4 types of hot restaurant concepts muscling their way into the Top 500

The sun rises, the sun sets. The only thing more certain is that McDonald’s will top Technomic’s Top 500 annual ranking of chains by systemwide sales. And you can bet the kids’ college fund that Starbucks, Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A will land way up there as well.

Finishers farther down the 2024 list may not be as predictable. Indeed, this year’s ranking includes several types of restaurants that remain relatively obscure. Despite earning more Top 500 slots, they still fall outside the mainstream, just as drink concepts (think Swig or Dutch Bros) and cookie specialists (a Crumbl or Insomnia sugar blast, anyone?) were novel operations not so long ago.

Here are four types of restaurants that we’ll likely see taking up more places on the Top 500 in years to come.

After making a small-but-noticeable splash in last year’s ranking, the seafood specialists increased their presence on the 2024 list, securing no fewer than five slots. The sector’s draw is premium seafood, including crab and shrimp, cooked together in a boil-in-bag with potatoes, corn on the cob and other clambake-type ingredients. The plastic bag functions as a pressure-cooker, holding in the juices of the fare so it remains moist and flavorful.  The technique also shortens the cook time to minutes, and little skill is required at the stove since the bagged meals need merely be lifted in and out of hot water and then brought unopened to the table. Prices are consistent with what patrons might spend at a casual grill and bar. The brands landing on this year’s Top 500 list include Hook & Reel, Boiling Crab, The Juicy Crab, Red Crab Juicy Seafood and Angry Crab Shack.

Imagine a Korean barbecue concept, but with a cauldron or wok of steaming hot broth replacing the tabletop grill. A tableful of guests select their ingredients, cook them in the broth fondue-style, and then usually dip the morsel in some sort of sauce for added flavor. The broth can also be enjoyed. It’s a communal experience that’s common in Asia—so much so that Yum Brands’ Asian operation once launched a chain of hot pot restaurants called Little Sheep, with an eye toward bringing it to America. Hot pots have largely been limited in the States to mom-and-pop places operating in communities with large Asian populations, but two chains found enough traction last year to finish in the Top 500. KPOT Hot Pot & Barbecue is more of a traditional hot pot operation, while Boiling Point tries to make itself more accessible to U.S. patrons by calling itself a hot soup concept. 

Red Lobster is fighting to stay afloat, but this year’s Top 500 shows there’s still life in seafood, albeit it at the high end of the market. What Fleming’s or Ruth’s Chris are to the steak market, these places are to the seafood business.

Familiar concepts like Legal Seafood, Ocean Prime and Eddie V’s share space on this year’s ranking with Truluck’s, a 12-unit chain with a menu that calls to mind Joe’s Stone Crab—with prices that fit the comparison. The Chilean seabass sells for $57 at the Washington, D.C., unit, while the shrimp cocktail goes for $25.

The Hampton Social isn’t quite as pricey; its stated objective is to be a neighborhood restaurant, with more of a coastal resort vibe than a white-tablecloth place where someone with an expense account might bring clients. The Baja fish tacos go for $24, but the house signatures also include pizzas and sandwiches.

Correction: An earlier version of this side cited the wrong current price for Chilean seabass at the Washington, D.C., unit of Truluck's. It sells for $57.

They may not all be new to the Top 500 rankings, but brands showcasing the fare and serving style peculiar to the 50th state (think plate lunches) strengthened their presence on this year’s listing. What’s more, we’re not talking about poke places. Americans are being introduced to many more of the islands’ specialties through broader concepts like Ono Hawaiian BBQ, L&L Hawaiian and  Hawaiian Bros.

Their placements indicate that Hawaiian may be the regional American cuisine of the moment. Hawaiian-style barbecue appears to be particularly strong, holding its own against the various mainland varieties.