Technomic finds that Chick-fil-A is now ranked No. 5 within the Top 500 restaurant chains, surpassing sales for both Wendy's and Burger King in 2018. According to Technomic's 2019 Top 500 Chain Restaurant Advance Report, total U.S. sales for each of the top five chains is above $10 billion, whereas last year only the top three achieved this benchmark. The limited-service chicken category continues to be a pacesetter for growth, led by strong years from not only Chick-fil-A, but also Wingstop and Raising Cane's.

"Propelled by the improved performance of many of the industry's largest players, the Top 500 chains displayed resilience in 2018," said Kevin Schimpf, industry research manager. "Despite diminishing customer foot traffic, labor challenges and volatile operating conditions, the Top 500 chains were still able to achieve stronger sales growth in 2018 than what we observed the prior year."

Key report findings include:

Cumulative 2018 U.S. sales for the Top 500 chains grew to $318 billion

Fast casual remains the fastest-growing segment, increasing its sales 7.3% in 2018

Sales growth for casual dining rebounded to 1.3% in 2018, after dipping to 0.3% in 2017

New location growth among the Top 500 chains fell to a rate of 0.7% in 2018