Chick-fil-A has a commanding lead in client satisfaction across the whole eating place/meals offerings sector, consistent with the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s (ACSI) Restaurant Report 2018 -2019. The eatery led the industry with an ACSI rating of 86 (on a scale of zero to 100.) 
Following a three.Eight% jump 12 months ago, client satisfaction with full-carrier restaurants remains high with an ACSI score of 81. Texas Roadhouse – unchanged over the past 12 months – keeps the pinnacle spot at eighty-three. After falling 4% ultimate yr, Cracker Barrel turns matters around, up 1% to the 2nd area at eighty-two. LongHorn Steakhouse holds consistent at eighty-one, ahead of Darden sister emblem Olive Garden, at seventy-nine in a three-manner tie with Outback Steakhouse and Red Robin. Chili’s, Red Lobster, Ruby Tuesday, and TGI Fridays all rating seventy-eight.
Customer delight with restrained-carrier (rapid food) restaurants trails the whole-carrier enterprise, declining 1 — three % to seventy-nine. With Chick-fil-A inside the pinnacle spot, Panera Bread is at No. 2, at 81, at the same time as four chains – Arby’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Papa John’s, and Pizza Hut – tie at eighty.
The final chains are at or below the industry average. Domino’s (unchanged), Starbucks (up 1%), and Subway (down 1%) all rating 79. Dunkin’ and KFC (Yum! Brands) score 78, followed by using Little Caesars and Wendy’s, each steady at 77.
ACSI newcomer Sonic Drive-In rating seventy-six, tying Burger King (unchanged). Both Jack in the Box and Taco Bell (Yum! Brands) inch up 1% to seventy-five. McDonald’s is stagnant on the low rating of 69 for the fourth consecutive yr.
The file that rapid-meals chains are doing worse across nearly all elements of the customer revel in. Beverage range (eighty) is the most productive element to enhance but sits at the bottom with meals range and cell app reliability.
As foot visitors slows, off-premises eating—projected to account for 37% of eating place enterprise income in 2018—plays an important function. According to ACSI records, complete-service restaurant diners who order food for transport are far extra glad (eighty-three) than folks that dine in (79).
“The eating place industry faces challenges in the whole thing from staffing shortages to competition from different companies, like prepared foods from grocers and comfort stores,” says David VanAmburg, dealing with the director on the ACSI. “Overall, foot traffic maintains to decline, and restaurants are searching for to grow income by using relying on guests spending greater according to visit. Restaurants that target changing client tastes and possibilities, but, ought to see the largest raise in patron delight.”
Here are other findings from the report.
• Food order accuracy leads all areas of purchaser experience with an ACSI rating of 89. The staff remains useful and courteous (87) and food excellent continues to be high at 87, however, food range dips to eighty-five. Speed of service to the desk is still substantially lower at 83.
• Mobile apps, measured for the first time this year, rating properly for both reliability (86) and excellent (84). Websites now not so much, slipping to the bottom with an ACSI rating of eighty-two.
• Food order accuracy drops 2% to 86, accompanied through personnel courtesy and helpfulness (84), and beverage first-class, meals exceptional, and shop layout and cleanliness, all dipping to eighty-three.
• Service pace—indispensable to the low food revel in—retreats 2% to 82, now lower than complete-provider restaurants (eighty-three). The speedy meals segment also struggles in the mobile app space compared to full-provider eating places, with ratings of 81 for exceptional and eighty for reliability.
The ACSI Restaurant Report 2018-2019 on full-provider and constrained-provider (fast food) eating chains is based on interviews with 23,468 customers, chosen at random and contacted thru email between June 5, 2018, and May 27, 2019. Download the overall Restaurant Report.
