Article: 400 segment rankings.(restaurants)(Cover Story)

The concepts that make up the Top 400 chains faced some familiar challenges in 2003--an unpredictable economy, relatively high unemployment and global political uncertainties--along with some unexpected new hurdles such as a sudden and surprising shift in many diners' eating habits. Yet once again the chain-restaurant industry showed its resilience: The Top 400 posted aggregate systemwide sales of nearly $218.1 billion in 2003, a 5% increase over the previous year.

That wasn't quite as robust as the 5.6% bounce registered by the Top 400 for 2002, but a 5% uptick still exceeds the 2.9% gain forecast for all limited- and full-service restaurants in 2003 by ...

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