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Will Chick-fil-A’s sales outpace the Golden Arches?

July 16, 2014

Could McDonald’s sales be outpaced by a privately-held chicken concept that isn’t even open on Sundays? One Wall Street analyst thinks it’s certainly possible within the next 10 or so years.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Janney Capital Markets Mark Kalinowski said Chick-fil-A’s sales could grow its domestic sales faster than McDonald’s within the next 10 years. Kalinowski estimates that Chick-fil-A could add $6.3 billion to $9 billion in U.S. sales by 2023, and McDonald’s could add between $1 billion and $10.5 billion.

"Long-term investors examining the future prospects for McDonald’s domestic business should keep in mind the growing competitive threat from privately-held Chick-fil-A," he said in a research note.

Chick-fil-A’s U.S. sales grew from $1.5B to $5B from 2003 to 2013. Kalinowski notes that the brand still has a lot of room for growth, especially in northern metro markets.