In 2018, sandwich chain Subway was ranked as the leading quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand in the United States. The index rankings measured the strength of brands in the industry, evaluating key consumer segments such as brand quality, reputation, and customer satisfaction.
Subway still hungry for success
Subway received an index score of 30.5 in 2018, topping the rankings ahead of burger chain Wendy’s and pizza chain Pizza Hut. The company has grown into one of the most valuable QSR brands worldwide and operates around 41,600 stores. Subway opened its first store in Connecticut in 1965, selling 312 sandwiches on its first day. The company now dominates the QSR sandwich segment in the United States, with systemwide sales generating around 10.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2019.
The rise of the fast-food franchise
Consumer spending in the QSR industry increased each year in the U.S. from 2009 to 2018, but dropped by around 20 billion U.S. dollars in 2019. The industry includes both domestic company-owned restaurants and franchised stores. In 2019, there were an estimated 196,794 QSR franchise establishments across the country, and the franchise industry had an overall workforce of around 3.9 million employees.
Leading quick service restaurant (QSR) brands ranked by index ranking in the United States in 2018
YouGov BrandIndex’s Index score is a measure of overall brand health which takes into account consumers’ perceptions of a brand’s quality, value, impression, satisfaction, reputation and whether they would recommend the brand to others. The Index Rankings list shows the brands with the highest average Index scores between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018.
Index scores can range from 100 to -100 and are compiled by subtracting negative feedback from positive. A zero score means equal positive and negative feedback. All Index scores listed have been rounded to a single decimal place, however, we have used additional precision to assign ranks where the scores are tied.
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YouGov. (July 24, 2018). Leading quick service restaurant (QSR) brands ranked by index ranking in the United States in 2018 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/469210/leading-qsr-by-buzz-score-us/
YouGov. "Leading quick service restaurant (QSR) brands ranked by index ranking in the United States in 2018." Chart. July 24, 2018. Statista. Accessed December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/469210/leading-qsr-by-buzz-score-us/
YouGov. (2018). Leading quick service restaurant (QSR) brands ranked by index ranking in the United States in 2018. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/469210/leading-qsr-by-buzz-score-us/
YouGov. "Leading Quick Service Restaurant (Qsr) Brands Ranked by Index Ranking in The United States in 2018." Statista, Statista Inc., 24 Jul 2018, https://www.statista.com/statistics/469210/leading-qsr-by-buzz-score-us/
YouGov, Leading quick service restaurant (QSR) brands ranked by index ranking in the United States in 2018 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/469210/leading-qsr-by-buzz-score-us/ (last visited December 22, 2024)
Leading quick service restaurant (QSR) brands ranked by index ranking in the United States in 2018 [Graph], YouGov, July 24, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/469210/leading-qsr-by-buzz-score-us/