New Report: The #1 Restaurant for Customer Satisfaction

Chick-fil-A is in first place again among fast-food chains when it comes to customer satisfaction, according to a new report on the restaurant industry.

The Georgia-based chain tops the “limited-service restaurants” list for the sixth year in a row, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) 2020 Restaurant Report.

Some key findings from the report include:

Chick-fil-A's 84 score represents a two-point drop from last year, but it's still four points better than Chipotle Mexican Grill, ranked second in the "Limited-Service" category.
Consistent with its finishes in previous ACSI reports, McDonald's anchors the bottom of the 19-restaurant list.

Let’s take a look at the limited-service eateries with the top scores for this year’s ACSI Restaurant Report. And keep scrolling to see the top full-service food spots!

Customer Satisfaction: Top Limited-Service Restaurants for 2020
Average Score	78
Chick-fil-A	84
All Others	80
Chipotle Mexican Grill	80
Arby’s (Inspire Brands)	79
Domino’s	79
Dunkin’	79
KFC (Yum! Brands)	79
Panera Bread	79
Subway	79
Papa John’s	78
Starbucks	78
Pizza Hut (Yum! Brands)	77
Burger King (RBI)	76
Little Caesars	76
Wendy’s	76
Popeye’s (RBI)	74
Sonic Drive-In (Inspire Brands)	74
Taco Bell (Yum! Brands)	74
Jack in the Box	73
McDonald’s	70

Among full-service restaurants, Darden's LongHorn Steakhouse is #1 for the third straight year. Here are the results for full-service restaurants when it comes to customer service:

Customer Satisfaction: Top Full-Service Restaurants for 2020
Average Score	79
LongHorn Steakhouse (Darden)	81
All Others	80
Texas Roadhouse	80
Cracker Barrel	79
Olive Garden (Darden)	79
Red Lobster	79
Outback Steakhouse	78
TGI Fridays	78
Applebee’s	77
Denny’s	76
Red Robin	76
Ruby Tuesday	76
Chili’s	75

Final Thought

Compared to full-service eateries, fast-food chains are better positioned to operate in the pandemic, the report says, citing their cheaper prices and the fact that about 70% of their business is via drive-thru.

Although the entire restaurant industry has been rocked by the coronavirus pandemic, the companies with apt technology and quick delivery are poised to fare best, the report says.

If you choose to dine inside a restaurant during the pandemic, make sure you follow the health protocols and guidelines issued by the establishment as well as those in your local jurisdiction.

The ACSI says it plans to follow up with new data later this year on how the global health crisis has affected customer satisfaction for U.S. restaurants.