News

Fast casual chains still growing in units, traffic

April 22, 2019

Fast casual restaurant chains have been growing both in units and customer visits for the last decade, accordind to The NPD Group. The number of fast casual chain restaurants rose by 1% to 25,312 total units, based on NPD's ReCount restaurant census, which includes restaurants open as of September 30, 2018.  In the year ending February 2019, compared to a year ago, fast casual customers increased their visits by 3% while the total quick service restaurant category, under which the fast casual category falls, were up 1% and total U.S. foodservice traffic remained flat.

The Top 5 city metro areas with the most fast casual chain units were:

1. Los Angeles, 2,002 units, up 2%.
2. Dallas-Fort Worth, 1,146 units, down -1%.
3. New York City, 1,052, down -1%.
4. Chicago, 956, up 2%.
5. Washington DC, 884 units, up 1%.

Fast casual restaurants represent 8% of total quick service visits;traditional quick service restaurants represent 75% of traffic, and quick service retail — which includes prepared foods available in grocery stores — represents 17%.