QSR vs. RCL: Restaurant Brands vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) both belong to the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, though QSR is classified under Restaurants while RCL falls under Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines.

Company profile comparison for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Profile Item	QSR	RCL
Name	Restaurant Brands International Inc.	Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Consumer Discretionary	Consumer Discretionary
GICS Industry Group	Consumer Services	Consumer Services
GICS Industry	Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure	Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure
GICS Sub-Industry	Restaurants	Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines
Market Capitalization	35.56 billion USD	87.51 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	December 11, 2014	April 28, 1993
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

QSR

RCL

GSPC

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	QSR	RCL
Total Return (1Y)	19.01%	35.04%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	7.95%	55.86%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	9.80%	30.86%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

QSR

RCL

GSPC

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) has an aggressive beta of 1.82, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Restaurant Brands (QSR) is defensive at 0.54 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	QSR	RCL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	24.79%	47.73%
Beta (5Y)	0.54	1.82
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-24.53%	-65.76%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.91M	2.35M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

QSR and RCL are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	QSR	RCL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.59	0.64
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.89	1.10

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Restaurant Brands (QSR) at 39.05% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 41.29% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

QSR

Consumer Services industry group

39.05%

Max: 76.75%
QSR: 39.05%
Q3: 34.07%
Median: 15.90%
Q1: 3.23%
Min: -40.61%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

41.29%

Max: 76.75%
RCL: 41.29%
Q3: 34.07%
Median: 15.90%
Q1: 3.23%
Min: -40.61%

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their ROE against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Restaurant Brands (QSR) at 15.35% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 23.79% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

QSR

Consumer Services industry group

15.35%

Max: 25.52%
QSR: 15.35%
Q3: 12.95%
Median: 6.63%
Q1: 1.46%
Min: -14.36%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

23.79%

Max: 25.52%
RCL: 23.79%
Q3: 12.95%
Median: 6.63%
Q1: 1.46%
Min: -14.36%

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their net margin against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Restaurant Brands (QSR) at 27.92% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 33.61% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

QSR

Consumer Services industry group

27.92%

Max: 49.05%
QSR: 27.92%
Q3: 24.35%
Median: 14.23%
Q1: 5.67%
Min: -16.47%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

33.61%

Max: 49.05%
RCL: 33.61%
Q3: 24.35%
Median: 14.23%
Q1: 5.67%
Min: -16.47%

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	QSR	RCL
ROE (TTM)	39.05%	41.29%
ROA (TTM)	6.48%	7.78%
Net Margin (TTM)	15.35%	23.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)	27.92%	33.61%
Gross Margin (TTM)	34.33%	50.25%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Restaurant Brands (QSR) at 12.23% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 8.79% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Restaurant Brands (QSR) at -26.10% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 41.91% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	QSR	RCL
Revenue Growth (YoY)	12.23%	8.79%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	13.19%	26.59%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-26.10%	41.91%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-10.24%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Restaurant Brands (QSR) at 0.96 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 0.22 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for RCL.

QSR

Consumer Services industry group

0.96

Max: 3.41
Q3: 1.85
Median: 1.06
QSR: 0.96
Q1: 0.72
Min: 0.22

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

0.22

Max: 3.41
Q3: 1.85
Median: 1.06
Q1: 0.72
RCL: 0.22
Min: 0.22

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Restaurant Brands (QSR) at 2.84 and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 1.94 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

QSR

Consumer Services industry group

2.84

Max: 6.12
Q3: 2.93
QSR: 2.84
Median: 1.29
Q1: 0.37
Min: 0.01

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

1.94

Max: 6.12
Q3: 2.93
RCL: 1.94
Median: 1.29
Q1: 0.37
Min: 0.01

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	QSR	RCL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.96	0.22
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	2.84	1.94
Net Debt / EBITDA	4.98	3.12

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Restaurant Brands (QSR) at 3.27% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 1.70% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, QSR the richer one.

QSR

Consumer Services industry group

3.27%

Max: 4.10%
QSR: 3.27%
Q3: 1.82%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

1.70%

Max: 4.10%
Q3: 1.82%
RCL: 1.70%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 32.54% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Restaurant Brands (QSR) at 56.48% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

QSR

Consumer Services industry group

56.48%

Max: 89.80%
QSR: 56.48%
Q3: 36.83%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

32.54%

Max: 89.80%
Q3: 36.83%
RCL: 32.54%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	QSR	RCL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	3.27%	1.70%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	56.48%	32.54%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Restaurant Brands (QSR) at 17.07 and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 19.36 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

QSR

Consumer Services industry group

17.07

Max: 71.70
Q3: 37.12
Median: 21.88
QSR: 17.07
Q1: 13.00
Min: 5.72

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

19.36

Max: 71.70
Q3: 37.12
Median: 21.88
RCL: 19.36
Q1: 13.00
Min: 5.72

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Restaurant Brands (QSR) at 3.64 and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 4.57 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

QSR

Consumer Services industry group

3.64

Max: 6.40
QSR: 3.64
Q3: 3.01
Median: 1.54
Q1: 0.74
Min: 0.08

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

4.57

Max: 6.40
RCL: 4.57
Q3: 3.01
Median: 1.54
Q1: 0.74
Min: 0.08

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Restaurant Brands (QSR) at 6.87 and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 7.47 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

QSR

Consumer Services industry group

6.87

Max: 12.02
QSR: 6.87
Q3: 5.58
Median: 2.37
Q1: 1.09
Min: -4.51

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

7.47

Max: 12.02
RCL: 7.47
Q3: 5.58
Median: 2.37
Q1: 1.09
Min: -4.51

Restaurant Brands (QSR) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Restaurant Brands (QSR) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	QSR	RCL
P/E Ratio (TTM)	17.07	19.36
P/S Ratio (TTM)	3.64	4.57
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	6.87	7.47
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.48%	-0.06%