Restaurant chains are always strategizing new ways to attract customers. For some businesses, that strategy includes enticing promotions like McDonald’s new McValue menu with $1 options. For other chains, finding new customers doesn’t just mean convincing would-be customers to come to them. Instead, restaurants are going straight to the customers by opening new locations and expanding into new markets.
It’s challenging to grow a restaurant empire like McDonald’s, but that hasn’t stopped dozens of fast-growing restaurant chains from opening new locations. Even once your footprint reaches the size of McDonald’s, growth doesn’t slow down. Even the famed Golden Arches hopes to add roughly 10,000 restaurants to its global roster by the end of 2027.
But what about the immediate future in the United States? You will notice plenty of other restaurant chains taking up an increasing amount of real estate in 2025. As hungry customers enter the new year, they’ll have more restaurant options than ever, with everything from breakfast chains to burger joints opening new locations.
These fast-growing chains dominated in 2024 and will be expanding into new markets and fortifying current strongholds for years to come.
Chick-fil-A
Fans of Chick-fil-A, particularly those in the Midwest, will be happy to know that the fast-food chain is poised for serious growth starting in 2025. In September, it was announced that Chick-fil-A planned to open 25 to 30 new restaurants in Michigan alone by the end of 2028. This included new restaurants in Lansing/Jackson, Flint-Saginaw, and Benton Harbor in 2025.
Huey Magoo’s
Chicken chains nationwide are enjoying robust growth, including Huey Magoo’s. The Florida-based chain has its eyes set on expansion into 2025, with more than 250 restaurants currently in development. This growth includes new markets, including Texas, Arizona, and Virginia, bringing Huey Magoo’s footprint to 15 total states.
Chip City
Cookie chains have surged in popularity, with industry leader Crumbl Cookies changing the fast-casual restaurant landscape. Chip City has steadily gained market share, too, aiming to hit its 100-store milestone by the end of 2025, according to QSR Magazine. Chip City currently boasts 43 locations across the East Coast, so increasing that list three-fold will be a sizeable expansion.
Shake Shack
Have you caught yourself wondering where all of these Shake Shack locations came from all of a sudden? You’re probably not alone, and you are not imagining things. One of America’s fastest-growing burger chains, the Shack increased its footprint by roughly 15% in 2024, and its aggressive growth strategy is not slowing down anytime soon. Its growing footprint will also include the skies thanks to a partnership with Delta Airlines that will bring Shake Shack cheeseburgers to first-class passengers on routes over 900 miles.
First Watch
Your neighborhood will have more breakfast options in 2025. The restaurant chain First Watch has been working on expanding considerably in 2024, opening dozens of locations. Those restaurants also bring First Watch into new markets, including New England and Las Vegas. These new locations, plus the nearly 50 others that came online in 2025, bring First Watch’s total roster to over 500 restaurants.
Port of Subs
There is no shortage of sandwich chains across the United States, but that hasn’t stopped Port of Subs from expanding its footprint in 2024. Its recent growth has included a new development deal, bringing 70 new stores to the Washington, D.C. area alone. That’s a far way from home for the Nevada-based chain, looking to close the deal on being known as a strong nationwide restaurant chain.
Bonchon
While many restaurant chains have their sights set on expansion across the U.S., Bonchon has more immediate global ambitions. One of America’s fastes-growing chicken chains, the Korean-inspired brand is working towards amassing 1,000 stores across the globe over the next five years, with roughly half of those found in the U.S. That will mean noticeably fast growth, as there are roughly 130 locations in the U.S. currently.
Freddy’s Steakburgers
If you aren’t familiar with Freddy’s Steakburgers restaurants, that’s bound change very soon. The burger chain shared the news of four separate deals that added 21 new restaurants to the lineup of Freddy’s franchises, including locations in New Jersey, Texas, and Washington State. Between 2024 and 2025, Freddy’s aims to add more than 130 restaurants to its roster, which is already 530 locations strong.
Culver’s
There was once a time when only Midwesterners knew about Culver’s. That’s a different story these days. The home of the ButterBurger is inching closer and closer to opening its 1,000th restaurant, with dozens opening in 2024. The chain has opened roughly 50 new restaurants each year since 2019, according to QSR Magazine. That steady pace will continue into 2025 when more hungry customers learn exactly why Culver’s is considered a fast-food favorite.
Nick the Greek
With a decade in operation, Nick the Greek has newfound momentum in its expansion plans. In 2024 alone, the fast-casual chain aimed to increase the number of its restaurants by roughly 30%, amounting to upwards of 100 locations in total by year’s end. Most of those restaurants can be found it its home state of California, but its growth has slowly inched eastward, with locations found in Arizona, Texas, and Kansas.
Huddle House
Breakfast chain Huddle House is ending 2024 on a high note with its largest franchise deal in company history. This includes plans to develop nearly two dozen locations throughout Texas, opening as soon as June 2025. With 18 restaurants currently open in the Lone Star State, that will more than double the size of Huddle House’s presence there. With 300 restaurants open or in development, it’s clear Huddle House wants to secure its place as a go-to breakfast option for its customers.
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