ULTA vs QSR Comparison

Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the US with about 1,500 freestanding stores. The firm offers cosmetics (39% of 2024 sales), fragrances (13%), skin care (23%), and hair care products (19%). It also has salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow, that account for about 4% of its revenue and drive traffic. Outside of the US, Ulta acquired premium beauty retailer Space NK and its 83 stores in the UK and Ireland in 2025, is opening franchised stores in Mexico, and has formed a joint venture to expand into the Middle East. In addition, Ulta collects royalties through its Target partnership (set to end in 2026) and credit card revenue. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.

Restaurant Brands generates about $44 billion in system sales across more than 32,000 restaurants in over 120 markets, making it one of the largest restaurant companies globally. Its banners include Burger King (7,082 stores), Tim Hortons (4,539), Popeyes (3,520), and Firehouse Subs (1,345), concentrated in the US and Canada, with these brands also comprising 15,639 franchised international locations as of year-end 2024. The firm primarily earns revenue from franchise and property fees, supply chain sales within the Tim Hortons segment, company-operated restaurants, and advertising royalties.