2023 (chain) Restaurant Satisfaction survey results

[WillTravelForFood]

The American Consumer Satisfaction Index people have released their annual survey results for full service and quick serve restaurants. This is basically, "how happy are consumers with these brands" question. Lots of other details, but here are some of the top.

Most Satisfaction (Full Service)

1. Outback
2. Cracker Barrel
3. Longhorn
4. Texas Roadhouse
5. "All Others not listed in the survey"
6. Olive Garden
7. Applebee's
8. Buffalo Wild Wings
9. Red Lobster
10. Cheesecake Factory

Most Satisfaction (Quick Service)

1. Chick-Fil-A
2. Jimmy John's
3. "All others not listed in the survey"
4. KFC
5. Papa John's
6. Domino's
7. Five Guys
8. Pizza Hut
9. Starbucks
10. Arby's

Generically speaking? These lists seem about right.

The most important thing restaurants can get right? Accuracy of the food order. further down the survey results in both cases, the "quality of the beverage" outranked "quality of the food" in importance

source: https://www.theacsi.org/

[02ebz06]

Longhorn would be my pick from the first list, and Jimmy John's and Five Guys on the second list.
Used to go to Pizza Hut when they had the lunch buffet, but I don't think any have that anymore.

[JLR]

We don't eat out a lot, so I've only been to 5 on the first list. Nothing to write home about.
On the second list, the only consistently good one is Jimmy John's. The others are typical fast food, which I don't expect much out.

[Huskee]

No fast food will ever beat Chick-fil-A, they hold the stop spot for a few reasons, friendliness of staff, speed and orchestration of drive-thru lines, and of course the food! I always felt Cracker Barrel was a notch above most, so I agree with that too. Personally though I've never had a wowing experience at Outback, likely just circumstantial. Longhorn is a great steak chain.

[Huskee]

Murdy Culver's is great too! I love their fries and their chicken tenders, they're spicy. And their mushroom & swiss burger is great, not to mention their great infinite array of ice cream concoctions...but they are terribly slow. Terribly. Sit there with a number on your window for 10+min every time you order. Then try to weasel out of the line of cars you're waiting amongst.

[texastweeter]

I dunno, I'll do things a Crack head won't for a bloomin onion, and a thunder from down under...

[Finster]

I know I'm in the minority, but Chik fil A food is gross.

[WillTravelForFood]

One takeaway from surveys like this is that there is consistency of product and service at the higher-ranked locations vs others.

The survey considers multiple aspects, ranging from level of service to food/bev quality, to options on menu and even quality of the mobile app. It's more than just "did you like your meal tonight"-type of questions.

[Murdy]

I'm surprised Culver's isn't on the list on it's own, I'd probably put it on top of quick service.

[Huskee]

Ahh, gotcha.

[Huskee]

jfmorris For the cheeseburgers ("butterburgers" they call them) IMO, no. They are regular cheeseburgers that you've had before everywhere. Their chicken, mushroom swiss burger, and fries, again IMO, yes, they're a touch better than most. Their ice cream concoctions, definitely! My personal favorite from them is a chocolate shake with peanut butter, note, not a 'chocolate peanut butter' shake, that's different. Chocolate shake, peanut butter added. You'll be sorry if you only get a small!

[Murdy]

I like the Wisconsin Swiss Melt, it's one of the few fast food burgers I can sneak in once in a while on a low-sodium diet. And it's a good burger regardless.

[DavidNorcross]

This list actually looks pretty close to me.

[FireMan]

In the last 10 months I’ve eaten at #4, Texas Roadhouse last month on the first list & twice at Culver’s. Not much in the eatin out game.
Did stumble onto a great sushi restaurant in Green Bay last month. Liked it so much, went there the next day also.

[WillTravelForFood]

I'm surprised Culver's isn't on the list on it's own, I'd probably put it on top of quick service.

They're likely lumped under "all others not named", in part as it's not a national chain. Similar, In-n-Out wasn't included - probably for the same reason.

[ecowper]

If Stacy and I go out, we almost entirely go to standalone, locally owned places. The last full service, national chain restaurant I was in was Cheesecake Factory, I think. When I traveled extensively for business, I was in these places a lot, but that's all pre pandemic shutdowns. So, I guess I don't have much to offer here except that I like knowing the owner of the place I'm eating at :-)

[Bkhuna]

What you said. Chains don't thrill me and we tend to eat at mom and pop places.

[Finster]

I'm with you on the Mom and Pop train...whether I know the owner or not.
My family absolutely loves Cheesecake Factory. I honestly don't get the fascination....

[ecowper]

Finster I live in a town just big enough to have 3 full service eateries, 1 diner, and 2 Mexican full service. But small enough that several of those places are owned by someone local. We like that we see the owner at the grocery store sometimes.

[Jerod Broussard]

"All others not listed" dominate the few times I get food cooked and prepared by someone else.

