US Quick Service Restaurants Market Report 2026
Fast food is embedded in weekly routines, but consumers are becoming more selective in how and where they spend.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Outlook for quick service restaurants
- Opportunities
- Create new entry points with snack and beverage bundles
- Quality cues can help where convenience alone doesn’t win
- Protein-forward offerings appeal to the younger crowd
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THE MARKET
- Market size and forecast
- Foodservice consumers and the economic outlook
- Graph 1: changes made to household budgets in the past six months, 2024-25
- Inflation reinforces QSRs’ relative value advantage
- Graph 2: consumer price index for all urban consumers – food AH and AFH, not seasonally adjusted, 2025-26
- Social media can drive discovery, but trust will shape impact
- Graph 3: attitudes towards social media trends, 2026
- MAHA elevates oil choice as a foodservice differentiator
- The fried chicken rage isn’t slowing down
- Market size and forecast
- Market size and forecast of limited service restaurants
- Graph 4: total US retail sales and forecast of limited service eating places*, at current prices, 2019-30
- Retail sales and forecast of limited service restaurants
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THE CONSUMER
- Fast food visitation and usage
- Younger consumers are diverse diners, but default to QSR
- Graph 5: type of restaurants ordered from, by generation, February 2026
- Think quality and premium
- Midday drives fast food visitation
- The workday is shifting how fast food is used
- Graph 6: behaviors towards fast food restaurants, by work from home status, 2026
- Fast food demand is driven by cost and convenience
- Graph 7: visitation frequency, 2024-26
- Consumers want quality… and value
- Graph 8: attitudes and behaviors towards fast food, 2026
- Technology in ordering brings ease, but requires balance
- Graph 9: restaurant ordering methods, by generation, 2026
- What are consumers ordering?
- Fast food wins on everyday staples, not range
- Graph 10: type of menu item ordered by restaurant type, 2026
- QSR convenience isn’t enough to win sandwiches, wraps, and pizza
- Gen Z expands entry points into fast food
- Graph 11: type of menu item ordered – fast food, by generation, 2026
- Small bites can expand fast food’s role
- Graph 12: behaviors towards fast food restaurants, by generation, 2026
- Not all menu items carry equal weight
- Graph 13: type of menu item ordered – fast food, by financial situation, 2026
- What’s most important in the QSR experience?
- Quality drives fast food decisions
- Graph 14: most important factors at fast food restaurants, 2026
- Convenience gets the visit, quality justifies the spend
- The decision extends beyond the meal for younger consumers
- Graph 15: most important factors at fast food restaurants, by generation, 2026
- Healthier choices can help justify the decision for parents
- Graph 16: most important factors at fast food restaurants, by parental status, 2026
- Fast food engagement peaks among middle-income consumers
- Graph 17: most important factors at fast food restaurants, by financial situation, 2026
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING
- The Big Arch launched in a big (loud) way
- QSRs are diversifying
- Burger King leans on AI to evaluate and elevate customer service
- Brands continue to push protein
- Tiered value offerings means there’s something for everyone
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APPENDIX
- Market definition
- The market
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market forecast table: LSRs at inflation-adjusted prices
- The consumer
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology – US
- Abbreviations
"Fast food remains routine, but is challenged by consumers more actively evaluating value, quality, and experience before choosing where to dine."
Pooja Lal, Research Analyst
US Fast Food Industry – Trends and Insights
- Fast food is embedded in weekly routines, but US consumers are becoming more selective in how and where they spend. While nearly three-quarters say fast food is worth the money when quality feels high, many also believe it has become too expensive, driving a more deliberate decision-making process.
- This is shifting the category from a simple, default choice to one that requires evaluation. Visits are tied to routine occasions, but these moments are becoming more competitive, with other channels able to meet the same needs around cost and convenience. As a result, QSRs must work harder to justify their role in everyday dining.
- Younger consumers are expanding how and when fast food is used, driving demand for more flexible formats, and their ordering behaviors are spread across multiple channels. Technology is enabling this access, but also introducing friction, raising expectations for ease and consistency across touchpoints.
- Brands that clearly signal quality and simplify the experience can strengthen their relevance in consideration sets and support trade-ups. Those that rely on convenience alone risk losing share in categories where quality expectations are higher, as well as in everyday occasions where competition continues to intensify.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
- Market size and forecast for limited-service restaurants
- Restaurant visitation and frequency
- Types of fast food ordered
- Fast food decision factors
- Attitudes and behaviors towards fast food restaurants
- QSR launch activity and marketing
Market Definitions
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following restaurant definitions:
- Quick service restaurants – Used interchangeably with “fast food,” QSRs specialize in inexpensive, convenient meals with no waiter service, no alcoholic beverages and a low price point. Examples include McDonald’s, KFC, Taco Bell, Wendy’s and Pizza Hut.
- Fast casual restaurants – These establishments are characterized by a higher price point than QSRs, though not as high as full service restaurants. Fast casuals do not offer waiter service and may or may not serve alcohol. Examples include: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panera Bread, Shake Shack and Blaze Pizza.
- Limited service restaurants – LSRs provide food services, and customers usually select and order items and pay before dining. Food and drink may be consumed on the premises, offered as carryout or delivered to the customer’s location. These may also sell alcoholic beverages. LSRs include both QSRs and fast casual restaurants. The other category within LSRs (as seen in the Market Size and Forecast) includes snacks and nonalcoholic beverage bars, cafeterias, grills and grill buffets.
- Full service restaurants – FSRs have waiter/waitress service, and customers order and are served while seated. These may also sell alcoholic beverages and offer carryout services. They include the restaurant segments: family midscale, casual dining and fine dining.
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