5 Biggest Fast-Food Chains in the World

3. Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX)

Starbucks cannot be technically placed in a fast-food list but is officially recognized as one of the world’s fastest-growing coffeehouse chains. It was founded in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, and Zev Siegl, in Pike Place Market, Seattle. The initial business plan of Starbucks involved selling high-quality coffee beans. Now, Starbucks deals with hot and cold beverages and coffee in over 32,900 locations worldwide.

Starbucks’ unique marketing strategy of personalized name coffee mugs has widely contributed to its popularity among the people. This admiration can be assured by the fact that Starbucks uses around 2.3 billion paper cups every year. Starbucks has a wide range of menu with over 87,000 drink combinations. Starbucks’ revenue breakdown shows that the beverages of the chain are responsible for generating more revenue compared to the other items on the menu list. In 2020, the beverages alone generated around $14.34 billion, and the food items amounted to $3.8 billion. However, Starbucks was hit hard by the pandemic and suffered a loss in revenue, resulting in an 11.27% drop in sales growth. The year 2020 shows a fall of revenue to $23.5 billion, down from $26.5 billion in 2019.