The quick-service industry has become the go-to lunch option for corporate bros in Midtown - but could the industry also provide solid investment opportunities? Take Shack Shack: from a humble hot dog cart in Madison Square Park in 2001 to a global chain with 200+ locations, nearly $1 billion in annual revenue, and a market cap exceeding $3 billion. So chances are if you started investing in the Shake Shack craze when it was still just a standalone food cart, you probably wouldn’t still be working in banking.

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Top QSR Stocks

Intro

The iconic chains that used to dominate New York’s Midtown, Chicago’s Loop, and San Fran’s Financial District are leveraging the rise of remote and hybrid work for growth - they’re expanding into the suburbs and building out their online ordering capabilities. And despite a barren IPO market in 2023, the industry has provided a glimpse of hope to investors. Cava successfully went public last month, and Panera and Fogo de Chão are also eyeing public offerings.

This week we’re giving you the rundown of four quick-service stocks we’re keeping an eye on. We’ll look at America's signature fast-food turned real-estate corporation McDonald’s, all the way through Cava, the latest fast-casual chain to go public.