What America’s Eating Now: Restaurants Making a Major Comeback Since the Pandemic
Photo by Myron Edwards on Unsplash
Article courtesy of Restaurant Furniture
- Sonic Drive-In has had the largest spike in post-pandemic popularity, with a 1,601% rise in searches since 2021
- Dunkin’ is in second place, with a 718% increase, and Freddy’s Frozen is third at 665%
- Papa John’s has seen the biggest drop in popularity, at -31%
A new study has revealed the chains Americans have flocked to after the pandemic, and Sonic Drive-In has seen the biggest surge in popularity.
Furniture experts, Restaurant Furniture, analyzed the search volumes for a list of the top fast-food chains in America. They discovered and compared the searches from 2021 versus 2025 to find which chains have increased and decreased in popularity the most after the pandemic.
U.S. Chains Booming in Popularity Since the Pandemic
| Rank | Chain | 2021 Searches | 2025 Searches | Percentage Change |
| 1 | Sonic Drive-In | 135,090 | 2,298,510 | 1,601% |
| 2 | Dunkin’ | 885,590 | 7,245,300 | 718% |
| 3 | Freddy’s | 106,540 | 814,580 | 665% |
| 4 | In-N-Out Burger | 1,150,530 | 5,472,580 | 376% |
| 5 | Jimmy John’s | 1,102,950 | 3,777,870 | 243% |
| 6 | Tropical Smoothie Cafe | 589,020 | 1,971,340 | 235% |
| 7 | Moe’s Southwest Grill | 198,170 | 496,140 | 150% |
| 8 | Checkers and Rally’s | 24,260 | 59,530 | 145% |
| 9 | Marco’s Pizza | 777,290 | 1,893,910 | 144% |
| 10 | McAlister’s Deli | 322,110 | 737,680 | 129% |
Sonic Drive-In has been crowned America’s ultimate post-pandemic pick, with a 1,601% increase in popularity since 2021. The chain received 135,090 searches in June 2021, which increased to a staggering 2,298,510 by July 2025. Oklahoma residents love Sonic Drive-In the most, searching for the chain more than any other state, with 1,036.34 monthly searches per 100,000 people.
Dunkin’ has secured second place, with a popularity increase of 718% since the pandemic. In 2021, searches for Dunkin’ were at 885,590 in one month and increased to 7,245,300 by 2025, the highest number of searches in the top 10. Massachusetts loves this chain the most, with 2,283.76 monthly searches per 100,000 residents.
In third place is Freddy’s Frozen, seeing a 665% increase in post-pandemic popularity. This restaurant went from receiving 106,540 searches in 2021 to 814,580 searches in 2025. Freddy’s is a hit in Kansas, where residents make the most searches, averaging 1,451.86 per month per 100,000 people.
In-N-Out Burger is in fourth place, with a 376% rise in popularity over the five years. The burger joint received 1,150,530 searches in 2021, compared to a staggering 5,472,580 searches in 2025. In-N-Out is most popular in Nevada, averaging 3,699.88 monthly searches per 100,000 residents.
Securing fifth place is Jimmy John’s, with an increase of 243% in interest since the pandemic. The chain has gone from getting 1,102,950 searches in one month in 2021 to 3,777,870 searches in 2025. Jimmy John’s is most popular in the state of Nebraska, with an average of 2,747.78 monthly searches per 100,000 residents.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe has seen a 235% spike in popularity since the pandemic, putting the chain in sixth place. Since receiving 589,020 searches in June 2021, interest has increased to 1,971,340 searches in July 2025. Michigan residents love Tropical Smoothie Cafe more than any other state, averaging 831.49 monthly searches per 100,000 people.
In seventh place is Moe’s Southwest Grill, which grew in popularity by 150% after the pandemic. In 2021, the chain was searched 198,170 times in one month, compared to 496,140 searches in 2025. Georgia can’t get enough of Moe’s, with 281.86 average monthly searches per 100,000 residents.
Checkers and Rally’s are in eighth place, with a 145% increase in popularity. Interest in the takeout joint went from 24,260 searches in 2021 to 59,530 in 2025. Maryland residents love Checkers and Rally’s the most, searching for the chain an average of 157.27 times a month per 100,000 people.
Marco’s Pizza has secured ninth place, with a post-pandemic popularity spike of 144%. In 2021, the pizza joint had 777,290 searches in one month, and 1,893,910 by 2025. No state loves Marco’s Pizza like Ohio, where searches hit 1,055.28 on average per month per 100,000 residents.
Completing the top 10 is McAlister’s Deli, with searches rising by 129% since the pandemic. In 2021, the deli had 322,110 searches, compared to 737,680 in 2025. South Carolina residents love McAlister’s Deli the most, searching for the chain 558 times per 100,000 people each month.
