Monday Meanderings - 9.26.2012

I mentioned the opening of the new In-N-Out burger place near us last week. It's very nice to have them nearby - but the Whataburger is even closer.

And that brings me to a news-feed article I saw last week that listed - at least from the author's perspective - the top 25 fast food eating places. There were a number of familiar establishments, such as Chick-Fil-A (which was #1, by the way) and Subway, and a few not so familiar to me, such as Qdoba and Pollo Campero, but the thing that caught my eye were the listings for burger places.

In addition to the rankings in this list, which I did not preserve, there were several additional measurement criteria, such as sales, store count and a couple of other categories that were not clearly defined in the article.

Whataburger - Headquarters: San Antonio, Texas
U.S. sales: $2 billion.
Number of U.S. locations: 791
Financial performance rank: 1
Customer satisfaction rank: 33
In 1950, Whataburger founder Harmon Dobson's goal was to create a burger so big that customers would have to use both hands to hold it. It would be so good that at first bite they would declare, “What a burger!” Whataburger can be found in 10 states only, but the chain has hardcore fans.

In-N-OUT - Headquarters: Irvine, California
U.S. sales: $615 million
Number of U.S. restaurants: 313
Financial performance rank: 40
Customer satisfaction rank: 5
California’s first drive-thru hamburger stand was opened in 1948.

Five Guys  - Headquarters: Lorton, Virginia
U.S. sales: $1.32 billion
Number of U.S. locations:1,215
Financial performance rank: 22
Customer satisfaction rank: 22
This cult favorite started in Washington, D.C., in 1986

Habit - Headquarters: Irvine, California
U.S. sales: $251 million
Number of U.S. restaurants: 142
Financial performance rank: 20
Customer satisfaction rank: 10
West Coast chain Habit Burger Grill saw a major surge in popularity last year, evidenced by a 43% growth in sales. The small regional chain was also named the best-tasting burger in America, according to a survey by Consumer Reports, beating out competitors like Shake Shack, In-N-Out and Five Guys.

I included Habit in this list -  though the nearest one to us in is Arizona - because it is a favorite when we visit in California.

It is interesting to note that Whataburger has 60% more outlets than In-N-Out and 70% more revenue, though they both were founded about the same time and both serve limited geographic regions. I can only assume that the difference is bacon, No bacon at In-N-Out. None. Strange then, that customers are happier at In-N-Out.

Interesting comparisons, but irrelevant when it comes to choosing what burger I'm hungry for.