Ellis Cochrane
When you think of some of the most popular, and successful, fast food chains in the United States, which eateries typically spring to mind? Maybe McDonald’s, with there being over 13,000 locations across the length and breadth of the country. Or what about Chick-fil-A or maybe even the Cheesecake Factory? Well, a surprising restaurant chain actually makes more money than all three of them combined.
Offering everything from its famous soup dumplings to spicy wontons and an array of noodle soups, the Taiwanese restaurant chain Din Tai Fung has quietly become the most profitable fast food restaurant in the US. And that’s despite having less than 20 restaurants across all 50 states.
Boasting the highest average amount per restaurant of any chain, according to Restaurant Business, their US locations take in a massive $27.4 million each.
To put that into a bit of perspective, that’s almost as much as four Chick-fil-As or seven McDonald’s, which is a bit mind-boggling to say the least.
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But when you take into consideration the sheer size of the restaurants and the average amount spent, it’s maybe not all that surprising after all.
While you can typically expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $25 on a meal at other fast food establishments, and that amount only seems to be increasing these days, the average bill is around $45 per person at Din Tai Fung.
With a menu that has been designed with sharing in mind, tempting baskets of soup dumplings that people travel from far and wide to try, as well as a full bar, the total amount can quickly add up.
Despite having significantly fewer locations than some of their biggest fast food competitors, the sheer size of each Din Tai Fung restaurant means that they can cater to hundreds of people at a time, with there even being a waitlist in most cases to snag a spot at a table.
For example, their New York flagship, which can seat up to 450 diners is not only their largest restaurant both in the United States and globally, but it comes in at a staggering 25,000 square feet.
And unlike some other fast food establishments, dining there is much more of an experience than it would be grabbing a burger and fries to go from somewhere else. You’re able to watch the talented chefs pleat the dumplings by hand – with each one having a specific total of 18 precise folds – and dine with friends, family and fellow foodies in a much more elevated atmosphere.
Yes, it is still casual dining and a chain restaurant at that, but there’s something altogether more special about a trip there, while still having the same consistency that you would expect from a larger chain.