Teriyaki Madness posted a +10.3% same-store sales gain and a +5.5% traffic increase in Q3 2026, against fast-casual industry averages of +1.4% and -2.6% respectively. With 229 locations now open and systemwide sales up 25% for the quarter, the Denver-based franchise chain recorded the widest gap over fast-casual peers it has reported in 2026.
The Q3 performance extends a run that has been positive across all four quarters of the year. Year to date through September 30, same-store sales are up +6.6% and traffic is up +2.6%, compared with fast-casual category benchmarks of +0.92% on sales and -2.12% on traffic. Systemwide sales for the first nine months are up 28% year over year. The rolling average unit volume has risen 5.9% since January 1.
Sales and Traffic Both Positive While Fast-Casual Peers Saw Traffic Decline
Fast-casual traffic fell an average of 2.6% in Q3 2026, a figure the brand cited from category-level benchmarks in its quarterly report. Against that backdrop, Teriyaki Madness recorded a 5.5% increase in guest visits, the widest positive traffic gap the brand has reported against its peer group so far this year.
Same-store sales came in at +10.3%, more than seven times the category average of +1.4%. For the nine months ending September 30, the chain ran at +6.6% on same-store sales and +2.6% on traffic, both above fast-casual norms in each period tracked.
Nine New Shops, Eight New Franchise Groups, and a System Approaching 245 Locations
Nine shops opened during Q3, with the brand entering three markets that had no prior Teriyaki Madness presence: College Station, Texas; Champaign, Illinois; and Corpus Christi, Texas. Eight franchise groups signed new development agreements during the quarter.
The franchise system stood at 229 locations as of September 30 and is on track for 245 by December 31, a pace the company described as 22.5% unit growth for the full year. Catering is running 59% ahead of last year’s pace. Among the groups signing in Q3, Kush Patel committed to a location in Tyler, Texas. “a franchise is only as strong as the support behind it,” says Kush Patel, incoming Teriyaki Madness operator, Tyler, Texas.
Menu Innovation Tied to Higher Visit Ratings
The standout new item in Q3 was the Chili Crisp Edamame side, which the company reported was associated with higher overall visit ratings among guests who ordered it. Teriyaki Madness noted that guests who tried the item rated their full visit more favorably, a pattern the brand cited when explaining part of the traffic gain.
The item represents a departure from the safer side dish choices that have historically characterized fast-casual menus. The brand’s chief marketing officer attributed the performance to a deliberate willingness to move beyond conventional options.
Rolling Unit Volume Up 5.9% and a Q4 Target of 245 Locations
The brand has not issued specific sales guidance for Q4 but has stated a year-end unit target of 245 locations, implying roughly 16 additional openings in the final quarter if the pace holds. The rolling average unit volume is up 5.9% since the start of 2026, a figure the company presented as a measure of per-unit health rather than system-wide expansion alone.
The Mad Dash curbside program, which uses GPS tracking to alert staff two minutes before a customer arrives, has been cited by the brand as a contributing factor in order accuracy and service speed across the system.
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