The Top 400 chains end a difficult year with a respectable 5.4% sales gain and with new determination.

R&I’s 44th annual ranking of the Top 400 chain-restaurant brands based on 2007 sales shows just how tough last year was for many chains. Aggregate systemwide sales for this year’s 400 largest brands were $292.1 billion, up 5.4% from the previous year. That’s a decent showing, but not as robust as the 6.8% increase posted by last year’s Top 400. More telling is this year’s 1.9% increase in total foodservice units, which is less than half of last year’s 3.9% unit growth.