• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, August 1, 2013

Nine of the top 10 quick-service restaurant chains in QSR Magazine's latest annual "QSR Top 50" rankings held onto their positions as reported in last year's Top 50.

The only shift: Chick-fil-A moved up a place, to #9, surpassing KFC as the top chicken QSR. (KFC's ranking dropped one place, to #10.) 

Chick-fil-A achieved higher system-wide sales than KFC despite having about a third fewer restaurants, reflecting Chick-fil-A's unusually deep customer loyalty, observed QSR Magazine editor Sam Oches. Chick-fil-A's $3 million-plus in average unit volume last year "was a remarkable feat for a quick-service restaurant," he noted.

The rankings, which also now include fast-casual chains, are based on system-wide (U.S. and global) sales. This year's rankings use 2012 sales.

The top 10:

1. McDonald's: $35.6 billion in 2012 sales, up from $34.2  billion in 2011 (and nearly three times the sales of #2 Subway). The chain's total restaurant units (franchised and company-owned) rose by 59, to 14,157, last year.

McDonald's' lock on the #1 spot has continued for the 15 years the rankings have been in existence. Despite some setbacks last year (e.g., the disappointing results of its Angus burgers and salads and overall disappointing growth results), "customers still love McDonald's' traditional burgers and fries," noted Oches.

2. Subway: $12.1 billion in sales, up from $11.4  billion in 2011. Total units rose by 956, to 25,549.

3. Starbucks: $10.6 billion in sales, up from $9.75  billion in 2011. Total units rose by 341, to 11,128.

4. Wendy's:  $8.6 billion in sales, up from $8.5 billion in 2011. Total units declined by 34, to 5,817.

5. Burger King: $8.59 in sales, up from $8.4 billion in 2011. Total units declined by 21, to 7,183. 

6. Taco Bell: $7.48 billion in sales, up from $7  billion in 2011. Total units rose by 25, to 5,262.

7. Dunkin' Donuts:  $6.26 billion in sales, down from $6.5  billion in 2011. Total units rose by 291, to 7,306.

8. Pizza Hut:  $5.67 billion in sales, up from $5.5 billion in 2011. Total units rose by 156, to 6,209.

9. Chick-fil-A:  $4.62 billion, up from $4.1 billion in 2011. Total units rose by 77, to 1,683.

10. KFC:  $4.46 billion, down from $4.5  billion in 2011. Total units declined by 162, to 4,556.

Other notable developments in this year's ranking's versus last year's: 

* Jimmy John’s and Five Guys joined the billion-dollar-brands club.

* Fast-growing Moe’s Southwest Grill and Wingstop made these limited-service-concept top-50 rankings for the first time (at #48 and #49, respectively).

* Fast-casual brands continued to make gains in the ranking, with leader Panera Bread at #11, with $3.9 billion in sales in 2012. Chipotle Mexican Grill, with $2.7 billion in sales, rose by one ranking, to #16.

"Fast casuals continue to be the hottest category in the quick-serve industry, offering premium foods that are increasingly desired by consumers, especially Millennials," said Oches.