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™.
| Rank | Restaurant Concept | Cuisine | Service Type | Start Count | Unit Growth | End Count | Growth % | Research Ended | Trading States |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SWEET FROG PREMIUM FROZEN YOGURT | Ice Cream | Quick Serve | 135 | 165 | 300 | 122% | 21/15/2013 | AL, CA, CT, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV |
| 2 | YOGURTLAND | Ice Cream | Quick Serve | 150 | 63 | 213 | 42% | 2/15/2013 | AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, IL, LA, MO, NJ, NV, NY, OR, TX, UT, WA |
| 3 | ORANGE LEAF FROZEN YOGURT | Ice Cream | Quick Serve | 205 | 75 | 280 | 37% | 1/26/2012 | AL, 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 |
| 4 | DICKEY'S BARBECUE PIT | BBQ | Fast Casual | 240 | 69 | 309 | 29% | 2/16/2013 | AR, 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 |
| 5 | HABIT BURGER GRILL | Burger | Quick Serve | 54 | 14 | 68 | 26% | 12/29/2012 | AZ, CA |
| 6 | SCHLOTZSKY'S DELI | American | Fast Casual | 298 | 52 | 350 | 17% | 2/17/2013 | AK, 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 |
| 7 | NATHAN'S FAMOUS | American | Fast Casual | 269 | 40 | 309 | 15% | 1/20/2012 | AL, AR, AZ, CA, CT, FL, GA, KY, MA, MI, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, WV |
| 8 | CAPRIOTTI'S SANDWICH SHOP | Sandwich | Fast Casual | 75 | 10 | 85 | 13% | 2/20/2013 | AZ, CA, DE, FL, IA, MA, MD, NC, NV, PA, TX, UT, WI |
| 9 | NOODLES & CO | American | Fast Casual | 296 | 37 | 333 | 13% | 1/5/2012 | CA, 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 |
| 10 | TUBBY'S GRILLED SUBMARINES | Sandwich | Quick Serve | 53 | 6 | 59 | 11% | 1/20/2013 | MI |
| 11 | PIZZA NOVA | Pizza | Quick Serve | 126 | 13 | 139 | 10% | 1/13/2012 | ON |
| 12 | PANCHERO'S MEXICAN GRILL | Mexican | Fast Casual | 52 | 4 | 56 | 8% | 2/27/2013 | AZ, CO, CT, FL, IA, IL, MD, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, NJ, NY, PA, SD, VA, WI |
| 13 | JASON'S DELI | American | Fast Casual | 228 | 15 | 243 | 7% | 2/15/2013 | AL, 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 |
| 14 | IN-N-OUT BURGERS | Burger | Quick Serve | 266 | 15 | 281 | 6% | 1/6/2012 | AZ, CA, NV, TX, UT |
| 15 | PENN STATION EAST COAST SUBS | Sandwich | Fast Casual | 243 | 12 | 255 | 5% | 2/27/2013 | IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MO, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV |
| 16 | CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN | Italian & Pizza | Family/Casual | 266 | 11 | 277 | 4% | 1/26/2012 | AL, 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 |
| 17 | NATURE'S TABLE CAFE | American | Fast Casual | 72 | 3 | 75 | 4% | 1/2/2012 | CA, CO, FL, GA, KS, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA |
| 18 | BLENZ COFFEE CO | Coffee | Quick Serve | 58 | 2 | 60 | 3% | 2/14/2013 | BC |
| 19 | DAVE & BUSTER'S | American | Family/Casual | 59 | 2 | 61 | 3% | 1/15/2013 | AZ, 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 |
| 20 | PIZZA PATRON | Pizza | Take-Out | 102 | 2 | 104 | 2% | 12/14/2012 | AZ, 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:
- Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop
- Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
- Nature’s Table Café
- Pizza Patron
- 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.
