September 2011 Top 20 Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts

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

Preserved from original RestaurantChains.net research files and republished in May 2026.

Included companies achieved sufficient growth to earn placement in this ranking.

See also: July 2011 Top Ten Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts and June Release of April 2012 Top Ten Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts

(Began period with between 50-200 units)

Research Period: 4/21/11 to 7/20/11. Count verification end date 9/15/2011.

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.

Rank Name Cuisine Service Type Start Count Growth End Count Growth % Research Ended Trading States
1 VAPIANO Italian Fast Casual 90 13 103 14% 6/7/2011 DC, FL, IL, MA, MD, NC, NY, TX, VA
2 RAISING CANE’SREI Chicken Quick Serve 93 10 103 11% 5/12/2011 AL, CO, GA, KY, LA, MA, MN, MS, NE, NV, OH, OK, SC, TX, VA
3 COOK OUTREI BBQ Take-out 75 8 83 11% 6/28/2011 NC
4 SMASHBURGERREIUltimate parent: Jollibee Group Burger Fast Casual 93 7 100 8% 6/23/2011 AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NV, OH, OK, TX, UT
5 HAPPY’S PIZZAREICurrent parent: Happy Group Pizza Take-out 64 5 69 8% 6/21/2011 IL, MI, NV, OH
6 HARTZ RESTAURANTS INTERNATIONAL INC Chicken Quick Serve 58 4 62 7% 7/19/2011 TX
7 RED MANGOREICurrent parent: Legacy Brands International Ice Cream/Yogurt Quick Serve 132 8 140 6% 7/19/2011 AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, LA, MA, MD, MN, MO, NC, NE, NJ, NV, NY, OH, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI
8 BIGGBY COFFEEREI Coffee Quick Serve 116 7 123 6% 5/10/2011 IL, MI, OH, SC, TX, WI
9 GRANDY’S RESTAURANT American Family/Casual 70 4 74 6% 5/10/2011 FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, NM, OK, TX,
10 PICK UP STIX Chinese Fast Casual 70 4 74 6% 6/23/2011 CA
11 CAPRIOTTI’S SANDWICH SHOPREI Sandwich Fast Casual 65 3 68 5% 7/7/2011 AZ, CA, DE, FL, IA, MD, NJ, NV, PA, UT, WI
12 RICKY’S RESTAURANTS American Family/Casual 57 2 59 4% 7/19/2011 AB, BC, ON, SK, YT
13 SUB STATION II Sandwich Quick Serve 56 2 58 4% 7/19/2011 GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, VA
14 CHAMPPS AMERICANA American Family/Casual 56 2 58 4% 7/19/2011 CO, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, MD, MI, MN, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SD, TX, VA, WI
15 CHEDDAR’S CASUAL CAFÉREIUltimate parent: Darden Restaurants American Family/Casual 89 3 92 3% 5/19/2011 AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MO, MS, NC, OH, OK, TN, TX, VA, WA
16 NATURE’S TABLE CAFÉ American Fast Casual 70 2 72 3% 6/28/2011 CA, CO, FL, GA, KS, OK, SC, TX, VA, WA
17 PIZZA BOLI’S Pizza Take-out 60 2 62 3% 7/19/2011 DC, MD, PA, VA
18 DUTCH BROS COFFEEREI Coffee Take-Out 156 3 159 2% 5/23/2011 AZ, CA, CO, ID, NV, OR, WV
19 GOLDEN SPOON FROZEN YOGURT Ice Cream/Yogurt Quick Serve 123 3 126 2% 6/21/2011 AZ, CA, CO, NV, UT
20 SCOOTER’S COFFEEHOUSEREI Coffee Quick Serve 84 2 86 2% 6/27/2011 CO, IA, KS, MO, NE, SD, TX

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 200 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. BIGGBY COFFEE
  2. CAPRIOTTI’S SANDWICH SHOP
  3. CHEDDAR’S CASUAL CAFÉ
  4. GOLDEN SPOON FROZEN YOGURT
  5. HAPPY’S PIZZA
  6. RAISING CANE’S
  7. RED MANGO
  8. SMASHBURGER
  9. VAPIANO

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 company-level restaurant growth data and chain profiles, visit RestaurantData.com.

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Preferred citation: “Source: Restaurantdata.com, September 2011 Top 20 Fastest Growing Restaurant Concepts.” Original report: https://restaurantchains.net/september-2011-top-20-fastest-growing-restaurant-concepts/

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