about 90%
About what share of US restaurants have fewer than 50 employees?
The restaurant industry is overwhelmingly made up of small operations, not big chains.
Source: National Restaurant Association (2024) restaurant.org
Food · Guess the stat
How well do you know chain restaurants?
Guess the real numbers behind chain vs. independent restaurants, see how everyone else guessed, and get the source.
Guess the statOne tap · see how everyone guessed
About how big is the total US restaurant industry's direct economic output?
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Today's round
- 4 stats to guess
- 1 opinion poll
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Guess, see the crowd, get the real number. One ranked attempt per day.
Chain by the numbers
Real figures with their sources. All Chain facts →
about 412,500
About how many independent restaurant locations were there in the US in 2025?
That number actually shrank during 2025 amid rising food, labor and interest costs.
Source: Nation's Restaurant News (2025) nrn.com
over $480 billion
About how much in combined sales did the top 1,500 restaurant chains generate in 2025?
Large chains benefit from scale, brand recognition and marketing budgets independents can't match.
Source: Nation's Restaurant News (2025) nrn.com
What people think about chain restaurants versus independent restaurants
Vote to see the live results. All polls →
Do you prefer eating at chain restaurants or independent ones?
What draws you to a chain restaurant?
What draws you to an independent restaurant?
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Questions
How does ChainSurvey.com work?
Each question asks you to guess a real number about chain restaurants versus independent restaurants. After you answer you see how everyone else guessed, then the real figure and where it comes from.
How is the daily round scored?
Four stats and one opinion poll. A correct guess earns 100 points plus up to 50 for speed, with a combo bonus for answers in a row. The range next to the right answer earns 40. Opinion polls earn 25 for having your say, and nailing every stat adds 150.
Where do the numbers come from?
Every stat links to its source, such as government statistics agencies, research organizations and industry groups. Figures are checked against the source before they go live.
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