Growth of biggest fast food chains

[braumeister]

This probably won't surprise many of us, but watching this visualization of the growth of the biggest fast food chains, starting in 1972, is just fascinating.

https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/1160235/

 

[audreyh1]

Two parents working, which took off in the 70s, and raising families. No time. Fast food cheap and the kids like it.

Some of that is international expansion. But yeah, wow!

 

[MRG]

A similar graphic to compare with the average weight of the population would be of interest to me.

 

[Rianne]

Watching Starbuck's amazed me. We were thinking CV19 should have little effect on business considering many indoor customers sit in there for hours on their laptops, reading books, and having long visits with friends. Indoor few sales but the line is always around the corner for pick up-take out coffee.

 

[samm]

This probably won't surprise many of us, but watching this visualization of the growth of the biggest fast food chains, starting in 1972, is just fascinating.

https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/1160235/

+1
Very interesting. More stores and more with drive-through so I do not even have to walk inside. Perfect!

 

[Cobra9777]

That graphic is based on number of stores. Based on sales, Chick-fil-A is number 3 with only 2.5K stores. Based on sales per store, Chick-fil-A is number one by a wide margin. Their per-store sales are more than 4X that of KFC and that gap widens every year. Even when ranked against the big sit-down chains like BJs and Cheesecake Factory, Chick-fil-A is number 5. And this is for a fast-food chain that's closed on Sunday and frequently embroiled in political controversy!

It's been kinda crazy to watch that chain grow so fast. Our grandkids eat Chick-fil-A probably 3-4 times per week (pre-pandemic). If DW and I take them on an outing, that's the only place they want to go.

The drive-thru typically has two-lanes, each of which holds probably 20-30 cars. Employees holding tablets take your order and money when you get about half way through the line.

To me, the food is sort-of average, although I never seem to mind batting clean-up for the grandkids. I remember them back in the 1980s as a little hole-in-the-wall at the Mall that nobody went to. How it became the sensation that it is today is a mystery to me.

 

[Red Badger]

That graphic is based on number of stores. Based on sales, Chick-fil-A is number 3 with only 2.5K stores. Based on sales per store, Chick-fil-A is number one by a wide margin. Their per-store sales are more than 4X that of KFC and that gap widens every year. Even when ranked against the big sit-down chains like BJs and Cheesecake Factory, Chick-fil-A is number 5. And this is for a fast-food chain that's closed on Sunday and frequently embroiled in political controversy!

It's been kinda crazy to watch that chain grow so fast. Our grandkids eat Chick-fil-A probably 3-4 times per week (pre-pandemic). If DW and I take them on an outing, that's the only place they want to go.

The drive-thru typically has two-lanes, each of which holds probably 20-30 cars. Employees holding tablets take your order and money when you get about half way through the line.

To me, the food is sort-of average, although I never seem to mind batting clean-up for the grandkids. I remember them back in the 1980s as a little hole-in-the-wall at the Mall that nobody went to. How it became the sensation that it is today is a mystery to me.

They hire top notch employees and train them well. Overall, the Christian communities are ardent / fervent supporters (includes DW and self). Agree that product offering is still fast food, so gastronomic experience may be underwhelming.

 

[Red Badger]

Also, Subway surprised me at first, then I remembered that they are in many, many Walmart stores and nearly every strip mall and interstate exit.

When I was a road warrior and travelling internationally, I saw Micky-D's and Starbucks every where on the damn planet. I'd see some of the others from time to time, but the aforementioned were simply pervasive.

 

[gwraigty]

I didn't realize that KFC had been so big in comparison at one time. We had a full service KFC close to us in the Cleveland area. Oh the food was wonderful! Some of it was greasy as heck, but the place was always full. They had a lot more than just fried chicken with a few sides to choose from in the main restaurant. They had a separate take out section with its own entrance/exit.

Not far from there was a Sisters Fried Chicken. They were great and had a lot more sides to choose from. They also had fried catfish. Yum! But they didn't last. Chicken Galore was another place, but I think it went out of business when I was still a younger kid. They had wonderful warm soft buns with honey. My grandfather would let me buy a bottle of Coke out of their machine. It was fun to pop the cap off.

 

[aja8888]

Looks like White Castle didn't make the race with only 377 locations.

 

[Red Badger]

Looks like White Castle didn't make the race with only 377 locations.

Ah, White Casket. Best drunk-food ever.

 

[aja8888]

Ah, White Casket. Best drunk-food ever.

Good stuff at 3:00 am after a night out with the boys!