Tourists and college students have propelled Central Florida to the top of a list of cities expected to see heavy growth in restaurants catering to on-the-go diners.

QSR magazine recently named Orlando the top growth market for what the restaurant industry calls "quick service." That includes traditional fast food and places where diners order at the counter of an eatery that has a fairly sophisticated atmosphere and menu.

Orlando already has the highest number of fast-food restaurants per 100,000 people, according to a report from the Daily Beast last year. And many quick-service chains are expanding, including Panera Bread, Five Guys and CiCi's Pizza.

That Central Florida is considered a top growth market comes as no surprise to Gregg Hill, an Oviedo development-company owner who three years ago began opening Bojangles' chicken-and-biscuit restaurants here. He now has five and plans to open three more each year.

"Everywhere I turn it seems like there's a new quick-serve or fast-food chain popping up," Hill said. "It's a great market."

The area including Orlando, Daytona Beach and Melbourne has 3,627 quick-service restaurants, according to research firm NPD Group.

Not all quick-service places have done well in the economic downturn. Whataburger and Fazoli's, for example, both left Central Florida.

But in general, so-called "fast-casual" places such as Panera and Chipotle are considered the restaurant industry's next big thing.

Diners like the combination of fast food and casual dining. They still get convenience and a relatively low check, but along with food and an atmosphere considered a little more upscale. Bojangles', for example, has Wi-fi and flat-screen televisions. Panera plays classical music in the background.

Even though Orlando was hit hard in the economic downturn, companies say they still see plenty of promise here.

Research shows the average Orlando household spent a little more than $3,000 annually on dining out in 2009, said Dan Stone, vice president of franchise development for Tampa-based Front Burner Brands.

"Those are pretty good statistics," said Stone, whose company plans to make Orlando the first expansion market for its new Burger 21 restaurants.

Orlando is the fastest-growing market for Panera Bread, said Gavin Ford, who owns franchises here. It will open almost 20 restaurants here over three years. To provide extra convenience, Paneras will add drive-through windows, a feature more typical of traditional fast food places.

Many of the new restaurants will go near the attractions, an area that Panera had previously steered away from. Previously, Panera didn't have enough national name recognition to draw tourists, Ford said. But as the chain has expanded around the country, Ford said, "people from out of town now know what Panera is."

Burger 21 is taking the opposite approach. It hopes to be in tourist areas, Stone said, because they provide "great exposure for a brand that's trying to grow nationally."

Tourists are "obviously a huge attraction" for quick-service restaurants, said Daniel P. Smith, who wrote the QSR magazine article touting Orlando as the top growth market. "Those people aren't cooking at home. They have to eat out."

College students eat out a lot, too, and they tend to go for quicker, cheaper food. And with 55,000 students at the University of Central Florida alone, Orlando has plenty of them.

Opening in Central Florida two years ago, California-based Del Taco chose to build near International Drive and UCF because "students and tourists alike seek convenience and access," the company said in an e-mail. "These locations are a good match."

spedicini@tribune.com or 407-420-5240.