Skip to main content
QSR.pro
ArticlesChainsTrendingPopularReportsToolsGlossaryMarket Map
Subscribe
QSR.pro

The definitive source for QSR industry intelligence. Deep research, real data, and actionable analysis for operators, franchisees, and investors.

Never Miss an Update

Content

  • All Articles
  • Trending
  • Popular
  • Collections
  • Guides
  • Topics
  • Archive

Categories

  • Operations
  • Finance
  • Technology
  • Industry Analysis
  • Marketing
  • People & Culture

Research & Data

  • Chain Database
  • Compare Franchises
  • State Guides
  • Best QSR by City
  • Industry Reports
  • QSR Glossary
  • Chain Rankings
  • Market Map

Tools

  • Franchise Calculator
  • Wage Benchmarks
  • All Tools

Resources

  • Start Here
  • Reading List
  • Newsletter
  • Site Directory
  • RSS Feed

Company

  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Connect

LinkedIn

© 2026 QSR Pro. All rights reserved.

Built with precision for the QSR industry

  1. Home
  2. Popular

Popular Articles

The most-read analysis and research across QSR Pro. See what operators, franchisees, and investors are reading right now.

All TimeThis MonthThis Week
Airports
Industry Analysis•March 2026

QSR in Airports and Stadiums: The Captive Audience Premium

A Big Mac costs .49 normally, .99 at JFK Airport. Airport QSR locations generate M-M annually vs .2M-M for standard stores. Stadium locations do M-M in just 80-100 operating days. The economics, the markups, and why customers pay.

QSR Pro Staff•
Category:AllFinance & EconomicsIndustry AnalysisMarketing & GrowthOperations & ManagementPeople & CultureTechnology & Innovation
168 articles|645 total published
8 min read
•7
Korean
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Why Korean Fried Chicken Is Taking Over American QSR

Korean fried chicken chains grew from 200 to 500+ U.S. locations in six years. Bonchon (120+ stores), bb.q Chicken (50+), and Pelicana (40+) are expanding aggressively. Double-frying, thin crispy skin, and gochujang glazes are winning customers from KFC and Popeyes.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•7
Effect
Industry Analysis•March 2026

The GLP-1 Effect: How Weight Loss Drugs Are Reshaping Fast Food Demand

A Cornell study found households on GLP-1 medications cut fast food spending by more than 5% within six months. With projections showing GLP-1 users could account for 35% of all food and beverage spending by 2030, the QSR industry faces a demand shift it cannot ignore.

QSR Pro Staff•6 min read•7
Salad
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Salad and Go Cut Its Store Count in Half. The Turnaround Playbook Is a Lesson for Every Fast-Growing Chain.

The drive-thru salad chain went from 146 locations to 71 in less than a year. New CEO Mike Tattersfield says the brand was growing just for growth's sake. Here is what operators can learn from one of the sharpest contractions in recent QSR history.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•7
Panda
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Panda Express vs Wingstop: Two Models, One Question

Panda Express runs 2,200+ company-owned locations generating $6.2 billion in U.S. sales. Wingstop operates 3,056 mostly franchised restaurants with $5.3 billion in systemwide sales. Both are growing fast, but their business models could not be more different. Which one is actually better?

QSR Pro Staff•9 min read•7
170
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Gong cha Buys Back 170 U.S. Franchise Locations to Fuel National Push

Gong cha's acquisition of master franchise rights covering 170 U.S. locations signals a structural shift in how the global bubble tea leader plans to control its American growth.

QSR Pro Staff•6 min read•6
Brian
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Brian Niccol's Starbucks Rebuild: One Year of Fixing a Broken Machine

Brian Niccol left Chipotle to take over Starbucks in September 2024. Eighteen months later, the former fast-casual star has delivered his first positive comparable sales quarter, announced a 1,000-store renovation plan, and outlined a strategy to turn the coffee giant around.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•6
10
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Wingstop's 10,000-Unit Vision: Inside the Fastest-Growing Wing Chain's Global Playbook

