Americans spend more money on fast food than on movies, music, books, magazines, and newspapers combined. The rapid growth of this $240 billion industry over the last 30 years has been the result of economic shifts that have forced more women to work outside the home. Here are the top nine fast-food chains and how they stack up worldwide.

1. Subway

Almost everyone recognizes Jared Fogle as the poster boy for Subway's healthy, low-fat diet. He lost 245 pounds in a year by eating two Subway sandwiches per day and walking. Subway was founded in 1965 by 17-year-old college freshman Fred DeLuca and family friend Dr. Peter Buck. Today there are more than 27,000 restaurants in 85 countries, employing more than 150,000 people.

With worldwide sales totaling more than $9 billion annually, Subway serves nearly 2,800 sandwiches and salads in the United States every 60 seconds. If all the sandwiches made by Subway in a year were placed end to end, they would wrap around the world an estimated six times.

2. McDonald's

Originally founded by Dick and Mac McDonald as a barbecue drive-in in the 1940s, the McDonald's Corporation now boasts annual profits of more than $21 billion. Known for its signature french fries, the corporation trains more new workers annually than the U.S. Army, and an estimated one in eight Americans has worked for McDonald's. In 1968, McDonald's operated about 1,000 restaurants worldwide, but today it has more than 31,000.

McDonald's boasts annual profits of more than $21 billion.
McDonald's boasts annual
profits of more than $21 billion.

3. Pizza Hut

In 1958, brothers Dan and Frank Carney of Wichita, Kansas, founded Pizza Hut. Now based in Dallas, this restaurant chain specializes in American-style pizza along with side dishes such as buffalo wings, bread sticks, and garlic bread. Pizza Hut is the world's largest pizza chain, operating more than 12,500 stores in 100 countries and employing 140,000 people. With $5.3 billion in annual sales in the United States alone, the company rakes in more than its nearest competitors -- Domino's and Papa John's -- combined.

4. Burger King

In December 1954, James McLamore and David Edgerton opened the first Insta Burger King in Miami, Florida. The restaurant was based on an assembly line production system inspired by a visit to the McDonald brothers' hamburger stand. Today, Burger King has more than 11,000 restaurants in 65 countries. With an average annual income of $11.2 billion, the chain employs more than 340,000 employees and serves 11 million customers a day.

Our list of successful fast-food chains continues on the next page.

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