Nick Warren, Head of Ecommerce for Restaurant Furniture, commented on the findings: “These findings suggest that today’s consumers aren’t just occasionally resorting to fast food. Fast, convenient dining has become a core part of many people’s everyday routines after the pandemic. The interest in quick-service chains we’re seeing now reflects a long-term shift in how Americans approach eating, as they are favoring speed, convenience, and reliability in a post-pandemic world.
“Since the pandemic, fast-food chains and quick-service dining have undergone a lasting transformation. CDC research shows that even after 2020, nearly one-third of U.S. adults report eating fast food on any given day, and fast food still accounts for roughly 12% of daily calories among adults.
“Overall, these findings show that fast-food culture has entered a new era. Rather than being an occasional convenience, quick-service dining has become a central part of how people manage time, money, and comfort in a post-pandemic world.”
Methodology
Monthly average search volume data was taken from Google Keyword Planner based on searches over the past 4 years to reveal the rankings
The top 50 fast food chains, according to https://www.foodindustry.com/articles/the-top-50-fast-food-chains-in-the-u-s-2024/ were analyzed based on searches for:
- [chain]
- [chain] near me
- [chain] website
- [chain] menu
- book [chain]
The combined search volume for each chain’s terms was calculated in 2021 and 2025, and then used to rank the chains from the highest increase in average monthly searches to the lowest.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db533.pdf
Full Ranking of U.S. Chains Changing in Popularity Since the Pandemic:
| Rank | Chain | Searches 2021-07 | Searches 2025-06 | Percentage Change |
| 1 | Sonic Drive-In | 135,090 | 2,298,510 | 1601% |
| 2 | Dunkin’ | 885,590 | 7,245,300 | 718% |
| 3 | Freddy’s Frozen | 106,540 | 814,580 | 665% |
| 4 | In-N-Out Burger | 1,150,530 | 5,472,580 | 376% |
| 5 | Jimmy John’s | 1,102,950 | 3,777,870 | 243% |
| 6 | Tropical Smoothie Cafe | 589,020 | 1,971,340 | 235% |
| 7 | Moe’s Southwest Grill | 198,170 | 496,140 | 150% |
| 8 | Checkers/Rally’s | 24,260 | 59,530 | 145% |
| 9 | Marco’s Pizza | 777,290 | 1,893,910 | 144% |
| 10 | McAlister’s Deli | 322,110 | 737,680 | 129% |
| 11 | McDonald’s | 14,597,600 | 32,914,500 | 125% |
| 12 | Wendy’s | 5,393,300 | 10,986,200 | 104% |
| 13 | Starbucks | 13,423,600 | 27,016,300 | 101% |
| 14 | Wingstop | 3,693,390 | 7,405,220 | 100% |
| 15 | Whataburger | 1,990,420 | 3,952,690 | 99% |
| 16 | Bojangles | 885,910 | 1,680,030 | 90% |
| 17 | Burger King | 5,062,100 | 9,095,300 | 80% |
| 18 | Chick-fil-A | 11,528,500 | 20,230,200 | 75% |
| 19 | El Pollo Loco | 525,270 | 914,460 | 74% |
| 20 | KFC | 2,534,600 | 4,385,300 | 73% |
| 21 | Baskin-Robbins | 1,166,140 | 2,014,370 | 73% |
| 22 | Subway | 5,762,800 | 9,896,800 | 72% |
| 23 | Taco Bell | 8,700,900 | 14,368,000 | 65% |
| 24 | Krispy Kreme | 1,591,750 | 2,574,290 | 62% |
| 25 | Hardee’s | 767,360 | 1,203,280 | 57% |
| 26 | Panera Bread | 3,482,780 | 5,328,190 | 53% |
| 27 | Shake Shack | 1,414,980 | 2,044,860 | 45% |
| 28 | Taco John’s | 260,540 | 365,410 | 40% |
| 29 | Crumbl Cookies | 3,225,920 | 4,470,900 | 39% |
| 30 | Arby’s | 2,287,390 | 3,132,480 | 37% |
| 31 | Raising Cane’s | 1,369,830 | 1,855,160 | 35% |
| 32 | Del Taco | 747,000 | 969,020 | 30% |
| 33 | Church’s Chicken | 574,310 | 733,970 | 28% |
| 34 | Popeyes | 3,851,800 | 4,426,200 | 15% |
| 35 | Little Caesars | 5,219,900 | 5,971,100 | 14% |
| 36 | Zaxby’s | 1,517,110 | 1,680,250 | 11% |
| 37 | Chipotle | 7,433,280 | 8,230,500 | 11% |
| 38 | Freddy’s | 626,240 | 688,880 | 10% |
| 39 | Pizza Hut | 9,867,200 | 10,001,600 | 1% |
| 40 | Papa Murphy’s | 1,023,220 | 875,830 | -14% |
| 41 | Firehouse Subs | 1,488,190 | 1,268,640 | -15% |
| 42 | Domino’s | 11,919,800 | 9,883,800 | -17% |
| 43 | Papa John’s | 6,187,320 | 4,299,990 | -31% |
