What do teens' favorite restaurants say about the future of the industry?

Teens continue to love Chick-fil-A and, as demonstrated by the chain’s recently reported 2023 AUVs — up almost 10% over 2022 — they’re not alone. The semi-annual Piper Sandler survey “Taking Stock with Teens” identified the top five restaurant chains favored by today’s teens, and the results are somewhat surprising.

In addition to Chick-fil-A, which received 16% of the vote, other top choices include McDonald’s (10%), Chipotle (9%), Raising Cane’s (4%), and Texas Roadhouse (4%).

The survey polled 6,020 teens with an average age of 16.1 from 47 states. Of the teens, 38% are employed part-time, and their average household income is $66,280.

Chick-fil-A is a favorite among consumers, and as the chicken segment has been on the rise, the chain has benefited from its success while maintaining its signature service. Last week, Technomic released its report on Chick-fil-A’s 2023 financials, which were up 43% over the chain’s 2018 numbers.