Skip to main content
QSR INDEXMCD 292.41 +0.8%SBUX 84.12 −1.2%YUM 148.77 +0.4%QSR 68.90 +1.1%CMG 48.15 −0.3%DPZ 421.55 +2.1%WING 244.63 +3.4%SHAK 96.20 −0.7%WEN 14.02 +0.2%69 CHAINS TRACKED · UPDATED DAILY
QSR Pro
ArticlesChainsReportsToolsRankingsGlossary
Subscribe
QSR Pro

The definitive source for QSR industry intelligence — for operators, franchisees, and investors.

69+ chains · 645+ articles · daily

Never miss an update

Content

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

Categories

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

Research

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

Tools

  • Franchise Calculator
  • Wage Benchmarks
  • Break-Even Analysis
  • 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
finance
Finance & Economics

Credit Card Processing Fees Are Eating QSR Profits: The $30 Billion Problem Nobody Talks About

While operators obsess over labor costs and food prices, the payment processing industry quietly siphons billions from an already thin-margin business

MAR 18, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
Category:AllFinance & EconomicsIndustry AnalysisMarketing & GrowthOperations & ManagementPeople & CultureTechnology & Innovation
148 articles|645 total published
finance
Finance & Economics

Uber Eats Raises Restaurant Fees Again: The Third-Party Delivery Commission Squeeze of 2026

Uber Eats raised its Lite tier commission from 15% to 20% in early March 2026, adding a 5% surcharge on Uber One orders. For QSR operators already running 3-9% net margins, the math on delivery profitability just got harder.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

How to Open a KFC Franchise in 2026: Costs, Fees, Revenue, and the Full FDD Breakdown

A KFC franchise costs $1.85M to $3.77M with average revenue of $1.35M. Full 2025 FDD analysis covering fees, unit economics, 314 US closures, and what buyers need to know.

· 12 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

How to Open a McDonald's Franchise

Opening a McDonald's franchise remains one of the most coveted opportunities in quick-service restaurants, but it's also one of the most demanding. The Golden Arches don't hand out franchises to just

MAR 21, 2026 · 6 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

How to Open a Domino's Franchise

Domino's has transformed from a regional pizza delivery chain into one of the most technologically advanced QSR brands in the world. The company's digital transformation over the last 15 years has mad

MAR 21, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

How to Open a Subway Franchise

Subway has long been one of the most accessible franchise opportunities in quick-service restaurants. The initial investment is lower than most major brands. The footprint is flexible (you can open in

MAR 21, 2026 · 6 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

McDonald's April Value Reset: $4 Breakfast Deals and the New Math of Fast Food Pricing

McDonald's is rolling out a $4 breakfast meal deal and sub-$3 menu items in April 2026. For franchisees already squeezed by costs 35% above pre-pandemic levels, the move forces a hard conversation about traffic versus margin.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

The Real Cost of a Taco Bell Franchise in 2026

A Taco Bell franchise requires between $575,600 and $3.37 million in total investment, plus a $45,000 franchise fee and $1.5 million in liquid capital. Here is what the FDD actually says about costs, earnings, and the realistic path to ROI.

MAR 20, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Coffee Prices Hit Record Highs and QSR Chains Are Scrambling: Inside the 2026 Global Coffee Crisis

MAR 20, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Jersey Mike's $8 Billion Gamble: Inside Blackstone's Franchise Growth Machine

Blackstone paid $8 billion for a majority stake in Jersey Mike's, making it one of the most expensive QSR acquisitions in history. Now the private equity giant is executing a textbook franchise growth play: 400+ new units in 2026, international expansion into the UK and Ireland, and whispers of an IPO before the decade ends.

MAR 24, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

How Culver's Quietly Became the Midwest's Most Profitable Franchise

Culver's average unit volume hit $3.69 million in 2024, with locations near interstates generating $3.7 million. The chain grew to over 1,000 locations while keeping its franchise model uniquely operator-focused. Here is how butter burgers built a billion-dollar system.

MAR 20, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

How to Open a Jersey Mike's Franchise

Jersey Mike's Subs is one of the fastest-growing QSR brands in the country. The chain has grown from a regional East Coast concept to a national powerhouse, adding hundreds of locations annually and c

MAR 21, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

The QSR Value War Is a Race to the Bottom. Here's Who's Winning and Who's Bleeding.

Every major fast food chain is running some form of value promotion in 2026, and the math is punishing franchisees while rewarding brands with digital infrastructure and scale. The winners and losers of this price war are becoming clear.

MAR 24, 2026 · 12 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

QSR Mergers and Acquisitions 2026: Who's Buying Whom

Inspire Brands, JAB Holdings, and Restaurant Brands International control 100,000+ locations. Private equity owns more QSR brands than ever. The consolidation wave shows no signs of slowing.

MAR 20, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

How to Open a Wendy's Franchise

Wendy's has spent the last decade repositioning itself as the quality leader in the burger category. Fresh, never frozen beef. Sea salt fries. Made-to-order burgers. The brand's commitment to quality

MAR 21, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

QSR Unit Economics Explained: What Every Investor Needs to Know

AUV, four-wall EBITDA, payback period, sales-to-investment ratio - these are the metrics that separate winning QSR concepts from value traps. Here's how to read the numbers that actually matter.

MAR 20, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

AlixPartners Analyzed 90,000 Restaurants. The Math Behind the Value War Has Fundamentally Changed.

New data from AlixPartners' Proprietary Pricing Platform reveals that menu prices outpaced inflation across 90,000 locations, but transaction values fell behind. With gas at $3.94 a gallon and Oxford Economics projecting the slowest consumption growth since 2013, the restaurant pricing playbook is being rewritten in real time.

MAR 25, 2026 · 6 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

How to Open a Popeyes Franchise

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has spent the last five years on a growth tear. The 2019 chicken sandwich launch wasn't just a viral moment. It fundamentally shifted the brand's position in the QSR chicken

MAR 21, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
Previous2345678Next
Page 5 of 9