The restaurant industry is booming, and today we’re going to look at the 10 restaurants leading the way. These are the restaurant chains that will dominate the future in 2023. Learn how to choose an upscale restaurant for a date night out on the town, or find a chill place for some drinks and food with friends.

1- First Watch

First Watch is a restaurant chain with over 100 locations in the United States and over 1,000 employees. It is one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the U.S., with its first location opening in 1983, in Pacific Grove, California. They specialize in breakfast and brunch items, including pancakes, eggs benedict, omelettes, french toast and more.

Regarding breakfast, it is one of the best places to go. The chain offers a wide variety of breakfast sandwiches, from egg and cheese on an English muffin to an egg sandwich with bacon and avocado. But the m1enu doesn’t stop there; you can also enjoy delicious pancakes, French toast and waffles. And if you’re looking for lunch, First Watch offers plenty more, with something for everyone.

First Watch opened 42 restaurants and 31 new stores in 2021. In 2022, First Watch planned for 38-48 locations and estimates to open up to thirty-eight new locations in 2023. 

 

2- Chipotle

Chipotle has announced its newest goal. Chipotle is one of the few fast food companies that have been able to keep up with the demands of a growing market hungry for sustainable and healthier food options. With 500 locations, Chipotle is the biggest restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its stores. The fast-casual chain recently opened its first digital order drive-thru pick-up lane at one of its newest restaurants to make it easy for customers to place orders and pick up their Food. The restaurant is also located in Louisville, KY so you can enjoy their food while sitting inside or on the patio. Chipotle announced that they are building a property pipeline to accelerate new unit growth, emphasizing their Chipotlanes. Chipotle’s announcement indicates the company’s faith in its short-term prospects. Their goal is to open between 255 to 285 new restaurants and make the drive-thru faster and more convenient for customers who cannot wait in line for their meals.

 

3- Marco’s Pizza

Marco’s Pizza is a rapidly growing fast-casual pizza restaurant that has expanded to several cities in the United States and Canada. It was first founded in 1978 and gained significant traction in the 90s. It now has over 1100 locations across 33 states (including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, & so on). The company plans to keep expanding as long as it can maintain its high-quality, delicious pizzas.

One of the world’s most recognizable pizza brands, Marco’s Pizza strives to offer each customer a taste of their home town with their Pizza. There are many Marco’s Pizza locations across the US and Canada, with the majority clustered in the Eastern and Southern regions of the country. Marco’s Pizza is now looking to grow its restaurant business. The company plans to open 1,500 stores by 2023, with 200 locations already developing around the country. There are at least 20 new Marco’s locations from which you can order Pizza in Colorado.

4- True Food Kitchen

 It’s easy to see why people are talking about True Food Kitchen. Their celebrity investors should be enough to prove its quality. Such as Oprah Winfrey, who made headlines for donating a large amount of money back in 2018. 

True Food Kitchen is opening a Phoenix-based restaurant in 2023 that will offer healthy Food at higher volume and lower prices. The new restaurant will be in Tempe, and the second in Arizona, with the first being in Scottsdale. The first location opened in Scottsboro earlier this year and has been so successful that it was announced it would expand to Tempe. True Food is known for its “clean” and “natural” living and raw and vegan options. The company also has a line of organic Food and snacks called True Organic. True Food Kitchen is a health-conscious restaurant chain founded in 2008. The eateries are focused on serving organic and healthy fare. The company has forty-one locations open, with more on the way. The company has been steadily growing for the past ten years, but it’s not slowing down anytime soon.

5- Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a popular international chain of restaurants offering various healthy smoothies and juices. The company was founded in 1997 and has since expanded to include more than 1150 locations in the United States. The menu features various fruit smoothies and green juices made from fresh-squeezed fruit. The chain’s first restaurant opened in Tampa, Florida, on March 21, 1997. Customers can choose fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthy ingredients to create smoothies and salads. To meet the growing demand for health-conscious menu items, the company has added a range of supplements to its menus, such as collagen, pea protein, vitamin B12 and more. Tropical Smoothie Cafe is opening new cafes at a rapid pace. In April 2022, the Tropical Smoothie Cafe chain reported that it was starting the year with its highest number of cafe openings thus far, opening 42 new cafes and signing 56 new franchise agreements. With more than 1,300 restaurants worldwide, Tropical Smoothie Cafe is expanding in areas like Wisconsin and Kansas City, where cafes have yet to open. It provides a healthy alternative for those wanting to enjoy tropical fruit smoothies and wraps with their caffeine fix.