[Starsky]

We avoid Cracker Barrel these days. It seems to the wife and I that the quality and proportions have been on the decline. The last one we tried was down south. The patty sausages she received were so hard you could barely cut them with a knife. Must have been sitting in the warming tray for hours. Didn't bother to ask for them to be replaced because we had already waited so long to eat that we couldn't waste any more time and had to get back on the road. Also, the restaurant was fairly empty. No reason for the long wait in my opinion.

[Bkhuna]

We have two Cracker Barrels near us. One turned into a real septic tanks when the got new management a few years ago and we stopped going. The second, is wonderful. Not a single complaint about the quality of the food or service.

As with most things it comes down to management, hiring, training, and direct floor supervision (and location).

[jfmorris]

The last time I tried our local Cracker Barrel, they had a 30 minute wait, and half the dining room was closed - lots and lots of open tables. They just can't get people to work, and don't have enough staff. I've got a friend who owns a Mexican restaurant and 5 Firehouse franchises, and he is always telling me to send anyone I know who wants a job his way, as he can't get help.

[gboss]

Jimmy Johns is an abomination.
THERE IS NO MAYO ON AN ITALIAN.

" #7 Spicy East Coast Italian
A tasty Italian sandwich, made with a double serving of hand-sliced salami and capocollo (sic), plus hand-sliced provolone cheese, and topped with easy mayo, hot Jimmy Peppers®, house-made oil & vinegar, oregano-basil and fresh-sliced lettuce, tomato and onion."
#9 Italian Night Club®
A tasty Italian sandwich, made with hand-sliced salami, capocollo (sic) and smoked ham, topped with mayo, fresh-sliced lettuce, onions, oil & vinegar and oregano-basil."

If gross mayo on sandwiches was just a personal choice, I wouldn't have an issue with it. But you KNOW the mayo people want to change everyone's behavior to suit their skewed perspective. Don't believe me? This, from Hellman's website: "By shifting from oil & vinegar to mayo, we can put our slimy spooge all over the planet, the environment, the climate and even ourselves. After all, the positive choices we make every day – no matter how small – can have a great impact on our world." So my mayo-hating is threatening their well-being. They're coming for your italian sandwiches! And they are not done, even if the market for gross condiments collapses. They will regroup, reorganize, maybe redesign, but never retreat and never relent!

I stand by my post and refuse to obey so many of you trying to tell me what to believe. I shouldn't worry while insidious forces are working to marginialize (sic) me in every way? I'm a 41YO male, pizzelle-eating, AAA Member, lawnmower-owning grouch and I will proudly resist the 'aise onslaught with my entire being. If you can't accept that, or me, then it's on you. I've been truly tolerant of many of you. Your turn.

[Grillin Dad]

Amen. Preach on brother. Preach on.

[texastweeter]

What if it was kewpi mayo?

[jfmorris]

Haha. You and my sister in law who raised two mayo-hating nieces.... I like to open the jar of mayo in front of her when she is at my house for a cookout...

[WillTravelForFood]

Jimmy Johns is an abomination.
THERE IS NO MAYO ON AN ITALIAN.

" #7 Spicy East Coast Italian
A tasty Italian sandwich, made with a double serving of hand-sliced salami and capocollo (sic), plus hand-sliced provolone cheese, and topped with easy mayo, hot Jimmy Peppers®, house-made oil & vinegar, oregano-basil and fresh-sliced lettuce, tomato and onion."
#9 Italian Night Club®
A tasty Italian sandwich, made with hand-sliced salami, capocollo (sic) and smoked ham, topped with mayo, fresh-sliced lettuce, onions, oil & vinegar and oregano-basil."

If gross mayo on sandwiches was just a personal choice, I wouldn't have an issue with it. But you KNOW the mayo people want to change everyone's behavior to suit their skewed perspective. Don't believe me? This, from Hellman's website: "By shifting from oil & vinegar to mayo, we can put our slimy spooge all over the planet, the environment, the climate and even ourselves. After all, the positive choices we make every day – no matter how small – can have a great impact on our world." So my mayo-hating is threatening their well-being. They're coming for your italian sandwiches! And they are not done, even if the market for gross condiments collapses. They will regroup, reorganize, maybe redesign, but never retreat and never relent!

I stand by my post and refuse to obey so many of you trying to tell me what to believe. I shouldn't worry while insidious forces are working to marginialize (sic) me in every way? I'm a 41YO male, pasta-eating, Eagle Scout, mocha pot-owning grouch and I will proudly resist the 'aise onslaught with my entire being. If you can't accept that, or me, then it's on you. I've been truly tolerant of many of you. Your turn.

Easy solution: "Ketchup"

[jfmorris]

Ah. Yes! The ketchup Italian! Nice!

[GolfGeezer]

#5 and #3 for me, except Five Guys where a couple of buddies and I meet once in a while for lunch. If this is strictly national fast food chains, then only Five Guys. If it includes regional, then add In-N-Out, Tommy's Original for Fast. Does a chain of 3-5 restaurants qualify?