Art found an article about how a food industry research firm called Technomic put together a list of the biggest fast food brands in America.
"Do you think you can name the most popular fast food companies in America?", he challenged. I guessed the first two and named the next four out of order.
I'm surprised Costco hot dogs didn't make the list.
Every so often Art does a long 10 mile jog and he figures he needs to replenish his calories quickly so he'll invite me to have a fast food burger at Burger King. Otherwise, we don't usually eat at the usual American fast food places. If we happen to need to grab lunch somewhere, we'll stop at Hawaii's top fast food places (according to me) Zippy's and Yummy's.
#1 McDonald's
2011 U.S. sales: $34.2 billion
Number of locations: 14,098
#2 Subway
2011 U.S. sales: $11.4 billion
Number of locations: 24,722
#3 Starbucks
2011 U.S. sales: $9.75 billion
Number of locations: 10,787
#4 Wendy's
2011 U.S. sales: $8.5 billion
Number of locations: 5,876
#5 Burger King
2011 U.S. sales: $8.4 billion
Number of locations: 7,231
#6 Taco Bell
2011 U.S. sales: $6.8 billion
Number of locations: 5,674
#7 Dunkin' Donuts
2011 U.S. sales: $5.92 billion
Number of locations: 7,015
#8 Pizza Hut
2011 U.S. sales: $5.4 billion
Number of locations: 7,595
#9 KFC
2011 U.S. sales: $4.5 billion
Number of locations: 4,793
#10 Chick-Fil-A
2011 U.S. sales: $4.05 billion
Number of locations: 1,600
Chick-Fil-A? I've never heard of that place! I used to like Hardee's when I didn't have to watch what I ate. Then there is Culvers where everything oozes butter. Hey! Where is Dairy Queen? I used to LOVE their chocolate dipped cones. Sigh...
STOP it! OK... let me think about salads. What's my favorite salad place?
Do you have a favorite fast food restaurant? (where you only order the salads, of course.)
I'm surprised Costco hot dogs didn't make the list.
Every so often Art does a long 10 mile jog and he figures he needs to replenish his calories quickly so he'll invite me to have a fast food burger at Burger King. Otherwise, we don't usually eat at the usual American fast food places. If we happen to need to grab lunch somewhere, we'll stop at Hawaii's top fast food places (according to me) Zippy's and Yummy's.
#1 McDonald's
2011 U.S. sales: $34.2 billion
Number of locations: 14,098
#2 Subway
2011 U.S. sales: $11.4 billion
Number of locations: 24,722
#3 Starbucks
2011 U.S. sales: $9.75 billion
Number of locations: 10,787
#4 Wendy's
2011 U.S. sales: $8.5 billion
Number of locations: 5,876
#5 Burger King
2011 U.S. sales: $8.4 billion
Number of locations: 7,231
#6 Taco Bell
2011 U.S. sales: $6.8 billion
Number of locations: 5,674
#7 Dunkin' Donuts
2011 U.S. sales: $5.92 billion
Number of locations: 7,015
#8 Pizza Hut
2011 U.S. sales: $5.4 billion
Number of locations: 7,595
#9 KFC
2011 U.S. sales: $4.5 billion
Number of locations: 4,793
#10 Chick-Fil-A
2011 U.S. sales: $4.05 billion
Number of locations: 1,600
Chick-Fil-A? I've never heard of that place! I used to like Hardee's when I didn't have to watch what I ate. Then there is Culvers where everything oozes butter. Hey! Where is Dairy Queen? I used to LOVE their chocolate dipped cones. Sigh...
STOP it! OK... let me think about salads. What's my favorite salad place?
Do you have a favorite fast food restaurant? (where you only order the salads, of course.)
We occasionally go to McDonalds, rarely to Subway and pretty regularly to Starbucks. Two nights ago Gregg and I went up to Starbucks in the evening, a coffee for me, an iced tea for Gregg and we share one of their lemon iced pound cakes. It's a nice treat. I guess out of all on the list I can say Starbucks is my favorite. Don't eat there that often but I do love their Cafe Latte.
ReplyDeleteSonic!
ReplyDeleteSmashburger is our favorite, though last time we went out it was Olive Garden's soup and salad!
ReplyDeleteWe have a Canadian burger chain called Harvey's http://www.harveys.ca/ and they have the best onion rings!
ReplyDeleteI'm a Canadian as well and like Christine's comment we love Harvey's, their poutine is our favorite,!
ReplyDeleteChristine and Laurie, we've eaten at Harvey's. We didn't try the poutine though. Now you've made me curious. We're just going to have to make it back to Canada.
DeleteI don't eat at fast food places, but I will go into Subway if I simply have no other options. I avoid Starbucks chains and go to locally owned coffee shops. Mine (Avellino's) has food they make themselves, but I only drink their lattes. I'll never forget my visit to McDonald's. The food was so awful I wondered how most people stand it! :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that Chick-Fil-A is on the list, too. There are a couple around here, but I didn't know it was a big chain. They have a pretty good chicken breast sandwich, which you can get fried or grilled.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit to being a bit of a Starbucks addict. Of the chains on the list, if I were going for a meal I would definitely pick Chick-Fil-A.....the best food and probably the healthiest (other than Subway maybe).
ReplyDeleteThe only one of those places I ever eat at is Starbucks. I don't consider fast food to be edible. When I'm in Seattle I don't patronize Starbucks either, because there are so many other, better,coffee shops.
ReplyDeleteMcDonalds Hawaii recently added chocolate dipped cones to their menu.
ReplyDeleteI saw that !!! I haven't tried it yet, but I WILL! I hope it doesn't disappoint me.
