Club + Resort Chef

  • Home
  • Chefs
  • F&B
  • Banquet
  • Auto-Fire
  • Podcast
  • Master Class
  • C+R Talks Live!
  • Recipes
  • Chef to Chef Conference
  • Resources
    • C+RC Association
    • Top Ranked Culinary Experience
    • Digital Issues
    • News
    • Webinars
    • Videos
    • Virtual Cooking Competition
    • Sponsored Content
    • FAQs
    • Advertise

Fast-Casual’s Strong Growth Shows No Signs of Slowing

By Joe Barks | June 2, 2014

Effective marketing of “Fresh, made-for-you appeal” and “better than quick-service food” messages continues to drive double-digit growth of the format, a new report shows.

The “honeymoon phase” seems far from over for the fast-casual dining segment, FastCasual.com reported, judging by Technomic’s newly released 2014 Top 500 Chain Restaurants report.

According to the market research firm, the segment grew sales by 11 percent in 2013 and unit count by nearly 8 percent, FastCasual.com reported. The largest fast-casual concepts— Panera, Chipotle and Panda Express—each generated strong sales gains of 12, 17 and 11 percent, respectively.

Technomic’s report said drivers of fast-casual’s growth include “better-than-quick-service food,” ambiance and “fresh, made for you” appeal, FastCasual.com reported.

“Watch for even more menu and concept diversity in this sector,” Darren Tristano, an Executive Vice President with Technomic, said in a news release issued with the new report. “Also look for more quick-service and full-service restaurants to realign their formats and develop new fast-casual concepts to compete more aggressively.”

That’s already happened with Taco Bell, which is launching the U.S. Taco Co. and Urban Taproom in California, FastCasual.com noted. And sister-brand KFC spun off “KFC eleven” in Louisville, Ky., last summer, while parent company Yum! Brands is also testing the Super Chix “better chicken” concept in Texas.

Applebee’s now has an express-lunch service in trial in Kansas City, Mo., that is modeled after the fast-casual segment, FastCasual.com reported, and Red Lobster has also experimented with the idea, with its Seaside Express concept in Florida.

The 50 fastest-growing chains in the Technomic Top 500 report were led by “better burger” concept BurgerFi, which increased its U.S. systemwide sales by 178 percent, to $44.5M, and saw its unit count rise by 175 percent, to 33 units.

The rest of the top 20 in the Technomic report was dominated by fast-casual concepts as well, with some casual, quick-service and pizza concepts sprinkled throughout. They included:

  • Del Frisco’s Grill, up 83.9 percent in sales and 120 percent in units;
  • Twin Peaks (68.4 percent, 64.3 percent);
  • CherryBerry (63.2 percent, 42.7 percent);
  • Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt (48.6 percent, 38.2 percent);
  • Hot Head Burritos (48.2 percent, 26.2 percent);
  • Lime Fresh Mexican Grill (47.2 percent, 22.7 percent);
  • Mooyah (42.7 percent, 19.1 percent);
  • Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers (41.8 percent, 25.3 percent);
  • Shake Shack (40 percent, 61.5 percent);
  • Nothing Bundt Cakes (39.5 percent, 30.2 percent);
  • The Egg & I Breakfast & Lunch (38.2 percent, 31.9 percent);
  • sweetFrog (37.2 percent, 65.8 percent);
  • Zoes Kitchen (36.5 percent, 40 percent);
  • Kneaders Bakery & Café (36.2 percent, 28.6 percent);
  • The Habit Burger Grill (34.5 percent, 34.9 percent);
  • Marlow’s Tavern (34 percent, 18.2 percent);
  • Burtons Grill (33.3 percent, 0.0 percent);
  • Chop’t Creative Salad Company (33.3 percent, 26.3 percent);
  • Dickey’s Barbecue Pit (32.9 percent, 26.3 percent)

About The Author

Joe Barks

Joe Barks is the Editor of Club + Resort Business magazine, working out of Wayne, Pa. (suburban Philadelphia). He has been covering the club and resort industry since the launch of C&RB in April 2005 and during that time has written cover-story profiles of over 150 club and resort properties, as well as many additional articles about specific aspects of club management and profiles of leading club managers. Barks has been a writer and editor for specialized business publications for over 40 years, covering a wide variety of industries and professional disciplines over the course of his career. He is a four-time winner of Jesse H. Neal Awards from the American Business Press, known as the “Pulitzer Prizes” for industry trade publications. He has also been a freelance contributor to many leading national consumer and business publications, and served as Marketing Manager for the Hay Group, a leading worldwide management consulting firm. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

Related Articles Read More >

Chorizo California Avocado Egg Roll
Fresh Mango Gazpacho
Jacksonville G&CC Wows Members with Game of Thrones Chef’s Table [Slideshow]
Was it a Calculated Career or a Lifetime of Learning?
Top Ranked Private Club and Resorts for Culinary Experiences

Club + Resort Chef Association

Join hundreds of your peers!

C+RC Association Join the Club and Resort Chef Association to network with professionals in your area, meet local vendors, gain access to educational programs and materials and more!

C+RC Newsletter

Club + Resort Chef Digital Editions

Club & Resort BusinessBrowse the current issue and archived issues of Club + Resort Chef in an easy-to-use, high-quality format. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading club and resort chef magazine today.

Get the Magazine!

Club + Resort Chef
Club + Resort Chef
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Recipes
  • Submit a Recipe
  • Club & Resort Chef Association
  • Club & Resort Business

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Club + Resort Chef

  • Home
  • Chefs
  • F&B
  • Banquet
  • Auto-Fire
  • Podcast
  • Master Class
  • C+R Talks Live!
  • Recipes
  • Chef to Chef Conference
  • Resources
    • C+RC Association
    • Top Ranked Culinary Experience
    • Digital Issues
    • News
    • Webinars
    • Videos
    • Virtual Cooking Competition
    • Sponsored Content
    • FAQs
    • Advertise