6- Pokeworks

Canadian foodies rejoice! The Great White North will soon be home to 50 new Pokeworks restaurants, according to a recent announcement by the popular Hawaiian cuisine chain. The first of these new stores are set to open in Toronto’s entertainment district this fall and will be followed by 49 more locations across Canada over the next five years. It is on a mission to bring poke to Canada. This Hawaiian-inspired dish has found a following in the United States and has become one of the country’s most popular dishes. The company wants to do the same in Canada, but it’s not alone. Fast-casual, a restaurant chain specializing in fast-casual Food dominates the industry. The company recently signed a deal to open 10 American restaurants over the next three years. Their goal is to expand their presence beyond the Bay Area and Southern California into Texas and New York markets.

7- Popeyes

Popeyes has been under fire recently for what critics say are dry biscuits. Angry Redditors have flooded the company’s official forum to complain about the lack of flavour in its breading. This is not the first time Popeyes has faced accusations of poor customer service. One Redditor pointed out that employees often need more time to fill orders, which end up being incorrect or incomplete.

With the salad and sandwich industry booming, it’s no surprise that fast-food restaurants are scrambling to keep up with the times. With more people seeking healthier options, fast-food companies are looking for a space in the market to cater to these health-conscious customers. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc. has also grown while other biscuit businesses have declined. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the country, with over 3,700 locations and plans to expand even further in 2023. Popeyes had significant success in 2017 when they added new locations in the US and Canada and a 50% increase in sales. The fried chicken chain is looking to continue its growth by adding another 200 locations by 2023, with spots in both the US and Canada.

8- Shake Shack

Danny Meyer is the CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group. His restaurants span from fine dining to casual. He doesn’t seem like the type of guy to open a hot dog stand, but that’s just what he did with a name you’ve certainly heard before. Shake Shack. In 2001, Meyer opened a temporary hot dog stand in Madison Square Park as part of an art installation for an outdoor restaurant series.

When a new restaurant called Shake Shack opened in Madison Square Park, people lined up to experience this revolutionary burger stand. The Food was so popular that it spawned more Shake Shacks, and now there are 360 locations across America. Shake Shack’s plan to open 20 to 25 new drive-thru locations will improve the chain’s business for a chain which has seen a 13% decrease in traffic. The company is going to do this by converting some of its shops into drive-thrus, as well as opening new ones.

9- Jersey Mike’s

Jersey Mike’s has been surprisingly popular with a variety of options. Their menu includes hot and cold subs, salads, and chicken sandwiches. They have vegetarian options as well as gluten-free sandwiches and wraps. Their signature sub is their namesake, The Original Jersey Mike’s Sub-Mariner with ham, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and their signature sauce. Jersey Mike’s Subs is a sandwich franchise with more than 1,500 locations nationwide and in Canada. The company has announced that it will open a new location at 8940 Barker Cypress Road, Ste. 130, Cypress, in the first quarter of 2023. Jersey Mike’s is one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the United States, with over 2,200 locations. The company offers a range of sub sandwiches and dishes like salads and wraps.

10- Quiznos

Quiznos, the nationwide sandwich chain, is continuing its expansion. The company has announced that they plan to open at least 500 restaurants in the next five years. This will bring their current total to over 1,200 locations nationwide. Quiznos also plans to include a drive-thru window for quick service.

In a new agreement between Quiznos and Parish Patel for opening 30 restaurants across Arizona, the company is hoping to expand its reach by using the same model of franchising for which it has been known for over three decades. Quiznos is a quick-serve sandwich chain with many locations in the United States and Canada.

It is also on track to open new locations nationwide by 2023. It has been providing quality Food and sandwich options to Americans since 1981, and this company was founded in Colorado. They have been catering to many people across the United States with their unique menu items.