December 2012 Top 20 Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts

REI links, ownership references and reuse terms reviewed October 19, 2026. Historical figures reflect the original research periods.

Archive status: Historical RestaurantChains.net growth ranking associated with December 2012 and republished May 30, 2026. The figures are point-in-time research values, not current unit counts.

The restaurant concepts below qualified based on verified increases in operating locations. This historical ranking covers concepts that began the measured period with between 50 and 300 units.

See also: Fourth Quarter 2012 Top 20 Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts · Third Quarter 2013 Top Ten Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts

Restaurant names are linked only where a matching current public profile is verified in RestaurantData’s Restaurant Enterprise Index™.

REI identifies a current company, parent-company or documented acquirer profile in the Restaurant Enterprise Index. Separately named parents have their own links. Ownership and acquisition notes are distinct from the historical report figures.

Historical unit-growth ranking for restaurant concepts beginning with 50–300 units.
RankRestaurant ConceptCuisineService TypeStart CountUnit GrowthEnd CountGrowth %Research EndedTrading States
1SWEET FROG PREMIUM FROZEN YOGURTREIUltimate parent: MTY Food GroupCurrent parent: Kahala BrandsIce CreamQuick Serve135165300122%21/15/2013AL, CA, CT, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV
2YOGURTLANDREIIce CreamQuick Serve1506321342%2/15/2013AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, IL, LA, MO, NJ, NV, NY, OR, TX, UT, WA
3ORANGE LEAF FROZEN YOGURTIce CreamQuick Serve2057528037%1/26/2012AL, AR, AZ, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NY, OH, OK, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV
4DICKEY’S BARBECUE PITREIBBQFast Casual2406930929%2/16/2013AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV, WY
5HABIT BURGER GRILLREIUltimate parent: Yum! BrandsBurgerQuick Serve54146826%12/29/2012AZ, CA
6SCHLOTZSKY’S DELIREIUltimate parent: Roark Capital GroupCurrent parent: GoTo FoodsAmericanFast Casual2985235017%2/17/2013AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV
7NATHAN’S FAMOUSAmericanFast Casual2694030915%1/20/2012AL, AR, AZ, CA, CT, FL, GA, KY, MA, MI, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, WV
8CAPRIOTTI’S SANDWICH SHOPREISandwichFast Casual75108513%2/20/2013AZ, CA, DE, FL, IA, MA, MD, NC, NV, PA, TX, UT, WI
9NOODLES & COREIAmericanFast Casual2963733313%1/5/2012CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI
10TUBBY’S GRILLED SUBMARINESSandwichQuick Serve5365911%1/20/2013MI
11PIZZA NOVAREIPizzaQuick Serve1261313910%1/13/2012ON
12PANCHERO’S MEXICAN GRILLMexicanFast Casual524568%2/27/2013AZ, CO, CT, FL, IA, IL, MD, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, NJ, NY, PA, SD, VA, WI
13JASON’S DELIREIAmericanFast Casual228152437%2/15/2013AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA
14IN-N-OUT BURGERSREIBurgerQuick Serve266152816%1/6/2012AZ, CA, NV, TX, UT
15PENN STATION EAST COAST SUBSREISandwichFast Casual243122555%2/27/2013IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MO, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV
16CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHENREIItalian & PizzaFamily/Casual266112774%1/26/2012AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI
17NATURE’S TABLE CAFEAmericanFast Casual723754%1/2/2012CA, CO, FL, GA, KS, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA
18BLENZ COFFEE COCoffeeQuick Serve582603%2/14/2013BC
19DAVE & BUSTER’SREIAmericanFamily/Casual592613%1/15/2013AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NY, OH, OK, ON, PA, RI, TN, TX, VA, WI
20PIZZA PATRONPizzaTake-Out10221042%12/14/2012AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, NV, TX

Unit counts, percentages, trading areas, and research-ended dates are preserved from the historical archive. Growth percentages are not annualized.

Research Notes

Starting, growth, and ending unit counts reflect each company’s research period as recorded in the original RestaurantChains.net archive.

The ranking was produced through RestaurantChains.net’s continuing human-led process of interviewing and verifying more than 7,300 restaurant chain concepts. For standardized definitions of restaurant concepts, unit counts, growth, ownership, and development activity, consult the Restaurant Chain Data Dictionary.

Parameters Considered

  • A restaurant chain or group with at least 50 units.
  • A restaurant chain or group that began the period with fewer than 300 units.
  • A restaurant chain or group that grew by at least two units.
  • A unique restaurant brand or concept, not a franchisee organization.
  • A concept with growth in the United States or Canada.
  • A restaurant chain or group with reliable unit-count and activity information available.

Repeat Concept Leaders

These concepts also appeared on previous RestaurantChains.net growth lists:

  1. Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop
  2. Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
  3. Nature’s Table Café
  4. Pizza Patron
  5. Yogurtland

Placement reflects the recorded qualification criteria and research results, not editorial opinion. The rankings should be interpreted as historical observations rather than current company comparisons.

Citation and Use

When referencing this report, identify the figures as historical, retain each concept’s recorded research-ended date, and do not represent the unit counts as current.

Suggested citation: RestaurantChains.net, “December 2012 Top 20 Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts,” historical archive ranking, republished May 30, 2026; updated September 16, 2026.

This page preserves the archived ranking while adding current navigation, profile links, and structured metadata.

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Preferred citation: “Source: Restaurantdata.com, December 2012 Top 20 Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts.” Original report: https://restaurantchains.net/december-2012-top-20-fastest-growing-restaurant-concepts/

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