Rise of Casual-Dining and Family-Style Chain Restaurants: Technomic’s Top 500 Biggest Chains in the US

In recent years, casual-dining and family-style chain restaurants have emerged as a thriving force in the US restaurant industry, alongside fast-food chains. Technomic, a research firm, has ranked the top 500 biggest chain restaurants in the US for 2023 based on decades of historical data. The report includes annual sales and unit counts of each chain, focusing on the top 15 categorized as casual dining, midscale or family-style.

Fast-casual or quick-service restaurants such as Chipotle and McDonald’s were not included in this ranking. However, even though they dominate the industry, many casual-dining chains are faring better than expected. Olive Garden has been ranked among the top chain restaurants in the United States according to Technomic’s report.

Technomic identified over 40 years of historical data to create their list of top 500 biggest chain restaurants in the US. This year has brought both challenges and opportunities for these chains as they now compete with fast food chains to attract value-driven customers. Denny’s is another well-known family-style chain that made it onto the list along with other popular brands such as Applebee’s and Waffle House.

It’s intriguing to see how much these chains have grown over time and what they offer to their customers that sets them apart from other competitors in this competitive industry. With so many options available, it’s no wonder that consumers have become more discerning when it comes to choosing where to eat out.