DeleteI don't eat fast food these days. If I did, it would be McDonald's. They make a pure beef burger. I heard of Chik-Fil-A from my granddaughters. Apparently they have a football bowl in Atlanta. My granddaughter Amelia played in the UVA game there this past year. Otherwise, I know nothing. Dianne
ReplyDeleteWell, I like Jack in the Box better than McDonald's or Burger King. I'm sure McDonald's may be the healthiest of the fast food restaurants, but I find their menu boring (especially their fish fillet sandwich aaaack!) Our favorite to order was the fish sandwich (Burger King is OK too) but ever since husband broke out in hives from eating the new cod fillet sandwich at Wendy's we haven't ordered since. Salads? I usually don't order any because we have it quite often at home. I don't understand the rave about Starbucks. McDonald's is where we go for coffee if we needed a cup on the go.
ReplyDeleteL. from W.
Actually... Isn't the fish sandwich supposed to be bad for you because it's deep fried? I thought I'd heard that somewhere. I did use to like the McRib, but I haven't had it in a super long time.
DeleteProbably not very healthy at all since I don't think JITB, Burger King or Wendy's use the good oils to fry their foods. Hopefully no trans fat and fish is the lesser evil so I'm thinking it balances out. At home we only buy olive oil so we always have to fry with that. Wasting the pot of olive oil afterwards is good incentive not to fry too much.
DeleteL. from W.
We buy at Jack n the Box every week. Love their egg rolls and spicy chicken sandwiches.
ReplyDeleteWe have a brand spanking new, locally owned restaurant, just opened. RetroDog. Yep, hot dogs. The grand kids have been begging to go. Tonight's the night.
ReplyDeleteChik-fil-a is a southern concern. We have lots of them here in NC. They are under some fire recently for some comments made by the current head of the company. Sadly now, having scruples means no more yummy Chik fil a sandwiches for me. And it was the only fast food I eat.
ReplyDeleteChik-fil-a is proudly anti-gay, so away with them! I've never seen one of their restaurants. The name seems terminally weird to me. HENRY HANK CHAPIN
ReplyDeleteChik-fil-a has excellent, fresh food. The chain is closed on Sundays due to the Christian owner who stands behind his beliefs. It is one fast food place I can eat and not get sick. The other is In n Out. I don't think of Subway as fast food, but I guess it is. I can get an all veggie sandwich there.
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't think of Starbucks as fast food either. It's a coffee shop. I can eat their pastries w/o getting sick, but I rarely do. An espresso, though, is delightful.
ReplyDeleteHENRY HANK CHAPIN I don't consider Zippy's really a fast food place, especially since I always go inside and get a booth. I love booths for some reason. I would classify Zippy's as "family dining" (midway between "fast food" and "fine dining). I wish they sold t-shirts or cups or something because I have a niece who is called "Zippy." Her full given name is Tzipporah. I didn't name her. It probably comes from the Old Testament or something like that. She is a toddler and just emerged successfully from a bout with a childhood cance which is well known but I forget the name of. Her father, my sister's son, amd the rest of the family were really struggling to make it come out right, which I guess it did eventually.
ReplyDeleteI used to love Zippy's plate lunches. They're not the same anymore though and a whole lot more expensive. I had a student named Zipporah when I taught in Illinois. I didn't think I'd run across that name again. What fun!
DeleteChick-fil-A is in lots of midwestern mall food courts and some college / juco campuses. (Not sure how long that will last with this week's CEO statements about not approving of gays.) Never liked their food.
ReplyDeleteThere's a soup/salad buffet in K.C. and I think the southern mainland called Sweet Tomatoes or Soup Plantation. It doesn't end up saving calories, but has a dandy assortment of salads, soups and baked breads.
We've got Winsted's in K.C., which opened in the '40s with thin, but tasty steakburgers.
I'd prefer a mahi mahi burger or ahi poke any day.
DrumMajor
I could swear there was a Sweet Tomatoes in Illinois. It had an extensive salad buffet too. We'll have to go back there when we're on the mainland again.
DeleteJack in the Box here. :)
ReplyDeleteI've been invited to a meeting at a Starbucks tomorrow. Of the hundreds of places (maybe, thousands) we've eaten, neither of us ever have been to a Starbucks. We'll see how it meshes with your comments.
ReplyDeleteDo they even have things other than muffins and coffee? I haven't been there in ages so I have no idea.
DeleteWas glad to see Subway in the top. That is my favorite when I am being good, Popeye's when I feel the urge to splurge but I really don't go very often to either. Oddly, I like my own cooking better.
ReplyDeleteWe always used to eat in the Red Barn when I was a kid, Sundays after church. They are all gone. The only fast food I really like is Subway.
ReplyDeleteChick-Fil-A is my most favorite. Starbucks is my least favorite.
ReplyDeleteit doesn't surprise me to see McDonald's as number one... if you ever get the chance to eat at a Chick-fil-a then please do. it's a great place. and their chicken sandwiches are to die for. i love them. hope all is well. have a great night~
ReplyDeleteWe go to Golden Corral for "fast food"
ReplyDeleteThey have good selections. We only go for certain food, thus, it is fast food for us.
Mary L
Golden Corral? Hmmm... That's a new one for me.
DeleteA roll call of what? Choice? Shame? Obesity Enablers? Fun, once in a while options?
ReplyDeleteThis is actually a thought provoking post; as usual, Kay
Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
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We seldom have fast food burgers, preferring Red Robin, but since I have been watching my calorie intake, we have discovered Subway, where we can get a nice fresh sandwich and they are great when traveling because they are everywhere.. And of course our Number 1 favorite is Starbucks! I joined something of other and got a coupon for a free drink for my birthday. Of course I got my latte.
ReplyDelete