In today’s restaurant world, data matters. Operators try to extract data from every area of the business. But it’s not just the numbers that are important. It’s the insights pulled from the data that go on to inform decisions on customer demographics and engagement, staff consistency, equipment and tech usage and more.
One challenge with the influx of available data: Not everyone is a data scientist who can translate giant spreadsheets into actionable knowledge. So our goal at Restaurant Business is to be your navigator through the data.
This month, we took a special approach to the magazine. Our entire issue is devoted to data. More specifically, it’s devoted to Technomic’s Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report, which ranks the top-grossing chains. In this issue, you’ll see some of the numbers—including a ranking of the top 250 chains—but you’ll find much more than that. Instead of simply a presentation of the data, this Top 500 issue of RB is your guide to the numbers.
Why an entire issue? These chains, while being edged out slightly by the independent restaurant space in terms of growth, still make up well over half of the industry’s sales. They are the brands with the power to make major waves.
Beyond the numbers, it’s important to be able to identify what’s going on at both the segment and the brand level, which we’ve broken out throughout the issue. We offer trend-forward insights into the slowed but steady momentum of fast casual, as well as a look at the decline of casual dining. We look at the brands flying high and those sinking fast, and provide insights into what’s helping and hurting them.
Because, as you well know, it’s a volatile time in the restaurant industry. The numbers indirectly revealed how labor woes and real estate challenges are affecting the bottom line, as well as how competition for share of stomach is impacting sales. But they also showed that many forward-thinking brands are moving ahead of their competition. So in such a competitive market, it’s crucial to be armed with the insights behind the industry-leading data. And we want to arm you with just that: what you need to fully comprehend the trends shaping the business.
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