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The Future 50: Restaurant Chains That Will Soon Take Over the World

Yesterday, Restaurant Business magazine announced their Future 50 list of emerging restaurant chains — no national suburbs-and-malls mainstays here, these are chains that are only now spreading their wings (albeit with an Applebee’s-esque ubiquity firmly targeted in the crosshairs). Blatantly defying industry trends, this year’s Future 50 had an average growth of 25.4 percent last year. Topping the list (compiled by restaurant analysis firm Technomic, Inc.) are a number of chains with Chicago-area locations: number one, Salad Creations, had growth last year of 79.5 percent, and number two is The Tilted Kilt, which expanded to the tune of 60 percent. Also clocking in: Tinley Park-based Nancy’s Pizza (number 13), suburban chain Stir Crazy (16), the Firkin Pubs chain (the folks behind Firkin and Pheasant; number 17), SushiSamba brand (SushiSamba Rio, number 21), and cult favorite Oberweis Dairy (28). Check out the complete list of fifty, via MonkeyDish, after the jump. [MonkeyDish]

Restaurant Business’s Future 50, 2009
Key:
S: 2007 Systemwide sales/% change
U: Total units open/% change
A: Average unit volume/% change
rankings based on percent change in sales
all percent changes vs. 2006
*Technomic estimate

1. Salad Creations
Margate, FL
S: $35 million*/79.5%*
U: 53/43.2%
A: $800,000/0.0%* [Restaurant Business Future 50]

2. Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery
Phoenix, AZ
S: $40 million*/60%
U: 14/75%
A: $3.9 million*/-2.5% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


3. Which Wich?
Dallas, TX
S: $36.75 million/59.8%
U: 67/42.6%
A: $650,000/-3.7% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


4. Organic To Go
Seattle, WA
S: $25 million*/57.2%
U: 34/47.8%
A: $750,000*/0.0% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

5. Straw Hat Pizza
San Ramon, CA
S: $40 million/50.9%
U: 58/38.1%
A: $680,000/4.6% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


6. Bajio Mexican Grill
American Fork, UT
S: $36.5 million/47.8%
U: 41/13.9%
A: $975,000/2.6% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


7. Genghis Grill
Dallas, TX
S: $29.5 million*/47.5%
U: 29/45%
A: $1.2 million*/0.0% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

8. Cafe Rio Mexican Grill
Salt Lake City, UT
S: $25 million*/47.1%
U: 21/16.7%
A: $1.3 million*/0.0% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

9. Fish City Grill
Addison, TX
S: $29.2 million/46%
U: 28/40%
A: $1.3 million/4% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

10. Hurricane Grill & Wings
Riviera Beach, FL
S: $35.2 million/38.0%
U: 30/20.0%
A: $1.2 million/2.1% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

11. ZPizza
Newport Beach, CA
S: $49 million/36.1%
U: 87/26.1%
A: $615,000/2.5% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

12. Scooter’s Coffeehouse
Omaha, NE
S: $31.8 million*/35.1%
U: 76/38.2%
A: $485,000*/2.1% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

13. Nancy’s Pizza
Tinley Park, IL
S: $32 million/33.3%
U: 46/35.3%
A: $700,000/0.0% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


14. Carolina Ale House
Raleigh, NC
S: $38.5 million*/32.8%
U: 11/37.5%
A: $4.05 million*/-3.6% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

15. Redstone American Grill
Wayzata, MN
S: $38 million/31.9%
U: 5/25%
A: $7.6 million/5.6% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

16. Stir Crazy
Chicago, IL
S: $47 million/30.6%
U: 14/27.3%
A: $3.8 million/5.6% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


17. Firkin Pubs
Markham, Ontario, Canada
S: $28 million*/30.2%
U: 17/112.5%
A: $2.665 million*/0.0% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

18. Moxie Java
Boise, ID
S: $26 million*/30%
U: 63/50%
A: $500,000*/0.0% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


19. Rotelli Pizza, Pasta, Perfect
Coconut Creek, FL
S: $36 million/28.6%
U: 36/16.1%
A: $1 million/9.2% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


20. HuHot Mongolian Grill
Missoula, MT
S: $48 million/27.3%
U: 31/24.0%
A: $1.7 million/1.5% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


21. Sushi Samba
New York, NY
S: $40 million*/25%
U: 6/50%
A: $8 million*/0.0% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


22. Extreme Pizza
San Francisco, CA
S: $33.5 million/23.6%
U: 38/15.2%
A: $935,000/-1.1% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


