LEXINGTON, Ky. — A fast-growing restaurant brand with an expanding Kentucky presence has been named the nation's top emerging dining brand, providing another indication of the competitive strength of fast-casual concepts gaining ground with American consumers.

Chicken Salad Chick ranked No. 1 in YouGov's 2026 U.S. emerging dining brands study, finishing ahead of Cook Out, Just Salad, Nothing Bundt Cakes and KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot. The company outperformed competing brands across all five measured categories: Net Buzz, purchase consideration, Net Recommendation, perceptions that a brand is "On the Rise" and perceptions of innovation.

The recognition carries a direct Kentucky connection. Chicken Salad Chick entered the commonwealth in 2018 when its 100th restaurant opened in Nicholasville, just outside Lexington. The company has since expanded into markets across Kentucky, including Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro, Paducah and Hopkinsville. In October 2025, franchisee Vickie Tranter expanded the brand into Lexington's Hamburg area with a restaurant on Bryant Road, adding a drive-thru facility.

The Atlanta-based chain now operates more than 340 locations nationally across 25 states, according to the company's franchise development information, with more than 270 additional locations in development. The expansion follows a record-breaking 2025, when the company awarded nearly 100 franchise agreements and opened 42 restaurants across 14 states.

Chicken Salad Chick performed particularly well in consumers' perceptions of growth and innovation. Among consumers familiar with the brand, 54.1 percent said it was "On the Rise," the highest percentage in the study. The brand also ranked first for innovation, with 54.4 percent of consumers viewing it as innovative.

For Kentucky's restaurant and franchise market, Chicken Salad Chick's top ranking highlights a broader trend: regional concepts are increasingly using franchise expansion to move into new markets while competing with established national chains. The company's Kentucky experience demonstrates this strategy in action, evolving from a single Nicholasville location in 2018 to a statewide presence spanning multiple markets while simultaneously building its national footprint.