How Chick-fil-A took over America, explained in 6 charts

Kate Taylor,Yutong Yuan

Aug 9, 2019, 18:25 IST

Chick-fil-A is taking over American fast food.
The chain is the third-largest in the US by sales, growing revenue by 16.7% in 2018 to reach nearly $10.5 billion.
Read on to see six charts that reveal how Chick-fil-A pulled off its American dominance.
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Chick-fil-A is one of the most dominant brands in fast food in 2019.

The chain is the third-largest in the US by sales, growing revenue by 16.7% in 2018 to reach nearly $10.5 billion, according to Nation's Restaurant News. Over the last decade, it has nearly tripled its annual sales.

Chick-fil-A managed to take over fast food with a fraction of the locations of other brands. And, experts say it shows no sign of stopping.

"Can they double that? I think that is a very reasonable goal for them," Kalinowski Equity Research founder Mark Kalinowski told Business Insider of Chick-fil-A's sales growth in May.

"I would be suprised if they didn't double that in the not-too-distant future," Kalinowski added. "Can they reach $30 billion? I think that's also a realistic goal if you give them enough time. And that should put them ahead of Starbucks."

Read on for six charts that reveal why Chick-fil-A is dominating fast food:

How Chick-fil-A took over America, explained in 6 charts

Last year, Chick-fil-A went from No. 7 to No. 3 on Nation's Restaurant News' list of the biggest chains in food by sales.

It's an accomplishment made all the more impressive when you realize how many fewer locations Chick-fil-A has than fast-food rivals.

Chick-fil-A manages to beat out competitors with way more locations because each location makes far more than rivals.

And, Chick-fil-A is only getting better at squeezing more money out of each individual restaurant.

A major reason why Chick-fil-A's locations make so much money is that each operator typically only runs one location, meaning they tend to be more hands-on in restaurants. Potential operators' wealth isn't taken into consideration, which helps attract a wide range of applicants.

How Chick-fil-A took over America, explained in 6 charts

Last year, Chick-fil-A went from No. 7 to No. 3 on Nation's Restaurant News' list of the biggest chains in food by sales.

It's an accomplishment made all the more impressive when you realize how many fewer locations Chick-fil-A has than fast-food rivals.

Chick-fil-A manages to beat out competitors with way more locations because each location makes far more than rivals.

And, Chick-fil-A is only getting better at squeezing more money out of each individual restaurant.

A major reason why Chick-fil-A's locations make so much money is that each operator typically only runs one location, meaning they tend to be more hands-on in restaurants. Potential operators' wealth isn't taken into consideration, which helps attract a wide range of applicants.

It's clear that Chick-fil-A's system is working. Sales have skyrocketed in recent years and are showing no sign of slowing.