The new restaurant in your area may look familiar.
Chains owned by publicly traded restaurant companies accounted for half of the top 10 fastest-growing retail brands in the U.S. last year, according to a new Yelp report.
Review site Yelp compiled the list using a blended metric that includes net new openings, searches on its platform from 2022 to 2023, and consumer interest as measured by page visits, photos posted, and reviews written. Of the 50 fastest-growing chains in Yelp's report, 35 were restaurant brands.
Jack in the box, First watch And Dutch Brothers were among the public restaurant chains included in the report, but they did not make the top 10. Including listed retailers Levi Strauss, Northstream And Costco.
Here are the top 10 fastest growing brands, based on Yelp research:
1. Cava
CAVA, on the New York Stock Exchange during its initial public offering, June 14, 2023.
Source: NYSE
The Mediterranean fast-casual chain went public 10 months ago in an initial public offering, raising nearly $318 million. Cava said in a regulatory filing that it planned to use the proceeds from the offering to open new locations and for general corporate purposes. It opened a net 30 new locations in the second half of 2023 and plans to open at least 48 this year.
2. Scooter coffee
Mascots for Scooter's Coffee race around the warning track during a Pacific Coast League game between the Omaha Storm Chasers and the Memphis Redbirds on April 26, 2019 at Werner Park in Omaha, Nebraska.
Zechariah Lucy | Four seam images | via AP
The Midwestern coffee chain was founded in Nebraska in 1998, but only recently began expanding aggressively through franchise locations. The standard ride-alone location is only 60 square meters in size. The restaurant's small size makes it cheaper to operate and faster to build, allowing the chain and its franchisees to quickly accelerate development.
Scooter's net new locations increased 53% from 2022 to 2023, giving it the largest percentage growth of any restaurant brand on the list, according to Yelp.
3. LongHorn Steakhouse
Customers leave a LongHorn Steakhouse restaurant on June 22, 2023 in Skokie, Illinois.
Scott Olson | Getty Images
The Darden Restaurants steakhouse had more than 560 locations nationwide at the end of fiscal 2023 in Darden. Since the pandemic began, the casual dining chain's revenue has consistently outperformed the restaurant industry average, fueled in part by strong growth in its takeout business.
Parent company Darden plans to open at least 50 new locations across its brands in fiscal 2024.
4. The Custom Burger Grill
Source: Habit Burger Grill
When Yum brands bought the California-based burger chain in 2020, its footprint was fewer than 280 restaurants, dwarfed by Yum's other chains: Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC. But Yum has accelerated development of the Habit Burger Grill since the deal closed. At the end of 2023, the chain had 378 locations on the east and west coasts.
5. Wawa
A Wawa store rental sign in Bethany Beach, Delaware.
Stephanie Dhue | CNBC
Although Wawa is a grocery store and gas station chain, its loyal fans probably know it more for its cheesesteaks and hoagies. The chain is expanding beyond its stronghold in Philadelphia into new markets along the Atlantic Coast. It has also opened drive-thru locations, further expanding restaurant territory.
6. Popeyes Louisiana Cuisine
Owner of Tim Horton to buy Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. The parent company of Tim Hortons and Burger King said it will pay $1.8 billion in cash to buy the Popeyes chain. (Randy Risling/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Randy Risling | Toronto star | Getty Images
The Restaurant brands International The chain's famous chicken sandwich has helped fuel the growth of new restaurants in the U.S. and abroad. Popeyes' increased sales have encouraged franchisees to open more locations and led to new operators joining the brand, Restaurant Brands executives have previously said.
In 2023, Popeyes surpassed KFC as the second most popular chicken chain in the US by sales, trailing only Chick-fil-A.
7. Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers create fresh, made-to-order dishes in Lansing, Kansas.
Michael Siluk | UCG | Universal Image Group | Getty Images
Private equity firm Thompson Street Capital Partners bought the Midwestern fast-casual chain in 2021 for an undisclosed amount. Under new ownership, Freddy's has ramped up its development, opening restaurants in new locations such as airports and attracting new franchisees. Last year, the burger joint opened 62 new locations, setting a new development record for the chain and reaching more than 500 locations in total.
8. Collection house
Rally House employees wait in a closed store after Super Bowl LV between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on February 7, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Kyle Rivas | Getty Images
Rally House is the only clothing retailer to rank in the top 10 of Yelp's report. The store, which sells team equipment and sportswear for professional and college teams, has set its own record for new openings. In August, it opened seven locations in one weekend. Although its footprint is largely concentrated in the Midwest, its stores now stretch from Pennsylvania to Arizona.
9. Olive garden
A sign marks the location of an Olive Garden restaurant on June 22, 2023 in Lincolnwood, Illinois.
Scott Olson | Getty Images
The Italian-inspired chain is the gem of it Darden Restaurants' portfolio, accounting for almost half of the company's total turnover. It's also the rare casual-dining chain to open locations and add about 20 new restaurants in fiscal 2023.
10. Jersey Mike's substitutes
A sign is placed in front of a Jersey Mike's Subs store on April 5, 2024 in Petaluma, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images
Jersey Mike's is the second-largest U.S. sandwich chain, trailing only Subway in number of stores. The current footprint is approximately 2,700 restaurants but is growing rapidly. And despite the name and origins, most of the restaurants are now located in California, Texas and Florida.
The privately held sandwich chain is also reportedly looking for a buyer, according to a Wall Street Journal report last week. Blackstone's interest in Jersey Mike's has reportedly cooled, but a new owner could further ramp up the chain's development.