Regional burger chains are beating fast-food giants in one key measure

Regional burger chains like Culver's, In-N-Out Burger, and Whataburger have outpaced national giants McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King in U.S. sales growth between 2019 and 2025. Culver's sales surged 143% to $4.36 billion, while In-N-Out and Whataburger grew 91.7% and 68.6%, respectively, compared to 36.2%, 16.5%, and 8.5% for the national brands. Experts attribute the success to strong average unit volume, disciplined expansion, and differentiated brand experiences.