Groups of all sizes and ages can come together at family restaurants for comfort food and diner classics — sometimes at a buffet, and often for all-day breakfast. It's a formula that's served these family restaurant chains well, as ranked by 2018 sales in a report by Statista.
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Sales: $3.2 billion
Who knew pancakes could generate so much cash? IHOP takes the top spot with more than 1,800 locations worldwide, most open around the clock. If you figure a full stack of buttermilk pancakes costs around $8, the chain sold at least 415 million stacks, or almost 2.1 billion individual pancakes, in a year.
Sales: $2.7 billion
Another breakfast behemoth comes in second in sales: Denny's. Founded in 1953 as Danny's Donuts, Denny's now has around 1,700 locations worldwide — though it wasn't until 2014 that there was a New York City location, which is fancier than most and serves alcohol.
Sales: $2.4 billion
Cracker Barrel, known for having gift stores in every location, a Southern aesthetic, and hearty food, was founded in Tennessee in 1969. The chain has only about 660 locations — many are familiar sights near freeway off-ramps. That's much fewer than the leading two chains, so sales per store must be quite high.
Sales: $1.7 billion
The tagline of the Golden Corral is "America's #1 buffet restaurant," and that's certainly true on this list. The restaurant, begun after several attempts to buy other franchises failed for its founders in the early 1970s, now has almost 500 locations catering to hungry customers with fried chicken, prime rib, and an ever-popular soft serve sundae bar.
Sales: $1.3 billion
Waffle House has been a staple of the South since 1955. With about 2,100 locations, it's achieved iconic status with its yellow signs, cheap prices, delicious waffles, and reputation as welcoming to anyone at any time of the day or night.
Related: 25 Places to Find Amazing Waffles Across the Country
Sales: $838 million
The domination of breakfast-focused chains continues with Bob Evans. The chain has a relatively small footprint in only 18 states, but each has an average of 28 locations for a total around 500. Each location is corporate owned, so you can be sure you get the same farmers breakfasts and fried chicken every time you stop.
Related: Best Hole-in-the-Wall Spots for Fried Chicken in Every State
Sales: $603 million
It is nearly impossible to walk by a Perkins bakery case without taking something like a giant raspberry muffin home. Established in 1958 in Cincinnati, Perkins today has more than 300 locations and runs a number of regular specials, including one for free slices of pie on Mondays, that helps keep people coming back. As of October, Perkins is owned by another chain on this list: Huddle House.
Related: 54 Under-the-Radar Restaurants with Amazing Homemade Pie
Sales: $413 million
Unlike other restaurants on this list so far, First Watch opens only in the morning and early afternoon at its 250-plus locations in 26 states. Started in California in 1983, First Watch emphasizes healthy, fresh meals with items such as avocado toast, quinoa bowls, and freshly made juice from oranges, kale and ginger.
Sales: $327 million
The first Village Inn opened in Denver in 1958, and franchising began just three years later. Today, there are about 150 locations in 20 states, mostly in the Plains, South, and Southwest. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January and closed a number of locations, so if you love its award-winning pancakes and pies, make sure you get your fill.
Sales: $291 million
Black Bear Diner is a family restaurant that serves all-day breakfast and comfort food. The first location opened in California in 1995, and now there are 139 locations in 14 states. Each log cabin-esque location has a 12-foot tall black bear statue carved from a tree trunk outside, so they're pretty easy to spot. Don't skip the massive almond-filled bear claws, or French toast made from one.
Sales: $275 million
Nostalgic favorite Big Boy started in 1936 as Bob's Pantry. It had a number of names and large franchisees over the years, which is why patrons might think of it as Bob's Big Boy or Frisch's Big Boy. Since declaring bankruptcy in 2000, the Detroit chain has maintained 76 locations, 66 in Michigan. You can still look for the iconic cartoon logo statue and order the double-decker Big Boy burger.
Sales: $266 million
Sizzler has around 270 locations and a hybrid concept: a small menu of steaks, fried shrimp, ribs, and other entrees, plus a large salad bar that includes hot foods and desserts you can add to an entree or get on its own. The chain has endured a bankruptcy and a couple outbreaks of E. coli that closed some locations.
Sales: $248 million
Friendly's was started in 1935 as an ice cream parlor. With the Depression far behind it, the chain has about 150 locations on the East Coast that still focus on 22 flavors of ice cream but also serves a menu of family favorites such as chicken tenders and cheeseburgers.
Sales: $245 million
Huddle House was created for gathering after Friday night football games, and is named after the football huddle. There are around 350 locations, and since they're mostly in the Southeast, they have specialties such as cheesy grits, country fried steak, and fried okra.
Sales: $211 million
A buffet restaurant for salad lovers and health-conscious diners, Souplantation — it's Sweet Tomatoes outside Southern California — was founded in 1978 and has just under 100 locations. Its salad bar includes tons of fresh vegetables, toppings, and salad dressings, plus a number of soups, pasta, bakery, and rotating monthly items.
Sales: $210 million
Luby's is a cafeteria-style restaurant known for low prices and homestyle food. It was founded in San Antonio in 1947, and has almost 80 locations in Texas and one in Mississippi. Daily specials called the LuAnn platter include a half-size entree and two sides, and was the inspiration for the character Luanne Platter in the cartoon series "King of the Hill."
Sales: $187 million
The first Shoney's opened in West Virginia in 1947 as the Parkette Drive-in. It became a Big Boy's for a couple years, and Shoney's not long after. Today, the chain is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and has locations in 17 states, mostly in the South and Midwest, serving American classics and a buffet.
Sales: $175 million
Despite filing bankruptcy a few times since its founding in 1983, Old Country Buffet/Hometown Buffet still operates locations in 13 states on the West Coast, East Coast, and Midwest. The buffets offer everything from fried fish to soft serve with sprinkles. Some locations offer weekend breakfast buffets as well.
Sales: $168 million
The Original Pancake House was founded in 1953 in Portland, Oregon, and today there are about 150 locations. It's best known for the puffy apple pancake, Dutch baby, and sourdough pancakes. In 1999, it was awarded an American Classic award from the James Beard Foundation, a group that awards top restaurants and chefs all around the country.
Sales: $162 million
As its name suggests, Eat'n Park started out as a drive-in restaurant in 1949 in Pittsburgh, complete with carhops. It's dropped the drive-in concept in favor of a sit-down family restaurant, and now has 60 locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. In 1986, the chain added bakeries — that's when the chain's famous Smiley Cookie was created, spurring the motto, "the place for smiles."
Sales: $139 million
Shari's can be easy to spot: Older locations among the cafe chain's 90 or so have a trademark hexagonal design. Most Shari's are open 24 hours every day of the year, so even at 3 a.m. customers in the West can get their slice of cheese pie with marionberry topping and traditional favorites such as stuffed hash browns, club sandwiches, and turkey dinners.
Sales: $125 million
Metro Diner's launched in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1992. Now there are around 70 locations, most in Florida and other parts of the Southeast and East Coast. Its menu is full of comfort food. Some of the most popular dishes include fried chicken and waffles with a signature sweet and spicy sauce, and a meatloaf plate with mashed potatoes and gravy.
