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

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Industry Analysis•March 2026

KFC's American Decline: How the Original Chicken Chain Fell to Fifth Place

KFC, the chain that invented fast-food fried chicken in America, has fallen to fifth place among US chicken chains. Consumer spending dropped 4% to $4.34 billion as Raising Cane's and Wingstop surged past the Yum Brands stalwart, exposing structural problems no LTO can fix.

Category:All Finance & Economics Industry Analysis Marketing & Growth Operations & Management People & Culture Technology & Innovation

154 articles|645 total published

QSR Pro Staff•6 min read•2

Industry Analysis•March 2026

GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Are Quietly Rewriting QSR Menus in 2026

From Shake Shack's GLP-1 friendly 'Good Fit' menu to Smoothie King's dedicated drug-user section, chains are engineering menus around a growing cohort of Americans on weight loss medications. Operators who ignore this shift do so at their own risk.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•2

Industry Analysis•March 2026

The Great QSR Bifurcation: Why the Gap Between Winners and Losers Is Widening in 2026

Only one-third of restaurant brands saw positive comp sales in 2025, and 2026 is shaping up as the year the middle disappears. The gap between QSR's strongest performers and its struggling chains is turning into a chasm, driven by consumer spending polarization, digital investment gaps, and a brutal new calculus on value.

QSR Pro Staff•10 min read•2

Industry Analysis•March 2026

McDonald's Race to 50,000: Inside the Biggest Expansion Bet in QSR History

McDonald's plans to open more than 8,000 new restaurants by the end of 2027, reaching 50,000 locations worldwide. The ambition is historic, and the risks are just as large as the opportunity.

QSR Pro Staff•9 min read•2

Industry Analysis•March 2026

The Tariff Whiplash: How the IEEPA Ruling and Section 122 Pivot Are Creating New Supply Chain Uncertainty for QSR

The Supreme Court struck down IEEPA-based tariffs in February, then the White House pivoted to Section 122 authority within four days. For QSR procurement teams, the legal ground has never shifted faster.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•2

Industry Analysis•March 2026

Brian Niccol's Starbucks Turnaround: How 'Back to Starbucks' Delivered the First Traffic Growth in Two Years

Starbucks posted its first U.S. transaction growth in eight quarters under CEO Brian Niccol. The playbook is surprisingly simple: faster drinks, fewer menu items, and a $600 million bet on people.

QSR Pro Staff•9 min read•2

Industry Analysis•March 2026

Raising Cane's Opens Its 1,000th Restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard

Raising Cane's milestone 1,000th location on Hollywood Boulevard is more than a vanity number. It signals a brand with serious scale ambitions, a World Cup strategy, and a founder finally coming home.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•1

Industry Analysis•March 2026

The QSR IPO Pipeline: Who's Going Public Next

Cava's IPO tripled in value. Wingstop returned 20x. Portillo's struggled. Several major chains are eyeing public offerings: Panera (complicated by debt), Raising Cane's (no rush), and others. Here's the pipeline and what makes a successful QSR IPO.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read•1

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•8 min read•1

Industry Analysis•March 2026

The Plant-Based QSR Bust: What Went Wrong

Beyond Meat's stock is down 90% from peak. Impossible shelved its IPO. Most QSR chains quietly removed plant-based items. The revolution that was supposed to replace meat fizzled. Here's the autopsy: overestimated markets, price premiums, taste gaps, and novelty fatigue.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read•1

Industry Analysis•March 2026

Starbucks Posts First Comparable Transaction Growth in Eight Quarters as Niccol's Turnaround Takes Hold

Starbucks delivered 4% global comparable sales growth in Q1 FY2026, with $9.9B in revenue. U.S. transaction growth turned positive for the first time in two years.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•1

Industry Analysis•March 2026

Chipotle Under Scott Boatwright: How the Post-Niccol Era Is Reshaping the Fast-Casual Giant

Scott Boatwright inherited one of fast casual's best-run machines, then immediately faced slowing traffic and a skeptical market. His operational DNA and protein-forward strategy offer a clear picture of where Chipotle is headed.

QSR Pro Staff•9 min read•1

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•1

Industry Analysis•March 2026

Starbucks' 1,000-Store Makeover and the Death of Pickup-Only

Starbucks is overhauling at least 1,000 North American locations by year-end while phasing out the mobile-order pickup stores it championed just two years ago. The reversal offers a case study in unit economics, brand identity, and when the digital-first playbook breaks down.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read•1

Industry Analysis•March 2026

Fatburger Opens in Paris: First of 30 Locations Planned Across France by 2028

FAT Brands is pushing Fatburger into France with 30 units targeted by 2028, starting with a new location near Paris. The expansion raises a pointed question for the industry: can a financially distressed franchisor build a winning international presence while fighting through Chapter 11 at home?

QSR Pro Staff•6 min read•1

Industry Analysis•March 2026

Burger King's $350 Million China Bet: RBI and CPE Target 4,000 Restaurants by 2035

Restaurant Brands International has completed a joint venture with CPE that injects $350 million into Burger King China, targeting 4,000 locations by 2035. With CPE taking 83% ownership and a 20-year master development agreement in place, this is the biggest QSR international expansion bet of 2026.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read•1

Industry Analysis•March 2026

Chick-fil-A's Daybright Cafe Is Its Biggest Strategic Bet in Decades

Chick-fil-A is testing a standalone beverage concept called Daybright, its first venture outside the core chicken restaurant format. With Starbucks in turnaround mode and the U.S. specialty beverage market worth over $48 billion, the timing could not be better.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read•1

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•1

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