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Even with drop in sales, McDonald's maintains spot as top US fast food chain

Starbucks, Chick-fil-a, Taco Bell and Wendy's in the top 5, according to QSR Magazine.

Jeff Roberson/AP

The McDonald's restaurant logo and golden arch is lit up.

By: Justin Boggs

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Despite recently reporting a drop in sales, McDonald's remained the No. 1 quick-service restaurant chain in the U.S., according to a new report by QSR Magazine.

The data is based on restaurant sales from March through May 2024.

McDonald's maintained its edge over Starbucks, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell to retain its top spot. This is despite McDonald's comparable sales dropping 0.7% in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the same quarter in 2023.

The company has continued a $5 value meal at most of its locations throughout the summer in an effort to entice inflation-weary customers that were lost due to rising prices.

McDonald's USA President Joseph Erlinger said last week the company has what it takes to survive in a challenging environment.

"McDonald's is uniquely positioned to succeed in this environment, given our size, scale and competitive advantages," he told investors. "We have a fully modernized restaurant estate. We have a simplified menu that focuses on our core while never shying away from bringing back fan favorites at the right times or pursuing the right new product innovations."

One reason McDonald's stayed atop the 2024 rankings is other rivals also struggled. Starbucks reported a 2% fall in comparable North American sales in the most recent quarter compared to the same time in 2023.

Starbucks said it has worked to improve efficiencies in staffing and scheduling. It has also implemented technology to make locations more efficient.

"I think we are operating in a challenging consumer environment," said Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan. "You see the impact of that in away-from-home consumption. If you look at our business at home, the grocery stores with our brands, you're seeing volume increase, you're seeing share increase in a category that's in decline, but we see volume increase at home. In our ready-to-drink business, we're seeing clearly that they had some challenges."

Among the top 10 quick-service restaurants in the U.S., there were only a handful of changes. Burger King jumped from No. 8 to No. 7, switching spots with Subway. Chipotle is now ranked No. 9, flipping spots with now No. 10-ranked Domino's.

Here is a look at the top 10 quick-service restaurants in the U.S. in 2024 based on total sales: