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Month: June 2025

New Opening Restaurant Signals, Semi-Annual Comparison: 2024 vs. 2025

Restaurantdata.com continuously identifies, verifies, and delivers new and pre-opening restaurant leads to operators, suppliers, and distributors across the U.S. on a weekly basis. Below is a comparison of weekly opening counts across the country, contrasting the final 22 weeks of 2024 with the first 22 weeks of 2025.

Total Raw: Complete count of all filing sources prior to de-duping and vetting.  |  Total Net: Restaurants researched and confirmed to be pre-opening or post-open (no later than 2–4 months after filing).

What the Trend Charts Show

Total Raw filings were consistently higher in H2 2024 (averaging 1,200–1,600 per week) compared to H1 2025, which has trended in the 900–1,500 range. The highest single week in the comparison period was the week of 10/24/2024 at 1,629 raw filings.

Total Net Issued tells a similar story- H2 2024 net counts were frequently in the 500–608 range during the peak September–October period, while H1 2025 has largely settled in the 390–516 range. New openings have been steadying after data indications of a slightly downward trend, as evidenced across multiple source categories including alcohol license applications, DBA and fictitious name filings, building permits, state incorporations, and LLC registrations.

The seasonal dip visible in late December and early January is consistent across both years. A normal pattern driven by reduced filing activity during the holiday period.

First 22 Weeks of 2025- Weekly Counts

Source: Restaurantdata.com · U.S. markets · January 2 – May 29, 2025

Week Ending DBAs Incs & LLCs Alcohol & Permits Total Raw Total Net
5/29/20254096011811,191438
5/22/20254887981021,388400
5/16/20252826821361,100443
5/8/20253516802061,237402
5/1/20255076322391,378496
4/24/20253365941791,109469
4/17/20254147521511,317393
4/10/20254107441491,303451
4/3/20253537991591,311410
3/27/20255347672081,509425
3/20/20253906171781,185458
3/13/20254614361721,069462
3/6/20254438241921,459399
2/27/20255156921111,318516
2/20/2025300412185897307
2/13/20254096171631,189469
2/6/20253985792131,190429
1/30/20255124911701,173359
1/23/20254235442001,167403
1/16/2025202446217865404
1/9/2025276448180904445
1/2/2025340459155954384

* Total Net reflects verified pre-opening or recently opened locations (no later than 2–4 months post-open), after de-duplication, cross-checking with chain HQ records, and geographic validation.

Last 22 Weeks of 2024- Weekly Counts

Source: Restaurantdata.com · U.S. markets · July 18 – December 19, 2024

Week Ending DBAs Incs & LLCs Alcohol & Permits Total Raw Total Net
12/19/20243185401441,002344
12/12/20244034042631,070559
12/5/20244385562301,224448
11/21/2024322384179885396
11/14/2024340271184795370
11/7/20243827221661,270479
10/31/20243597661831,308450
10/24/20246837362101,629607
10/17/20243556141761,145502
10/10/20244557312351,421575
10/3/20244266242291,279581
9/26/20244456371941,275499
9/19/20244697561581,383513
9/12/20245157572091,481608
9/5/20244896371851,311517
8/29/2024334459165958287
8/22/20243897691571,315472
8/15/20245878121721,571583
8/8/20244337111681,312464
8/1/20244496162171,282535
7/25/20244677481931,408507
7/18/20244288071951,430559

* Total Net reflects verified pre-opening or recently opened locations after de-duplication and geographic validation. Peak week of 10/24/2024 saw 607 net verified openings, the highest in the comparison period.

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Related Restaurant Opening Resources

For readers comparing weekly new restaurant opening activity, these related Restaurantdata.com resources provide additional context on pre-opening signal timing, source types, and longer-term market movement.

Pre-Opening Restaurant Leads FAQs
Use this FAQ resource to understand how Restaurantdata.com identifies restaurant openings before launch, what source filings are tracked, and how pre-opening signals are verified.

2025 U.S. New Restaurant Openings Report
Review the full-year 2025 restaurant openings report for state, cuisine, service format, location type, and chain-size findings.

Restaurant Opening Crosstab Analysis 2020-2025
Compare restaurant opening patterns across multiple years, including changes by ownership type, geography, format, and market activity.

New Restaurant Brand Alerts
Follow recent restaurant brand alerts and expansion signals tied to new market entries, chain activity, and operator movement.

2024 New Restaurant Openings Report
Use the prior-year opening report as a comparison point for weekly and annual restaurant opening trends.

Continue Your Research

This article is part of the RestaurantData Research Center, where RestaurantData publishes research based on verified restaurant openings, expansion activity, executive changes, operator records, and market intelligence.

The Research Center brings together RestaurantData reports, methodologies, and analysis in one place for readers following restaurant industry development and company movement.

