• by Teresa Buyikian , Yesterday

The fastest-growing chains in the world aren’t QSRs or pizza, but coffee and tea houses.

The latest Technomic trends report found coffee and tea specialists chains outpaced both burger and pizza operators. The bulk of these are all China-based companies, in particular Luckin Coffee, which has outpaced all global competitors such as Starbucks, Dunkin’ and Tim Hortons, in addition to other major local chains like Thailand’s Cafe Amazon.

But Luckin’s biggest competitor, Cotti Coffee, which was founded by former Luckin execs, is the fastest growing of them all, currently operating 7,000 units throughout 28 countries around the world.

Moving on to menu trends, protein is still king. Not only are restaurants upping the protein for various dishes, but they’re calling this trend out when naming items. For example, the report cites Blaze Pizza’s Protein-zza, which is a GLP-1-friendly pizza with  a cauliflower crust topped with mozzarella, a double portion of grilled chicken, onions, mushrooms, basil and buffalo sauce.  

Another trend spotlights the growth of “eatertainment” -- dining venues that combine food and drinks with interactive activities like bowling and arcades. The report found that venues such as Dave & Buster’s and Topgolf are emerging as a the top pick for parties of two or more. The leading traffic driver is consumer desire for “high-energy” environments in which to socialize with friends, family and co-workers.

But a more vibrant atmosphere isn’t for everyone. Twenty-three percent of consumers are “deterred by noise” in these establishments, up from 18% in 2023.

And lastly, the final 2025 numbers are in for burger chains, with McDonald ‘s leading the pack with full-year same-store sales growth of 2.1%. The chain’s increase was capped by a 6.8% increase in the fourth quarter, which the brand attributed to marketing promotions like the Monopoly Game and the popular Grinch Meal.

Second in growth was Burger King, which reported a “modest improvement” in same-store sales with an annual increase of 1.6%, compared to 1.2% in 2024. Wendy’s full-year results went from 1.4% growth in 2024 to a 5.6% decrease in 2025.