CHAPEL HILL, N.C., July 1, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In its July issue, FSR magazine identifies the 50 highest-performing leaders based on 2012 revenues in five segments of the full-service restaurant industry. Ten leading restaurants are named in each segment including casual dining, family dining, upscale dining, restaurant groups, and independent operators.
National and large regional chains dominated four of the categories: Applebee's tops the casual-dining segment with 2012 sales of $4.5 billion; IHOP led in the family-dining segment with $2.69 billion in sales; Ruth's Chris Steak House's revenues of $510 million outperformed others in the upscale-dining bracket; and Darden Restaurants surpassed other restaurant groups with annual revenues in excess of $8.4 billion.
The FSR 50 rounds out with 10 of the highest-performing independent restaurants that are stand-alone concepts, often landmarks in their respective markets, and most with 2012 revenues in excess of $20 million.
"Determining the restaurants to include in the FSR 50 required exhaustive research and due diligence," says Connie Gentry, editor of FSR. "To validate sales volumes we researched, interviewed, and either proved or removed names from the list until we identified the top performers." FSR consulted with Technomic and CHD Experts as part of its research.
Establishing a list of top-performing independent operators proved most challenging, but the research included a review of sales trends from 2010–2012 and in most instances 2012 revenues were confirmed by the restaurants.
"It's always fascinating to learn how an independent restaurant can generate $18, $20, or $25 million in annual sales—and one restaurant recorded $30 million in sales last year," says Gentry. "But it's also interesting to delve deeper into the numbers on the chain restaurants to evaluate year-over-year improvements, portfolio growth, and average unit volumes. For instance, sales grew 21 percent at Buffalo Wild Wings while unit growth climbed at a more modest 8.7 percent rate. And an average Cheesecake Factory unit produces $10 million in sales while the average Del Frisco's Steak House boasts $13.8 million."
The full FSR 50 report can be viewed at http://www.fsrmagazine.com/fsr50.
About FSR magazine:
Committed to delivering ideas and insights for full-service restaurants, FSR magazine (www.fsrmagazine.com) speaks to decision makers in a restaurant enterprise—owners, operators, chefs, and beverage managers, across all segments of the industry from fine dining to casual cafes, national chains to independently owned restaurants. The content encompasses full-service restaurant operations, food, and beverage—with a focus on the dining experience, culinary expertise, and the bar scene's contribution to restaurant revenues.
About Food News Media
Food News Media offers a full suite of media products to help operators and marketers connect with the entire $600 billion-plus U.S. restaurant industry. For more than two decades, the Chapel Hill, North Carolina–based publishing company has built a reputation for thought leadership and reporting on trends in dining for the American consumer.