ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Church’s Texas Chicken®, a quick-service chicken restaurant chain specializing in bold, daring flavors originating from its home state, recently ranked no. 87 in the Franchise Times Top 500, an annual ranking of the largest U.S. based franchise systems by global systemwide sales.

“Landing in the top 100 of the Franchise Times Top 500 is a tremendous accomplishment for our brand and speaks to the success of our continued growth trajectory,” said Joe Guith, CEO of Church’s Texas Chicken® and Texas Chicken™. “We are proud to make this list as evidence of our hard work and dedication to growing an iconic brand that can truly be an industry stand-out.”

In the past year, Church’s Texas Chicken® celebrated its 70th anniversary and it is not resting on its laurels. Church’s has taken several steps in its extensive growth plans utilizing a rapid innovation strategy for both domestic and international locations, which has led to exciting new development agreements and new restaurant openings in both brands.

Backed by more than 20 years of research, the exclusive and objective list is completed once a year after a five-month research and reporting effort, resulting in a comprehensive and credible report of franchise ranking.

For a company to be included in the Franchise Times Top 500, it must be a legal U.S. franchise with franchisees owning at least 10 percent of the company’s total units. Companies are then ranked by total sales for both franchise and company units, with the number of units taken into consideration if a company ties in systemwide sales with another.

About Church’s Texas Chicken® / Texas Chicken™

Founded in San Antonio, TX, in 1952 by George W. Church, Church’s Texas Chicken®, along with its sister brand Texas Chicken™ primarily outside of the U.S., is one of the largest quick-service chicken restaurant chains in the world. The brands specialize in Original and Spicy Chicken freshly prepared throughout the day in small batches that are hand-battered and double-breaded, tenders, sandwiches, Honey-Butter Biscuits™ made from scratch and freshly baked, and classic, home-style sides all for a great value. Texas Chicken™ and Church’s Texas Chicken® have more than 1,500 locations in 26 countries and global markets and system-wide sales of more than $1 billion. For more information about Church’s Texas Chicken®, visit churchstexaschicken.com. For information on Texas Chicken™, visit texaschicken.com.