The past year has been tough on most Americans’ wallets. While it has slowed down recently, inflation has led to a significant decrease in purchasing power for consumers. Gasoline, housing, food, and other items of necessity have risen drastically amid the War in Ukraine and supply chain issues. Meanwhile, U.S. household debt stands at more than $16.5 trillion – the highest on record. Despite inflation leveling off to some degree, the effects still linger as most struggle. It is safe to say that in the current economic climate, most consumers are looking to avoid fine dining and instead opting for fast casual, lower cost dining.Though the Retail-Restaurants group is ranked 153 out of the 250 industries tracked by Zacks, many of the stocks have clawed there way back from bear market lows and are drastically outperforming the S&P 500 over the past six months:Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchPictured: Fast-casual dining stocks have handily outperformed the S&P 500 in recent months.The returns in some top-performing fast-casual stocks are as follows:· S&P 500 (red line): -4.3%· Brinker International EAT(green line): +9.7%· El Pollo Loco Holdings LOCO(orange line): +12.0%· Texas Roadhouse Inc TXRH(purple line): +22.4%· Restaurant Brands Intl QSR(maroon line): +28.7%· Wingstop Inc WING (blue line): +86.5% As you can see, the group is firing on all cylinders. However, WING is flying above the rest. Below are five reasons why: 1.) Chicken Prices are Falling: In 2021, chicken processors were caught flat-footed by the abrupt recovery in demand after the initial pandemic shock. Fast forward to the present day, and supply has increased as chicken suppliers have begun to catch up. As the owner and franchisee of more than 1,600 chicken wing-focused restaurants, the fall in chicken prices is a significant tailwind for the company.2.) Favorable Annual Estimates:Zacks Consensus EPS Estimates predict healthy growth over the next two years.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchPictured: Zacks Consensus Annual EPS Estimates3.) Relative Strength: Relative to the S&P 500 Index and the group, WING has outperformed. Strength begets strength.4.) Continued Revenue Growth Expected: According to Zacks Estimates, revenue growth is slated to continue growing over the next year.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchPictured: WING revenue/projected revenue over price 5.) Bullish Chart Pattern: WING is forming a bull flag and getting support at its 50-day moving average.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchPictured: WING is forming a bull flag and attempting to get support at its 50-day moving average. Just Released: Zacks Unveils the Top 5 EV Stocks for 2022 For several months now, electric vehicles have been disrupting the $82 billion automotive industry. And that disruption is only getting bigger thanks to sky-high gas prices. Even titans in the financial industry including George Soros, Jeff Bezos, and Ray Dalio have invested in this unstoppable wave. You don't want to be sitting on your hands while EV stocks break out and climb to new highs. In a new free report, Zacks is revealing the top 5 EV stocks for investors. Next year, don't look back on today wishing you had taken advantage of this opportunity.>>Send me my free report revealing the top 5 EV stocksWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Brinker International, Inc. (EAT): Free Stock Analysis Report Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (TXRH): Free Stock Analysis Report El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO): Free Stock Analysis Report Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR): Free Stock Analysis Report Wingstop Inc. (WING): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research