Bentonville and Fayetteville Keep Chick-fil-A Atop Lists

As expected, Chick-fil-A locations in Bentonville and Fayetteville ended 2012 as their respective cities’ leading restaurants in terms of sales.

That’s per the 1 percent hotel-motel-restaurant tax collected by the Bentonville and Fayetteville advertising & promotion commissions. Data from both is used to calculate revenue for restaurants in each city.

Chick-fil-A’s lone location in Bentonville had sales of $2.85 million in 2012, up slightly more than 1 percent over 2011. The restaurant had the highest sales totals during other checks throughout 2012, and finished well ahead of Panera Bread Co. ($2.32 million), which enjoyed a jump of more than 24 percent over 2011.

Likewise, Chick-fil-A’s Northwest Village store in Fayetteville led that city’s sales totals throughout the year, finishing with $4.09 million, a spike of more than 10 percent and easily ahead of Olive Garden ($3.61 million). The Chick-fil-A location on Razorback Road ranked third with $3.44 million in sales, and was followed by Golden Corral ($3.26 million) and Shogun Japanese Steak & Sushi ($2.96 million).

In Bentonville, McDonald’s stores on South Walton Boulevard and Phyllis Street ranked third and fifth with sales of $2.23 million and $1.89 million, respectively. Eleven, the restaurant at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, was fourth with $2.08 million. Flying Fish, meanwhile, ranked 10th with $1.61 million in sales despite not opening until March.

Eurest Dining, the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. home office cafeteria, is intentionally excluded from the list. It had revenue of $4.86 million. Also excluded are Sam’s Club and Walmart Supercenter Deli.

Chartwells Dining, the University of Arkansas cafeteria, is intentionally excluded in Fayetteville, as are Penguin Ed’s Barbeque and Rick’s Bakery. Penguin Ed’s combines revenues from its three locations, and Rick’s Bakery’s primary business is not that of a restaurant.