Quick service restaurants, or QSRs, are everywhere, and Fred Hubler makes the case that shifting business models create a real investment opportunity. He cites Toasttab data showing 37% of US adults eat fast food every day, with the market growing to over $362 billion in 2022 per IBIS World, and Chipotle alone seeing digital sales jump more than 216%, fueled in part by the pandemic.
He backs this up with more numbers: CNN reports roughly 84.8 million Americans eat fast food on any given day, and QSR market share grew 3% from 2017 to 2022, with QSRs now representing 50% of sales in the restaurant sector overall. Hubler notes what these restaurants have in common: fast service, limited menus, drive-thru and takeout with no wait staff, and menu items typically priced between $1 and $10, citing familiar names like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and KFC.
Fast food isn’t just a meal choice anymore – it’s a multi-hundred-billion-dollar industry investors are starting to take seriously.
Hubler’s full breakdown, including how these funds actually work, is on Forbes, Don’t Call It Fast Food: The Pros And Cons Of Investing In Quick Service Restaurants.