New Technomic report says fast-casual industry shows no signs of slowing down

CHICAGO, July 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Technomic's Top 150 Fast-Casual Chain Restaurant Report, fast casual makes up just 14 percent of the total $223 billion limited-service restaurant segment, but its sales continue to outpace other operators. Fast-casual sales increased 13 percent in 2012, and the largest chains—those which each made more than $325 million last year—did even better, growing by 16 percent. Fast-casual restaurants continue to outperform both quick-service and full-service establishments and post strong gains even while the rest of the industry is having a more difficult time.

Looking forward, the trend is expected to continue. Whereas the compound annual growth rate for all limited-service restaurants is 4.5 percent (2012 through 2017), fast-casual operators are expected to grow 10 percent, on average, over the same period.

"Fast casual has become a $31-billion segment since Chipotle began reinventing fast food 20 years ago," said Darren Tristano, Executive Vice President of Technomic. "Consumers today want quality offerings made quickly. Segments like burger, sandwich and Mexican have done a great job delivering on quality, fresh, gourmet, and made-on-demand offerings. There are still areas of growth in the fast-casual segment for operators to adopt these ingredients for success and become viable in the fast-casual landscape." 

Bakery cafes continued to lead all menu categories among the Top 150 fast-casual chains, with U.S. systemwide sales of $6.1 billion, up more than 10 percent over 2011. The Mexican and sandwich categories were second and third largest, with U.S. systemwide sales of $5.7 and $4.4 billion, respectively. The categories that saw the fastest sales growth were sandwich (up 17 percent) and Asian/noodle (up 16 percent). The burger and sandwich clusters experienced the highest unit growth, growing outlets by 14 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Top players within fast-casual clusters include:

• Bakery cafe led by Panera Bread with sales of $3.7 billion.
• Mexican led by Chipotle Mexican Grill with sales of $2.7 billion.
• Chicken led by Zaxby's with sales of $979 million.
• Asian/Noodle led by Panda Express with sales of $1.8 billion.
• Better Burger led by Five Guys Burgers and Fries with sales of $1.1 billion.
• Sandwich led by Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwich Shop with sales of $1.3 billion.
• Pizza led by Donatos Pizza with estimated sales of $157 million.

The Technomic Top 150 Fast-Casual Chain Restaurant Report provides Technomic's exclusive rankings, analysis and profiles of the leading fast-casual chain restaurants, helping readers understand emerging trends and players in one of today's fastest growing segments.

To purchase or learn more about this and other industry reports from Technomic, please visit Technomic.com or contact one of the individuals listed below.

Contacts
Press Inquiries: Darren Tristano, 312-506-3850, or [email protected]
Purchasing Details: Patrick Noone, 312-506-3852, or [email protected]
Press Requests: Chris Urban, 312-506-3929 or [email protected]

About Technomic

Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. Its services include numerous publications and digital products, as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry.

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SOURCE Technomic, Inc.