January 2014 Top 20 Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts

January 2014 Top 20 Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts

First published by RestaurantChains.net and reissued from the archives in May 2026.

Included brands met established growth thresholds used in the publication’s research process.

See also: 3rd Quarter 2013 Top Ten Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts and March 2014 Top Ten Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts

(Began period with between 50-300 units)

Quarter ending, January 2014

Rank Name Cuisine Service Type Start Count Growth End Count Growth % Research Ended Trading States
1 SWEET TOMATOES American Buffet 84 44 128 52% 10/10/2013 AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, KS, MO, NC, NM, NV, OR, TX, UT, WA
2 SMASHBURGER Burger Fast Casual 162 58 220 36% 7/23/2013 AB, AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA
3 PJ'S COFFEE & TEA Coffee Fast Casual 51 15 66 29% 9/5/2013 AR, GA, LA, MS, NJ
4 VAPIANO Italian Fast Casual 106 24 130 23% 7/24/2013 DC, FL, IL, MD, NC, NY, VA
5 GOLDEN CHICK Chicken Quick Serve 97 18 115 19% 8/20/2013 GA, OK, SC, TX,
6 MELLOW MUSHROOM Pizza Fast Casual 142 25 167 18% 10/7/2013 AL, AR, AZ, CO, DC, FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, MS, NC, NE, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, VA
7 QUAKER STEAK & LUBE American Casual 52 9 61 17% 7/23/2013 CO, FL, IA, IL, IN, KY, MI, NC, ND, NJ, NY, OH, ON, PA, SC, TN, VA, WI, WV
8 BONEFISH GRILL Seafood Upscale 166 26 192 16% 10/10/2013 AL, AR, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI
9 BJ'S RESTAURANTS American Casual 121 17 138 14% 8/8/2013 AZ, CA, CO, FL, IN, KS, KY, LA, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, TX, WA
10 TIJUANA FLATS BURRITO COMPANY Mexican Fast Casual 82 11 93 13% 7/23/2013 FL, IN, NC, PA, VA
11 FARMER BOYS American Casual 65 7 72 11% 8/28/2013 CA, NV
12 JACK'S FAMILY RESTAURANTS American Quick Serve 112 10 122 9% 8/20/2013 AL, GA, MS, TN,
13 CAFE RIO Mexican Fast Casual 59 4 63 7% 9/17/2013 AZ, CA, CO, ID, MD, MT, NV, UT, VA, WA, WY
14 BUCA DI BEPPO Italian Upscale 95 6 101 6% 9/16/2013 AZ, CA, CO, DC. FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NM, NV, NY, OH, PA, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI
15 EAST OF CHICAGO PIZZA Pizza Buffet 73 2 75 3% 8/20/2013 IN, KY, OH, SC, WV
16 WOW CAFE & WINGERY Chicken Fast Casual 60 2 62 3% 9/5/2013 AL, AR, AZ, CA, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NM, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI
17 LOGAN'S ROADHOUSE American Casual 251 8 259 3% 9/19/2013 AL, AR, AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MO, MS,
18 CORNER BAKERY CAFE Bakery Cafe Fast Casual 148 4 152 3% 9/30/2013 AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, MD, MS, NJ, NM, NY, PA, RI, TX, UT, VA
19 CHICKEN EXPRESS Chicken Quick Serve 186 3 189 2% 10/3/2013 AR, GA, LA, OK, TX
20 BEEF O'BRADY'S American Casual 215 3 218 2% 10/10/2013 AL, AR, AZ, CA, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, OH, SC, TN, TX, VA,

Research Notes

Unit ranges, including starting, growth and ending counts, reflect growth information from each company’s research date range as recorded in the original RestaurantChains.net archive.

RestaurantChains.net presents quarterly lists of Top 20 Fastest Growing Concepts based on recent growth captured during the re-verification process. Information is derived from the continual process of interviewing and verifying more than 7300 restaurant chain concepts.

Parameters Considered

  • A restaurant chain or group with at least 50 units.
  • A restaurant chain or group who began the period with fewer than 300 units.
  • A restaurant chain or group who grew by at least 2 units.
  • A restaurant chain or group that is a unique brand/concept, not a franchisee.
  • A concept with growth within the U.S. or Canada.
  • A restaurant chain or group with reliable information available regarding unit counts and activity.

Repeat Concept Leaders

This report includes concepts that appeared on previous RestaurantChains.net growth lists.

  1. BUCA DI BEPPO
  2. CHICKEN EXPRESS
  3. CORNER BAKERY CAFÉ
  4. JACK'S FAMILY RESTAURANTS
  5. LOGAN'S ROADHOUSE
  6. MELLOW MUSHROOM
  7. PJ'S COFFEE & TEA
  8. SMASHBURGER
  9. SWEET TOMATOES
  10. TIJUANA FLATS BURRITO COMPANY
  11. VAPIANO
  12. WOW CAFÉ & WINGERY

Readers should know that unit counts and percentages are not annualized and relate to recent growth only. Companies on the list are placed without opinion and are a result of academic research.

For supplier prospecting and restaurant chain growth data, visit RestaurantData.com.

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