23. Nature’s Table Café
Orlando, FL
S: $37.5 million/21.0%
U: 88/25.7%
A: $485,000/2.1% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

24. Nestle Toll House Café by Chip
Richardson, TX
S: $30.8 million/20.8%
U: 107/12.6%
A: $305,000/-1.6% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

25. Panchero’s Mexican Grill
Coralville, IA
S: $46 million/19.5%
U: 55/10.0%
A: $875,000/6.1% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

26. Kabuki Japanese Restaurant
Burbank, CA
S: $43 million/19.4%
U: 13/18.2%
A: $3.6 million/-1.4% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

27. Pizza Patrón
Dallas, TX
S: $31 million/19.2%
U: 85/21.4%
A: $410,000/2.5% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

28. Oberweis Dairy
Aurora, IL
S: $34 million/18.1%
U: 47/30.6%
A: $825,000/3.1% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

29. Pita Pit
Huntington Beach, CA
S: $47 million/17.5%
U: 173/13.8%
A: $290,000/1.8% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


30. Glory Days Grill
S: $37.5 million/17.2%
U: 22/15.8%
A: $1.8 million/-0.8% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


31. Wild Wing Café
Mt. Pleasant, SC
S: $36 million/16.1%
U: 33/13.8%
A: $1.15 million/2.7% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


32. Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
S: $49 million/15.3%
U: 95/13.1%
A: $550,000/-4.3% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

33. Colton’s Steakhouse & Grill
Little Rock, AR
S: $46 million/15%
U: 21/16.7%
A: $2.4 million/3.2% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


34. Tommy Bahama’s Tropical Café
San Francisco, CA
S: $35.5 million/14.1%
U: 12/20.0%
A: $3.3 million/-0.8% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

35. Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill
Agoura Hills, CA
S: $33 million/13.8%
U: 12/19.1%
A: $2.9 million/3.6% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

36. Iggy’s Sports Grill
Salt Lake City, UT
S: $25 million/13.6%
U: 12/20%
A: $2.1 million/2.4% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

37. Daily Grind Coffee House & Café
Winchester, VA
S: $28 million/13.4%
U: 68/19.3%
A: $445,000/-1.1% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

38. SanSai Japanese Grill
Los Angeles, CA
S: $26 million/13%
U: 34/9.7%
A: $825,000/0.0% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

39. Indigo Joe’s Sports Pub & Restaurant
Laguna Hills, CA
S: $32.7 million/12.8%
U: 22/15.8%
A: $1.56 million/0.6% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

40. Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
Charlotte, NC
S: $43.5 million/11.5%
U: 15/25.0%
A: $3.2 million/-2.3% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

41. Amato’s Pizza
Portland, ME
S: $25.5 million*/10.9% change
U: 34*/9.7% change
A: $775,000*/0.0% change [Restaurant Business Future 50]

42. Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse
Beachwood, OH
S: $25.5 million*/10.9%
U: 12/33.3%
A: 2.6 million*/0.0% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


43. Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza
La Jolla, CA
S: $31 million*/10.7%
U: 18/28.6%
A: 2 million*/-2.5% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

44. Hard Times Café
Springfield, VA
S: $28.8 million*/10.6%
U: 17/13.3%
A: 1.9 million*/0.8% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

45. Dutch Bros.
Grant’s Pass, OR
S: $42 million*/9.1%
U: 146/21.7%
A: 300,000*/-1.6% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

46. Stevi B’s The Ultimate Pizza Buffet
Atlanta, GA
S: $28 million*/7.7%
U: 35/25%
A: 915,000*/1.7% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


47. Winger’s Grill and Bar
Salt Lake City, UT
S: $44.6 million/7.3%
U: 39/11.4%
A: 1.2 million/0.6% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

48. Spring Creek Barbecue
Arlington, TX
S: $30.5 million*/7%
U: 27/12.5%
A: 1.2 million*/-0.8 [Restaurant Business Future 50]

49. Macado’s Restaurant & Bar
Roanoke, VA
S: $27 million*/3.8%
U: 16/14.3%
A: 1.8 million*/-2.7% [Restaurant Business Future 50]


50. Stoney River Legendary Steaks
Roswell, GA
S: $37 million/2.8%
U: 12/20.0%
A: $3.4 million/-5.6% [Restaurant Business Future 50]

[Photo via The Tilted Kilt]

The Future 50: Restaurant Chains That Will Soon Take Over the World