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RESTAURANTDATA.COM
Signals Report
1,525 location filings · 51 states · 73 regions · Three-week period ending June 4, 2026
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Key Observations
| 01 |
Texas leads by a widening marginTexas recorded 410 location filings, 61% more than California’s 254 and more than double Florida’s 202. Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston-Galveston, and the Austin/San Antonio corridor accounted for 374 Texas filings. |
| 02 |
Quick serve is closing in on fast casualQuick serve reached 22% of all filings, nearly matching fast casual at 23%. Texas accounted for 112 quick-serve filings, or about one-third of the national QSR total. |
| 03 |
Single-unit operators remain the dominant profile1,059 of 1,525 filings, or 69%, were tied to single-unit owner/operators. New York and California both exceeded 80%, while Georgia posted the lowest single-unit share among the top states at 44%. |
| 04 |
North Carolina enters the top fiveNorth Carolina posted 47 filings, moving into the top five. Its 74% independent share indicates growth driven primarily by organic operator activity rather than chain expansion. |
| 05 |
Anchored locations continue to dominate siting decisionsMixed-use and shopping center locations accounted for 981 filings combined, or 64% of the period total. Freestanding locations held at 292 filings, or 19%. |
Period Summary
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1,525
Net new location filings tracked
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51
States with net new activity
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69%
Single-unit owner/operators
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State Analysis
Casual/family dining led across the top states. Texas posted a notably elevated quick-serve share, while California, New York, and Oregon reported the highest single-unit concentrations. Georgia remained the lowest among the top states at 44%.
| State | Total | Casual | Fast Casual | QSR | Upscale | Single Unit % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TX | 410 | 131 | 67 | 112 | 5 | 66% |
| CA | 254 | 102 | 66 | 49 | 12 | 80% |
| FL | 202 | 116 | 43 | 40 | 2 | 75% |
| NY | 129 | 64 | 27 | 30 | 8 | 81% |
| NC | 47 | 22 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 74% |
Format Mix
| Service Type | Filings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Casual / Family | 651 | 43% |
| Fast Casual | 347 | 23% |
| Quick Serve | 343 | 22% |
| Upscale Dining | 53 | 3% |
| Buffet | 2 | <1% |
Chain Expansion
The most active restaurant chains by new location filings were concentrated in fast casual and quick serve formats.
| Filings | Brand | Service Type |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Chick-fil-A | Fast Casual |
| 6 | Chipotle Mexican Grill | Fast Casual |
| 4 | Blank Street | Fast Casual |
| 4 | Mountain Mike’s Pizza | Fast Casual |
| 4 | Nothing Bundt Cakes | Quick Serve |
| 3 | 7 Brew Coffee | Quick Serve |
| 3 | CAVA | Fast Casual |
| 3 | HTEAO Texas Tea | Quick Serve |
| 3 | Jimmy Johns | Fast Casual |
Metro Activity
| Region | Filings |
|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 159 |
| Houston-Galveston | 108 |
| Austin / San Antonio | 107 |
| Los Angeles | 81 |
| Broward-Dade-Palm Beach | 61 |
Summary
The prevailing new-opening profile for this three-week period was a casual or family-dining concept operated by a single-unit owner in a mixed-use or shopping center setting in a Texas, California, or Florida market. At 69%, the single-unit share remained high and consistent with prior periods. A notable development this period was the near-convergence of fast casual and quick serve, with quick serve reaching 22% nationally and accounting for a disproportionate share of Texas filings. North Carolina’s entry into the top five added a Southeastern dimension and signaled continued secondary-market expansion by independent operators.
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