{"id":8620,"date":"2022-04-01T00:06:15","date_gmt":"2022-04-01T00:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.howtocook.recipes\/?page_id=8620"},"modified":"2025-10-04T03:09:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-04T03:09:00","slug":"the-top-50-restaurants-by-sales-in-2020","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.howtocook.recipes\/the-top-50-restaurants-by-sales-in-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top 50 Restaurants by Sales in 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

The year 2020 was unprecedented in countless ways \u2014 the pandemic forced humanity to radically shift how we live, work, play, and even eat. Of course, these changes affected every industry in varying degrees; some experienced explosive growth, while others struggled to stay afloat. According to the National Restaurant Association, restaurant industry sales in 2020 were initially projected to reach $899 billion<\/a>. But how much did the restaurant industry actually make in 2020 amid the staggering impact of COVID-19? Restaurant sales fell short of the projections by a jaw-dropping $240 billion.<\/a> Of course, how restaurants navigated the rocky waters of the pandemic varied greatly. How To Cook Recipes<\/a> the most successful restaurants in 2020, which should provide insight into the industry and how fast-food sales during COVID rose or fell:<\/p>\n

Click to view the full-size infographic<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

What Was the Most Profitable Restaurant in 2020?<\/h2>\n

It comes as no surprise that McDonald\u2019s was the restaurant with the most sales in 2020 \u2014 people just can\u2019t resist the golden arches! McDonald\u2019s was the most successful restaurant chain in 2020 with sales of $39.53 billion. With 0.4% growth over the previous year\u2019s sales, it\u2019s evident that the pandemic had little effect on McDonald\u2019s annual sales. So what fast-food restaurant made the most money in 2020 after McDonald\u2019s? Here are the 20 top restaurants by sales in 2020:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. McDonald\u2019s: $39.53 billion<\/li>\n
  2. Starbucks: $18.71 billion<\/li>\n
  3. Taco Bell: $11.31 billion<\/li>\n
  4. Chick-fil-A: $10.80 billion<\/li>\n
  5. Wendy\u2019s: $10.29 billion<\/li>\n
  6. Burger King: $9.66 billion<\/li>\n
  7. Subway: $9.17 billion<\/li>\n
  8. Dunkin\u2019 Donuts: $8.76 billion<\/li>\n
  9. Domino\u2019s: $7.35 billion<\/li>\n
  10. Sonic: $5.68 billion<\/li>\n
  11. Panera: $5.66 billion<\/li>\n
  12. Pizza Hut: $5.40 billion<\/li>\n
  13. Chipotle: $5.34 billion<\/li>\n
  14. KFC: $4.70 billion<\/li>\n
  15. Popeyes: $4.58 billion<\/li>\n
  16. Arby\u2019s: $4.21 billion<\/li>\n
  17. Dairy Queen: $3.98 billion<\/li>\n
  18. Little Caesars: $3.78 billion<\/li>\n
  19. Jack in the Box: $3.61 billion<\/li>\n
  20. Panda Express: $3.60 billion<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Unfortunately, restaurant closures in 2020 were inevitable. According to Nation\u2019s Restaurant News, more than 10% of U.S. restaurants closed permanently<\/a> during the pandemic. While restaurant chains generally fared better than individual locations, many still suffered dramatic losses during the pandemic. Here are the least successful restaurant chains among the top 50 in 2020 and how much their sales decreased from the previous year:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Applebee\u2019s: -31%<\/li>\n
    2. Red Robin: -28.8%<\/li>\n
    3. Cheesecake Factory: -26.8%<\/li>\n
    4. IHOP: -25%<\/li>\n
    5. TGI Friday\u2019s: -18.2%<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      While McDonald\u2019s was the most successful restaurant chain in 2020 based on overall sales, Sonic experienced the greatest growth over the previous year, at 21.2%, among the top 50. However, out of all restaurants, Shake Shack was the fastest-growing restaurant chain<\/a> in 2020, with a delicious growth of 34.5%!<\/p>\n

      Here are the Top 50 Restaurants by Sales in 2020<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
      Restaurant<\/td>\n2020 Sales + Year-Over-Year Change<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 McDonald\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $39.53 billion<\/p>\n

      0.4%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Starbucks<\/td>\n\n

      $18.71 billion<\/p>\n

      -5%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Taco Bell<\/td>\n\n

      $11.31 billion<\/p>\n

      -0.4%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chick-fil-A<\/td>\n\n

      $10.80 billion<\/p>\n

      3.8%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Wendy\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $10.29 billion<\/p>\n

      4.8%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Burger King<\/td>\n\n

      $9.66 billion<\/p>\n

      -5.4%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Subway<\/td>\n\n

      $9.17 billion<\/p>\n

      -8.2%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dunkin\u2019 Donuts<\/td>\n\n