Wingstop opened 493 net new restaurants in 2025, reaching 3,056 locations at a 19.2% unit growth rate that outpaces almost every major QSR brand. With 2026 guidance set at 15-16% more global unit development and a long-term vision of 10,000 locations, the Dallas-based wing chain is building a case that it belongs in the same conversation as Domino's and Subway.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read•6
Popeyes
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Popeyes Is in Trouble: Sales Down Four Straight Quarters, Its Biggest Franchisee Just Filed Bankruptcy

Six years after the chicken sandwich that broke the internet, Popeyes is facing a very different kind of attention. Same-store sales fell for four consecutive quarters in 2025, and Sailormen Inc., one of the chain's largest franchisees with 136 locations across Florida and Georgia, filed Chapter 11 in January 2026 with $342 million in liabilities against $232 million in assets.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•6
2026
Industry Analysis•March 2026

The 2026 Chicken Sandwich Wars: Why Every Major QSR Chain Is Doubling Down on Poultry

With ground beef hitting $6.69 per pound and the U.S. cattle herd at a 75-year low, QSR chains are racing toward chicken with an urgency that goes beyond trend-chasing. From McDonald's Chicken Big Mac to Taco Bell's poultry pivot to Raising Cane's 1,000th location, the competitive dynamics of 2026 are reshaping how every operator thinks about protein.

QSR Pro Staff•9 min read•6
2025
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Chipotle's Record Expansion Meets Margin Pressure: Inside the Q4 2025 Results and What They Signal for Fast Casual

Chipotle opened a record 334 restaurants in 2025 and grew revenue 5.4% to $11.9B, but restaurant-level margins contracted to 23.4%. The fast-casual leader faces a new equation.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read•6
Rise
Industry Analysis•March 2026

The Rise of Mediterranean QSR: The Fastest Growing Segment You're Not Watching

Mediterranean QSR grew 14% in 2024 vs 4% for fast-casual overall. Cava crossed B in revenue with 350+ locations heading to 1,000 by 2032. Average unit volumes hit .5M-.8M with 24-27% margins. This category is exploding.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•5
Taco
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Taco Bell's Global Ambitions and the Art of Menu Innovation

Taco Bell hit $1 billion in annual operating profit, announced plans to enter nine new countries, and promised to double its menu innovation in 2025. The Yum! Brands subsidiary is executing one of the most aggressive growth strategies in QSR.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•5
750
Industry Analysis•March 2026

The Fried Chicken Boom: Why Chicken Chains Are Adding 750+ New Locations in 2026

While overall QSR franchise growth has stalled at 0.5%, fried chicken chains are on a tear. Dave's Hot Chicken, Wingstop, Slim Chickens, and Raising Cane's are collectively planning 750+ new locations in 2026, fueled by favorable protein economics, cult-level brand loyalty, and white space in markets that legacy burger chains already saturated.

QSR Pro Staff•9 min read•5
47
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Solo Dining Hits 47% of QSR Visits as the 'Me Economy' Reshapes Restaurant Strategy

Nearly half of all quick-service restaurant visits are now solo occasions, up from 31% four years ago. The chains adapting their menus, store formats, and loyalty tech to single-guest economics are pulling ahead.

QSR Pro Staff•6 min read•5
Whataburger
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Whataburger: why Texas won't share its burger chain

How BDT Capital turned a regional cult favorite into a controlled national expansion - 88 new stores in 2024, $3.54M AUV, and a $6B+ valuation built on Texas identity.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•5
Mediterranean
Industry Analysis•March 2026

The Mediterranean Menu Invasion: Why Legacy Chains Are Chasing CAVA's Fast-Casual Playbook

Jimmy John's launched a gyro LTO on March 5, 2026, becoming the latest legacy chain to chase the Mediterranean wave CAVA turned into a billion-dollar category. For operators, the trend raises real questions about who wins when everyone borrows the same playbook.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•5
$1
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Chick-fil-A's $1 Billion International Bet: Can the Owner-Operator Model Work Overseas?

Chick-fil-A has committed $1 billion to expand into Europe and Asia by 2030. With $9.3 million AUVs and a fiercely guarded owner-operator model, the chain faces a fundamental question: does the formula translate?

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•4
Previous45678910Next
Page 7 of 10