-day sales. On top of that, Dunkin' reportedly sells more beverages than donuts, leading to the separation from its breakfast-only identity.

Wendy's

Ushering in the top 5 of 500 restaurant chains nationwide is Wendy's. Despite closing over 100 restaurants last year, the burger chain continues to draw customers in with menu changes and value. Recently, it doubled down on its breakfast menu, brought in new Frosty flavors like Orange Dreamsicle, and launched a $3 Value Menu.

Fun fact: Wendy's had salad bars as far back as the 1970s. They were eventually phased out in 2006 to make the restaurants more operationally efficient.

Taco Bell

The top-performing Mexican-inspired restaurant chain is none other than Taco Bell. This past year has been one of invention, with out-of-the-box menu items like the Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap and the Baja Blast Gelato. While they won't all become runaway hits, the constant influx of new menu items keeps customers returning, leading to a strong performance year after year.

Fun fact: Taco Bell is considered one of the healthier fast food options out there. The chain boasts that nearly 75% of its menu items are under 500 calories.

And Coming in a Surprise Third…Beating Taco Bell and Burger King…Chick-fil-A!

Famously closed on Sundays, Chick-fil-A secured a spot in the top three despite having one fewer day of operation than its competitors. One of its missions has been to maximize drive-thru efficiency, with concepts like drive-thru-only restaurants complete with meal transport systems launching in 2024. When you're hungry, getting your food quickly is everything, and Chick-fil-A wants to be the industry leader in speed without sacrificing quality.

Fun fact: Chick-fil-A squeezes more than 200 million lemons each year for its iconic lemonade.

Starbucks

Starbucks has been in the news cycle most recently for the relaunch of ceramic mugs to encourage customers to spend more time in its cafes. While these efforts are to bounce back from struggling sales, there's no denying that Starbucks remains a monster to be reckoned with in the restaurant industry. Other recent strategies include a freeze on price hikes and eliminating upcharges for non-dairy milk.

Fun fact: For the first 10 years of operation, Starbucks didn't sell a single beverage. Instead, it focused on coffee beans and teas, paying homage to the "seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders" that inspired the name (yes, the inspiration came from "Moby Dick").

McDonald's

Would there be anyone else in the top spot? McDonald's is synonymous with the restaurant industry, but its prominence is thanks to a continued investment in new menu items, refreshed restaurant designs, and innovation. A brand-new McValue Menu shook the fast-food landscape in the race to provide the most value to customers, showing once again McDonald's influence.

Fun fact: The volume of Happy Meals sold results in the distribution of 1.5 million toys annually. This makes McDonald's the world's largest toy distributor.