With Q1 2025 just under our belts, we dove into the data to see how quick-service and fast-casual restaurants (QSRs) fared in the year’s early months. Which chains managed to weather the headwinds – both fiscal and meteorological – that have weighed on consumer traffic in recent months? And which brands emerged as top performers?
We dove into the data to find out.
Raising Cane’s and Taco Bell Lead QSR Space
QSRs faced a challenging environment in the first part of 2025, as harsh winter weather, economic uncertainty, and heightened value competition from fast-casual chains, full-service restaurants (Chili’s, anyone?), and even grocery stores drove visits down. Overall, QSR foot traffic declined by 1.6% year over year (YoY) in Q1, with much of the drop occurring in February – when a polar vortex and the comparison to a leap-year February 2024 led to a traffic dip. By March, however, visits began to stabilize, and the segment finished out the month with foot traffic levels essentially flat YoY (-0.3%).
Still, some QSRs stood out. Rapidly expanding Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, for example, saw YoY gains in both overall visits and average visits per location (12.3% and 3.7%, respectively). Known for quick, quality fare – the chain’s sauces have even inspired viral tik-tok videos – Raising Cane’s fleet growth is clearly meeting robust demand.
Taco Bell also emerged as a Q1 leader, with quarterly visits rising 3.7% YoY. The brand doubled down on value with its expanded selection of Luxe Cravings Boxes. And the tex-mex giant’s limited-time Crunchwrap Slider offering – launched in early 2025 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Crunchwrap Supreme – generated plenty of buzz.
Meanwhile, McDonald’s, which launched its new McValue menu in January 2025, narrowed its visit gap to 1.0% in March – an encouraging sign as the year gets into full swing.
Fast-Casual Brands Leading the Pack
Fast-casual fared somewhat better, ending Q1 2025 with flat YoY visits (+0.0%). And though the segment mirrored QSR’s monthly pattern of gains in January, a dip in February, and stabilization in March, several major players posted positive Q1 results – including Chipotle (+4.6%), Panda Express (+3.8%), Jersey Mike’s Subs (+3.1%) and Qdoba Mexican Grill (+1.5%). While fleet expansion contributed to some of these increases, menu innovation – particularly well-chosen chicken and shrimp-focused limited-time offerings – likely also played a role.
Smaller Fries Making Big Waves
In addition to these major chains, several smaller fast-casual brands enjoyed outsized visit performance in early 2025, driven by rapid expansion meeting strong demand. Dave’s Hot Chicken, capitalizing on consumers’ ongoing enthusiasm for chicken dishes, logged a remarkable 59.3% YoY visit surge in Q1 2025, and an 11.6% jump in average visits per location. Health-forward chains CAVA and sweetgreen also grew their footprints – and audiences – likely supported by the return-to-office trend and continued interest in wholesome, convenient dining options.
Looking Ahead
All told, QSR and fast-casual brands held their own in Q1 2025 – with some brands standing out through strategic value offerings, menu innovation, and expansion. How will QSRs and fast-casual chains continue to fare as 2025 wears on?
Follow Placer.ai’s data-driven dining analyses to find out.
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