Technomic's recent Industry Insights report shared an answer to the question:
Which menu category has gained the most share since 2019?
Chicken is King
The category with the greatest growth, unsurprisingly, was chicken. Consumer demand for chicken has remained strong thanks to its affordability, versatility, and health benefits. It's the most consumed meat in the U.S., and with rising beef prices, that shouldn't change any time soon.
Success of chain restaurants such as Raising Cane’s, Wingstop, and Dave's Hot Chicken have helped to bolster the market. Total sales for all limited-service chicken chains rose to $55 billion last year, accounting for 11.8% of all U.S. chain restaurant sales, compared to 8.8% share in 2019.
Coffee Continues to Dominate
Coffee cafe chains registered the next largest increase in sales share, growing from 9.9% in 2019 to 11.1% in 2024. Big chains like Starbucks and Dunkin' dominate the market, but other coffee chains, like Dutch Bros. Coffee, are gaining share.
And there seems to be plenty of consumers to go around. According to a report by the National Coffee Association, 67% of American adults had coffee in the past day, up from 49% in 2004.
So what's leading the caffeine rush? For one, that caffeine! Consumers gravitate to coffee to feel more alert. Specialty coffee has also helped, as fun flavors and different preparations meet consumer demand for choice. Coffee often serves as a "treat" as well, and trips to coffee shops are used as a way to gather socially.
Steady Demand for Mexican
Rounding out the top three categories are Mexican chains, which expanded from 6.5% to 7.5% from 2019-2024. Mexican is one of the most popular cuisines in the U.S., and the margarita is the number-one on-premise cocktail, so this doesn't come as a huge surprise.
However, this category is dominated by fast food and fast casual chains, many of which have started to dip into beverage alcohol given the popularity of the margarita.
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