      $8.76 billion<\/p>\n

      -5.1%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Domino\u2019s Pizza<\/td>\n\n

      $7.35 billion<\/p>\n

      11%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      10.\u00a0 Sonic<\/td>\n\n

      $5.68 billion<\/p>\n

      21.2%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      11.\u00a0 Panera Bread<\/td>\n\n

      $5.66 billion<\/p>\n

      -8.7%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      12.\u00a0 Chipotle<\/td>\n\n

      $5.34 billion<\/p>\n

      5.7%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      13.\u00a0 Pizza Hut<\/td>\n\n

      $5.40 billion<\/p>\n

      -2%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      14.\u00a0 KFC<\/td>\n\n

      $4.70 billion<\/p>\n

      4%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      15.\u00a0 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen<\/td>\n\n

      $4.58 billion<\/p>\n

      20%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      16.\u00a0 Arby\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $4.21 billion<\/p>\n

      8.5%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      17.\u00a0 Dairy Queen<\/td>\n\n

      $3.98 billion<\/p>\n

      5.9%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      18.\u00a0 Little Caesars<\/td>\n\n

      $3.78 billion<\/p>\n

      -5.0%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      19.\u00a0 Jack in the Box<\/td>\n\n

      $3.61 billion<\/p>\n

      2.5%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      20.\u00a0 Panda Express<\/td>\n\n

      $3.60 billion<\/p>\n

      2.3%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      21.\u00a0 Olive Garden<\/td>\n\n

      $3.55 billion<\/p>\n

      -12%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      22.\u00a0 Papa John\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $3.48 billion<\/p>\n

      19%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      23.\u00a0 Chili\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $3.21 billion<\/p>\n

      -9.3%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      24.\u00a0 Buffalo Wild Wings<\/td>\n\n

      $3.11 billion<\/p>\n

      -15%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      25.\u00a0 Applebee\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $2.78 billion<\/p>\n

      -31%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      26.\u00a0 Whataburger<\/td>\n\n

      $2.70 billion<\/p>\n

      5.6%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      27.\u00a0 IHOP<\/td>\n\n

      $2.51 billion<\/p>\n

      -25%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      28.\u00a0 Denny\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $2.40 billion<\/p>\n

      -15%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      29.\u00a0 Texas Roadhouse<\/td>\n\n

      $2.37 billion<\/p>\n

      -14.5%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      30.\u00a0 Red Lobster<\/td>\n\n

      $2.24 billion<\/p>\n

      -7.3%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      31.\u00a0 Cracker Barrel<\/td>\n\n

      $2.17 billion<\/p>\n

      -21%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      32.\u00a0 Outback<\/td>\n\n

      $2.10 billion<\/p>\n

      -18%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      33.\u00a0 Hardee\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $1.99 billion<\/p>\n

      -11.7%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      34.\u00a0 Zaxby\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $1.94 billion<\/p>\n

      3.9%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      35.\u00a0 Jimmy John\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $1.93 billion<\/p>\n

      -8.5%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      36.\u00a0 Culver\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $1.73 billion<\/p>\n

      3%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      37.\u00a0 Raising Cane\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $1.72 billion<\/p>\n

      17.5%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      38.\u00a0 Wingstop<\/td>\n\n

      $1.61 billion<\/p>\n

      21%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      39.\u00a0 Longhorn Steakhouse<\/td>\n\n

      $1.59 billion<\/p>\n

      -17%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      40.\u00a0 Five Guys<\/td>\n\n

      $1.57 billion<\/p>\n

      3%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      41.\u00a0 Cheesecake Factory<\/td>\n\n

      $1.53 billion<\/p>\n

      -26.8%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      42.\u00a0 Golden Corral<\/td>\n\n

      $1.48 billion<\/p>\n

      -17.4%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      43.\u00a0 Carl\u2019s Jr.<\/td>\n\n

      $1.33 billion<\/p>\n

      -6%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      44.\u00a0 Bojangles<\/td>\n\n

      $1.29 billion<\/p>\n

      3.5%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      45.\u00a0 Jersey Mike\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

      $1.29 billion<\/p>\n

      7%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      46.\u00a0 Waffle House<\/td>\n\n

      $1.22 billion<\/p>\n

      -7.3%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      47.\u00a0 Red Robin<\/td>\n\n

      $1.17 billion<\/p>\n

      -28.2%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      48.\u00a0 In-N-Out<\/td>\n\n

      $1.07 billion<\/p>\n

      9.5%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      49.\u00a0 Krispy Kreme<\/td>\n\n

      $876.3 million<\/p>\n

      1.5%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      50.\u00a0 TGI Fridays<\/td>\n\n

      $874.4 million<\/p>\n

      -18.2%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

      \u00a0<\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/p>\n

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