Usage & Distribution Terms

This report may be shared and distributed on a non-exclusive, royalty-free basis.

Preferred citation: “Source: Restaurantdata.com, U.S. New Restaurant Openings Report, published May 30, 2026.”

Top Restaurant Franchisors 2025: Early Bird Biggest Gainers and Losers

2025 Early Bird Report: Restaurant Franchise Biggest Gainers and Losers

Restaurant brands across the U.S. encompass a wide range of service styles and cuisines. Almost all fast-growing chains today are counter service; and often in the snack category. This segment is being highly targeted by today’s successful restaurant suppliers, vendors, and manufacturers. This report displays early bird results on specific company growth from the Top 100 Franchisors for 2025, based on 50 of the top 100 brands that have reported through April 8, 2025.

📊 Early Bird Report: 50 of the Top 100 restaurant franchisors have reported as of April 8, 2025. Location counts reflect year-end 12/31/2024 figures. YOY growth and decline percentages are year-over-year vs. prior year-end. Full results will be updated as remaining brands file their 2025 FDDs.

Key Observations

Counter service and snack brands continue to lead growth. Wingstop (+14.43%), Scooter’s Coffee (+13.20%), and Jersey Mike’s (+11.74%) are all counter service concepts, consistent with the broader trend of fast casual and QSR outpacing full-service dining in expansion activity. A broader three-year comparison is available in RestaurantData’s fastest-growing restaurant brands analysis.

Jersey Mike’s is approaching 3,000 locations with 2,989 units at year-end 2024. A remarkable milestone for a brand that was under 2,000 locations just a few years ago. Its 11.74% YOY growth rate at that scale is exceptional.

Papa Murphy’s leads declines at -7.36% with 1,044 locations. A significant contraction for the take-and-bake pizza chain. Taco John’s (-6.59%) and Checkers (-3.97%) also reflect continued pressure on legacy QSR brands facing competitive and operational headwinds.

In all, there are more than 135,000 restaurant franchised locations in the U.S. Contact us for complete brand lists including operating locations, direct contact information, and multi-year growth statistics.

Big Gainers- Fastest Growing Franchise Brands

The following brands showed the strongest year-over-year location count growth as of December 31, 2024, based on early FDD filings received through April 8, 2025.

Source: Restaurantdata.com · Top 100 Franchisors Early Bird Report · 50 of 100 brands reporting · Location counts as of 12/31/2024

# Brand Locations (12/31/2024) YOY Growth
1 Wingstop 2,204 +14.43%
2 Scooter’s Coffee 849 +13.20%
3 Jersey Mike’s 2,989 +11.74%
4 Wetzel’s Pretzels 425 +10.10%
5 Freddy’s 550 +6.38%
6 Cinnabon 1,030 +5.75%
7 Culver’s 997 +5.61%

* YOY growth = year-over-year percentage change vs. prior year-end location count. Based on early FDD filings as of April 8, 2025. 50 of the top 100 franchisors have reported to date.

Big Losers- Brands Facing Unit Count Declines

The following brands reported year-over-year declines in location count as of December 31, 2024, based on early FDD filings received through April 8, 2025.

# Brand Locations (12/31/2024) YOY Decline
1 Checkers 484 -3.97%
2 Taco John’s 340 -6.59%
3 Papa Murphy’s 1,044 -7.36%

* YOY decline = year-over-year percentage change vs. prior year-end location count. Based on early FDD filings as of April 8, 2025.

Related Franchise and FDD Research

The following RestaurantData reports provide additional analysis of franchise unit counts, ownership structure, multi-year growth, development pipelines, and company-owned versus franchised locations.

Restaurant Franchise FDD Analysis and Growth Trends
Review the current RestaurantData franchise research covering unit growth, Average Unit Volumes, recent filings, and expansion activity across larger restaurant systems.

Top 100 Restaurant Franchisor Growth Trends
Compare multi-year growth among the largest restaurant franchise systems, including differences between larger established brands and smaller franchise concepts.

Restaurant Franchise Growth Stories: FDD Analysis 2021–2025
Examine unit growth, signed development agreements, future locations, franchisee activity, and operating changes across seven restaurant franchise brands.

Restaurant Franchise Disclosure Document Analysis: Top 20 Brands
Review franchised and company-owned unit counts, Average Unit Volumes, service formats, cuisines, and geographic coverage among major restaurant franchisors.

Burger King FDD and Franchisee Ownership Changes
See how Franchise Disclosure Document research can identify ownership transfers, franchisee consolidation, and changes within a major restaurant brand system.

Continue Your Research

This article is part of the RestaurantData Research Center, where RestaurantData publishes research based on verified restaurant openings, expansion activity, executive changes, operator records, and market intelligence.

The Research Center brings together RestaurantData reports, methodologies, and analysis in one place for readers following restaurant industry development and company movement.

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