We all probably have our own opinion about why we prefer certain fast food restaurants over others. Maybe there’s a menu item at one location that keeps you coming back for more. Maybe your kids are collecting the toys from a certain kids meal. Maybe the customer service is exceptional, or the prices are more reasonable than at other locations. Whatever the reason, we all have certain fast food places we tend to frequent more than others.
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) interviewed approximately 20,000 fast food customers to determine which fast food restaurants are the best and which ones are the worst. These surveys were emailed to customers between April 1, 2020 through March 29, 2021. The surveys had customers think about factors like cleanliness, customer service, mobile apps and accuracy of orders.
The results are in, and we now know the best and worst fast food restaurants according to this survey. The winner of best fast food restaurant has been the same for the past 6 years, and this year was no exception. Chick-fil-A was ranked as the best fast food restaurant for the 7th year in a row with a top score of 83 out of 100, one point lower than last year’s score of 84.
Restaurant scores ranged from a low of 70 (cough, McDonald’s, cough) to a high of 83. The average score was 78. Here is a list of the 5 top rated fast food restaurants.
- Chick-fil-A
- Donimos
- KFC
- Starbucks
- Five Guys
Not only did Chick-fil-A rank the highest of all fast food restaurants, but it also ranked higher than any restaurant in the full-service restaurant category, where LongHorn Steakhouse was the winner with a high score of 80.
McDonald’s ranked lowest with a score of 70. Among the other fast food restaurants that ranked low are Wendy’s, Sonic, Popeyes and Jack in the Box.
Does it surprise you that Chick-fil-a was ranked higher than any other fast food restaurant 7 years in a row? What’s your favorite fast food restaurant? Do you prefer fast food restaurants or full-service sit-down restaurants? Will these rankings at all impact your decision about where to eat the next time you choose a fast food restaurant?