Personalization is becoming one of the biggest drivers of restaurant growth, according to Yelp’s 2026 Fastest Growing Brands report, which named drive-thru coffee chain 7 Brew America’s fastest-growing brand.
Yelp’s third annual Fastest Growing Brands report ranks the 50 companies with the strongest growth in new locations, search activity and consumer engagement across the platform.
According to Yelp, 7 Brew posted 244 percent growth in consumer interest on the platform in 2025. The top 10 fastest-growing brands are:
- 7 Brew
- Smoothie King
- Bojangles
- Sprouts Farmers Market
- Paris Baguette
- Boot Barn
- Bob’s Discount Furniture
- Black Rock Coffee Bar
- Nothing Bundt Cakes
- Wingstop
Seven of the top 10 brands are restaurant concepts. Overall, 31 of the 50 brands on Yelp’s list fall into the food and restaurant category.
Chicken dominates
Chicken remains the largest cuisine category on the list. Yelp said eight chicken brands ranked among the fastest-growing businesses this year:
- Bojangles (No. 3)
- Wingstop (No. 10)
- Dave’s Hot Chicken (No. 18)
- Zaxby’s (No. 22)
- Popeyes (No. 29)
- Krispy Krunchy Chicken (No. 34)
- Champs Chicken (No. 45)
- bb.q Chicken (No. 49)
“If the drive-thru beverage is the ritual that starts the American day, chicken is the protein that fuels the rest of it,” Yelp stated in the report.
Beverages gain momentum
Beyond 7 Brew, several beverage concepts landed on Yelp’s Fastest Growing Brands list:
- Smoothie King (No. 2)
- Black Rock Coffee Bar (No. 8)
- Scooter’s Coffee (No. 25)
- Dutch Bros (No. 38)
- Sonic Drive-In (No. 48)
Dirty soda continues to gain momentum, with Yelp reporting searches increased 675 percent in 2025 and more than 2,500 percent since 2022. Brands including 7 Brew, Sonic Drive-In and Taco Bell have expanded customizable soda and energy drink offerings.
Personalization drives growth
Yelp said the biggest trend across this year’s rankings is giving consumers more control over their orders, from customizable beverages to made-to-order meals and adjustable spice levels.
“[The fastest-growing brands] give consumers control, whether that’s countless drink combinations, a bookstore where every shelf feels hand-picked, or a chicken sandwich customized to your exact specifications,” Sarah Chang, vice president and head of enterprise at Yelp, stated. “Personalization is what’s driving loyalty today.”
