FOCUS TRENDS is a monthly retail strategies article on a specific retail category highlighting growth and contraction within the market. For more information, please see our WEBINAR on QSR's.
As full-service restaurants have struggled and limited-service restaurants have been volatile, quick-service restaurants have chugged along. The fast-food giants have forged ahead with innovations to keep up with modern trends.
The National Restaurant Association projected that quick-service restaurants would double the growth of full-service restaurants in 2017, and burger QSRs have already recorded a strong year based on same-store sales. One reason why is because Starbucks, McDonald’s and other national chains have begun implementing mobile ordering, curbside pickup, and home delivery.
For the foreseeable future, the national QSR chains will remain in expansion mode with closures few and far between. Many restaurants in stronger markets will look to expand their footprint or relocate to better site.
The Numbers
| Retailer Name | Existing Stores 2016 | New Stores | Closures 2016 |
| Subway | 27294 | 390 | 658 |
| Burger King | 7037 | 169 | 150 |
| Taco Bell | 6841 | 269 | 138 |
| Wendy’s | 5873 | 344 | 109 |
| Dairy Queen Grill & Chill | 4527 | 90 | 98 |
| KFC | 4229 | 13 | 122 |
| Sonic | 3528 | 78 | 11 |
| Arby’s | 3206 | 72 | 69 |
| Chick-Fil-A | 2019 | 112 | 16 |
| Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s | 1817 | 73 | 23 |
| Panda Express | 1777 | 127 | 37 |
| Firehouse Subs | 1015 | 171 | 12 |
| Zaxby’s | 765 | 85 | 0 |
| Bojangles’ | 692 | 89 | 45 |
