The end of an earnings season can be a great time to discover new stocks and assess how companies are handling the current business environment. Let’s take a look at how Jack in the Box (NASDAQ: JACK) and the rest of the traditional fast food stocks fared in Q1.
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 1.6%.
In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 2.1% on average since the latest earnings results.
Jack in the Box (NASDAQ: JACK)
Delighting customers since its inception in 1951, Jack in the Box (NASDAQ: JACK) is a distinctive fast-food chain known for its bold flavors, innovative menu items, and quirky marketing.
Jack in the Box reported revenues of $254.3 million, down 4.3% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 0.8%. Overall, it was a mixed quarter for the company with full-year EBITDA guidance topping analysts’ expectations but a slight miss of analysts’ same-store sales estimates.
“Second quarter results did not meet expectations, however trends have improved into the third quarter. Jack in the Box is an iconic brand, and I'm eager to dive in with our passionate team and franchisees to further improve operating results. After being on the Board and now as interim CEO, my excitement for the potential of this brand has only grown,” said Mark King, Jack in the Box Interim Chief Executive Officer.
Interestingly, the stock is up 14.4% since reporting and currently trades at $14.63.
Read our full report on Jack in the Box 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 an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ same-store sales estimates.
The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 19.4% since reporting. It currently trades at $16.13.
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 EPS estimates.
Papa John's delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and slowest revenue growth in the group. The stock is flat since the results and currently trades at $33.49.
Read our full analysis of Papa John’s results here.
Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM)
Spun off as an independent company from PepsiCo, Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) is a multinational corporation that owns KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill.
Yum! Brands reported revenues of $2.06 billion, up 15.2% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. It was a strong quarter as it also produced an impressive beat of analysts’ same-store sales and EPS estimates.
The stock is down 5.3% since reporting and currently trades at $148.14.
Read our full, actionable report on Yum! Brands here, it’s free.
Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ: DNUT)
Famous for its Original Glazed doughnuts and parent company of Insomnia Cookies, Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ: DNUT) is one of the most beloved and well-known fast-food chains in the world.
Krispy Kreme reported revenues of $367 million, down 2.2% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 0.5%. Aside from that, it was a mixed quarter as it also produced a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates but EPS in line with analysts’ estimates.
The stock is down 12.4% since reporting and currently trades at $3.23.
Read our full, actionable report on Krispy Kreme here, it’s free.
Market Update
Over the past year, investors have been forced to repeatedly answer the same question: what is the market’s biggest risk? The answer has changed several times, and each shift has reshaped market leadership.
Late in 2025 and early 2026, artificial intelligence became the market’s primary uncertainty. Investors questioned whether AI would erode software pricing power and weaken competitive moats as AI made it easier to replicate once-differentiated products.
By the spring, technology took a back seat to geopolitics. The U.S. conflict with Iran briefly became the market’s dominant narrative, raising concerns about oil prices, inflation, and global growth. But as energy markets remained orderly and fears of a prolonged supply disruption faded, investors quickly turned their focus back to fundamentals.
Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Quality Compounder Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.
