Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Wendy's (NASDAQ: WEN) and the best and worst performers in the traditional fast food industry.

Traditional fast-food restaurants are renowned for their speed and convenience, boasting menus filled with familiar and budget-friendly items. Their reputations for on-the-go consumption make them favored destinations for individuals and families needing a quick meal. This class of restaurants, however, is fighting the perception that their meals are unhealthy and made with inferior ingredients, a battle that's especially relevant today given the consumers increasing focus on health and wellness.

The 12 traditional fast food stocks we track reported a strong Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.4%.

While some traditional fast food stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 3.5% since the latest earnings results.

Wendy's (NASDAQ: WEN)

Founded by Dave Thomas in 1969, Wendy’s (NASDAQ: WEN) is a renowned fast-food chain known for its fresh, never-frozen beef burgers, flavorful menu options, and commitment to quality.

Wendy's reported revenues of $540.6 million, up 3.3% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 4.4%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA and revenue estimates.

Wendy's pulled off the biggest analyst estimate beat of the whole group. Unsurprisingly, the stock is up 8% since reporting and currently trades at $7.51.

Is now the time to buy Wendy's? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q1: El Pollo Loco (NASDAQ: LOCO)

With a name that translates into ‘The Crazy Chicken’, El Pollo Loco (NASDAQ: LOCO) is a fast food chain known for its citrus-marinated, fire-grilled chicken recipe that hails from the coastal town of Sinaloa, Mexico.

El Pollo Loco reported revenues of $126.2 million, up 5.9% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 3.2%. The business had a stunning quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA and revenue estimates.

The market seems content with the results as the stock is up 2.6% since reporting. It currently trades at $13.87.

Is now the time to buy El Pollo Loco? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q1: Papa John's (NASDAQ: PZZA)

Founded by the eclectic John “Papa John” Schnatter, Papa John’s (NASDAQ: PZZA) is a globally recognized pizza delivery and carryout chain known for “better ingredients” and “better pizza”.

Papa John's reported revenues of $478.6 million, down 7.7% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 1.4%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA and revenue estimates.

Papa John's delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 1.6% since the results and currently trades at $33.23.

Read our full analysis of Papa John’s results here.

Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX)

Started by three friends in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) is a globally-renowned coffeehouse chain that offers a wide selection of high-quality coffee, beverages, and food items.

Starbucks reported revenues of $9.53 billion, up 8.8% year on year. This print surpassed analysts’ expectations by 4.3%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter as it also logged a solid beat of analysts’ revenue and same-store sales estimates.

The stock is up 5% since reporting and currently trades at $102.10.

Read our full, actionable report on Starbucks here, it’s free.

Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS)

Started in 1992 by two brothers as a single pushcart, Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS) is a dynamic coffee chain that’s captured the hearts of coffee enthusiasts across the United States.

Dutch Bros reported revenues of $464.4 million, up 30.8% year on year. This result beat analysts’ expectations by 3.2%. It was an exceptional quarter as it also put up a solid beat of analysts’ revenue and same-store sales estimates.

Dutch Bros achieved the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is down 5.6% since reporting and currently trades at $55.78.

Read our full, actionable report on Dutch Bros here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand-wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.