Top 500 2022

Illustration by Joel Kimmel

The 500 largest chains collectively have recovered from the pandemic and then some, with sales up 8.4% since 2019. But success was not spread evenly, and the very biggest concepts performed best, according to the 2022 Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report. RB takes an in-depth look at the companies and sectors on this year’s list, including those that did well, and those that struggled.

Chain restaurants recover

THE RANKING2021’s largest chains

INSIDE THE TRENDS

CASUAL DINING

FAST CASUAL

BUFFET CHAINS

MENU SEGMENTS

“My partner, he does the amazing job of coming up with ideas and also engaging social media in the audience. So if someone on social media said we should do a cornbread cookie, or that you should come up with a cookie with oreos in it to this and that, we actually take that feedback and give it a try.”

Crumbl CEO and Cofounder Jason McGowan, on the chain’s rotating menu of crowdsourced cookies.

BEHIND CRUMBL COOKIES’ SWEET SUCCESS