Same store sales report on 20+ major restaurant chains

Sep 02, 2025 • 5 min read

The second quarter confirmed a clear consumer shift: price-conscious diners are rewarding value and punishing complexity. Fast casual slowed. QSR steadied. Casual dining split in two—some found their bottom, others kept falling. Here’s how 21 major U.S. chains performed in Q2, according to company disclosures and CenterCheck sales tracking.

Sweetgreen –7.6% same-store sales The worst performer in the cohort. Traffic fell sharply in urban lunch corridors, where the brand depends on 11:30–2:00 weekday frequency. The chain pulled Ripple Fries to simplify ops, cut 10% of support-center staff, and downgraded full-year guidance. CenterCheck data confirms the sales drop is structural, not seasonal.

Chipotle Negative same-store sales One of its softest quarters since 2020. Traffic dipped, comps declined. Late-quarter gains give hope for Q3, but frequency is still under pressure. The chain is expanding LTO cadence and leaning harder on loyalty. Base pricing now flirts with premium fast casual—without premium daypart reach.

Cava Flat traffic, modest comp growth The Mediterranean chain held comps positive, but only via upsell. Traffic was flat. Price sensitivity hasn’t hit yet, but market saturation may. Premium attachments helped, but this was Cava’s first true stall since IPO.

Wingstop Negative comps First same-store sales decline since Q2 2022. Tough comparisons from last year’s 28.4% jump made growth hard to sustain. Management is leaning on digital kitchen upgrades to reaccelerate throughput.

Shake Shack Low single-digit comp growth Growth came from pricing, not traffic. Mix shifted slightly toward premium, but customer count sagged. The chain is increasing paid media spend to stabilize visits.

Potbelly +3% same-store sales Quietly one of the best-performing fast casual chains. Positive traffic, new unit growth, and above-plan comp performance. Menu updates and tech investments continue to lift results.

McDonald’s +2.5% same-store sales The Golden Arches are back. Menu innovation (McCrispy), loyalty expansion, and the $5 Meal Deal helped reverse recent softness. Frequency rose, especially among loyalty members, who now visit 2x as often as non-members.

Taco Bell +4% same-store sales Yum’s top performer again. Value menus, constant LTOs, and loyalty gains kept traffic healthy. Still the blueprint for QSR growth in a price-sensitive environment.

KFC Negative same-store sales Still stuck in turnaround mode. Menu retooling and marketing reset are underway, but value clarity remains weak. Yum is betting on nostalgic LTOs to stop the bleeding.

Pizza Hut –5% same-store sales Another weak quarter. New products haven’t shifted the value equation. Promotions like Wing Wednesday and $2 personal pans are helping, but transaction softness persists.

Burger King Positive same-store sales Momentum returned. Remodels (especially former Carrols units), a barbell pricing strategy, and improved marketing lifted comps. Refranchising is accelerating under this improved performance.

Popeyes Flat to slightly negative comps Sales growth from 2023 disappeared. Execution remains the story. The “Easy-to-Run” store model is in rollout, but store-level consistency remains the chain’s core challenge.

Domino’s Positive same-store sales Delivery is rebounding. Third-party integrations (Uber Eats + DoorDash) are now fully live, helping reverse declining delivery comps. Parmesan-Stuffed Crust also lifted ticket size.

Papa Johns +6% in core pizza category Comp growth driven by core product performance. Transaction count rose 1%, which helped validate the current menu focus. The brand is prioritizing pizza over innovation—and it’s working.

Starbucks Sixth straight comp decline Comps fell again, but the bleeding slowed. $500M in labor investment and $150M in store remodels are aimed at turning perception around. Loyalty is stable; traffic is not. Store experience is now the bet.

Applebee’s Returned to positive same-store sales A clean bounce. Menu innovation and value bundles reversed the sales slide. Traffic improved. First true momentum shift in several quarters.

IHOP Negative same-store sales Six straight down quarters. Younger diners are not returning in numbers. Value platform is in rollout, but marketing has yet to translate into visit growth.

Denny’s –1.3% same-store sales Improved from Q1’s –3% decline, but still negative. California exposure, especially in L.A. and San Francisco, dragged results. Buy-One-Get-One Slam deals helped recover lapsed traffic.

Olive Garden Positive same-store sales Third straight quarter of growth. The Buy One, Take One offer returned and drove solid check growth. Off-premise remains a bright spot. Uber Direct integration is now live systemwide.

Chili’s +23% same-store sales The breakout of the casual dining group. Three years into its turnaround, traffic and sales are accelerating. Strongest comp in the sector by far. Brand sentiment and operational execution are aligned.

Wendy’s Negative same-store sales Comps fell again. Leadership pointed to diluted marketing and lack of product focus. Chicken tenders and cold brew are coming in Q4, but clarity—and frequency—remain issues.

In Q2 2025, price clarity beat novelty. Brands that simplified their message, leaned into loyalty, or built strong value ladders found their footing. Those that stayed premium without operational precision—or without a second day part—saw frequency slide. The next few quarters will reveal whether fast casual finds a reset, or whether QSR reclaims the playbook for reliable growth.