Who Has the Most MoCo Locations?

It seems like every time you scroll through the headlines in Montgomery County, there’s news of another fast-food restaurant opening or a new coffee shop moving into town. It made us wonder: who has the most locations in MoCo? Which chains dominate our county’s food scene, and where do we see them the most?

We dove into the Montgomery County Food Service Inspection Database, and extracted data for restaurants, cafes, and food-service chains. We excluded grocery stores (e.g., Giant, Safeway) and pharmacies (e.g., CVS) even though they appear in the inspection records, and we generally excluded gas stations/convenience stores—except 7-Eleven, whose extensive hot-food program and sheer footprint clearly put it in the everyday food-service category for MoCo residents.

The Top 10 Chains in Montgomery County (from least to most)

10. Pizza Hut — 12 locations

These days most MoCo Pizza Huts operate as delivery/carry-out hubs rather than the sit-down “red-roof” restaurants of the past. You’ll find them tucked into neighborhood centers and along commuter corridors where delivery density makes sense. If you want the big pizza buffet, check out the New Hampshire Avenue location in Cloverly.

9. Five Guys — 12 locations

Born in the region and now national, Five Guys keeps a solid footprint here. Expect the usual: made-to-order burgers, big fries, and high lunch traffic in busy retail clusters like Rio and town-center developments.

8. Popeyes — 14 locations

Popeyes’ fried chicken and biscuit formula travels well across MoCo. Stores cluster on major arteries for drive-thru and quick in-and-out traffic, and the chicken sandwich craze a few years ago helped cement the brand locally.

7. Domino’s — 18 locations

A delivery-first model keeps Domino’s spread across the county without needing large storefronts. The concentration aligns with dense delivery zones in both downcounty and upcounty neighborhoods. Locations in low traffic retail centers keeps overhead low.

6. Chipotle — 23 locations

Chipotle’s fast-casual format is now a staple in shopping centers and near transit or schools. Many MoCo stores feature digital pickup shelving and streamlined lines to keep midday crowds moving. It's growing fast.

5. McDonald’s — 38 locations

McDonald’s presence is broad and familiar—drive-thrus near commuter routes, refreshed interiors at high-traffic sites, and steady breakfast/lunch volume. Several locations sit on or just off the big corridors residents use daily. MoCo got its first, on the Rockville Pike, back in 1960.

4. Dunkin — 38 locations

Rapid growth in recent years puts Dunkin' tied with McDonald's. But with at least three new stores under construction, it'll overtake the golden arches soon. You’ll see it in strip centers and near morning traffic hot spots; the all-day coffee/snack pattern shows up clearly in where these are sited.

3. Subway — 49 locations

Subway’s franchise model and small footprint make it easy to slot into neighborhood centers, busy strips and even within gas stations. The brand’s ubiquity is especially visible in smaller retail pads and near office clusters.

2. Starbucks — 51 locations

From downtown corners to ubiquitous strip malls and grocery store lobbies, Starbucks has essentially mapped to the county’s commuting and retail patterns. Newer sites often include roomy pickup areas to handle mobile-order surges.

1. 7-Eleven — 69 locations

Counted here because of its food-service programs (hot items, prepared snacks, beverages), 7-Eleven is the county’s most common everyday food stop. The sheer number of stores means there’s likely one within a short hop of most residential areas and major roads. In Kensington, you'll find three within a few blocks.

Want to explore more? Check out this interactive Google Map with every Montgomery County location for the top ten stores.