Restaurants that landed a top spot on the list of favorite chains consistently deliver on all aspects of the dining experience that matter to consumers—from providing a welcoming environment to offering easy, time-saving takeout solutions.
About the research
Technomic’s Consumer Brand Metrics program is a comprehensive, ongoing brand performance study that tracks the performance of leading limited-service and full-service restaurant chains by measuring the consumer experience. This study included the top 100 chains in the U.S. in terms of sales, plus additional chains that fall outside the top 100 to round out certain categories. An online questionnaire asked consumers about the importance of more than 60 attributes related to the restaurant experience, followed by questions about specific restaurant brands and recent experiences with those brands. The data represents responses from approximately 80,000 consumers, with data collection occurring between Oct. 1, 2012 and Sept. 30, 2013. Scores represent the percentage of respondents who strongly agree with the statements on a scale of 1 to 5.
Top Beverage/Snack Chains
| Overall score | Service and hospitality | Unit appearance and ambiance | Food and beverage | Convenience and takeout | Value | |
| Krispy Kreme | 58.1% | 71% | 51% | 55% | 65% | 49% |
| Caribou Coffee | 56.2% | 71% | 52% | 48% | 63% | 47% |
| Pinkberry | 55.2% | 66% | 54% | 53% | 58% | 45% |
Top Bakery Cafe/Sandwich Chains
| Overall score | Service and hospitality | Unit appearance and ambiance | Food and beverage | Convenience and takeout | Value | |
| Firehouse Subs | 63.5% | 77% | 59% | 60% | 68% | 53% |
| McAlister’s Deli | 59.5% | 72% | 55% | 59% | 61% | 50% |
| Jason’s Deli | 58.5% | 71% | 50% | 59% | 64% | 49% |
Top Burger Chains
| Overall score | Service and hospitality | Unit appearance and ambiance | Food and beverage | Convenience and takeout | Value | |
| In-N-Out Burger | 60.5% | 77% | 53% | 52% | 64% | 57% |
| Culver’s | 58.4% | 74% | 52% | 56% | 64% | 46% |
| Fuddruckers | 56.9% | 71% | 54% | 57% | 55% | 48% |
Top Chicken Chains
| Overall score | Service and hospitality | Unit appearance and ambiance | Food and beverage | Convenience and takeout | Value | |
| Chick-fil-A | 64.9% | 78% | 61% | 61% | 69% | 55% |
| Zaxby’s | 56.7% | 68% | 53% | 54% | 63% | 45% |
| Boston Market | 50.1% | 61% | 43% | 47% | 57% | 42% |
Top Family Dining Chains
| Overall score | Service and hospitality | Unit appearance and ambiance | Food and beverage | Convenience and takeout | Value | |
| Cracker Barrel | 63.6% | 71% | 64% | 62% | 62% | 58% |
| Bob Evans | 55.8% | 66% | 54% | 54% | 58% | 47% |
| Shoney’s | 50.1% | 60% | 46% | 49% | 51% | 45% |
Top Pizza/Italian Chains
| Overall score | Service and hospitality | Unit appearance and ambiance | Food and beverage | Convenience and takeout | Value | |
| Papa Murphy’s | 66.9% | 81% | 53% | 59% | 77% | 66% |
| Maggiano’s Little Italy | 58.4% | 69% | 58% | 57% | 58% | 50% |
| Carrabba’s Italian Grill | 58.0% | 68% | 59% | 58% | 54% | 51% |
Top Mexican Chains
| Overall score | Service and hospitality | Unit appearance and ambiance | Food and beverage | Convenience and takeout | Value | |
| Rubio’s | 55.8% | 69% | 50% | 53% | 59% | 48% |
| Moe’s Southwest Grill | 53.8% | 67% | 47% | 50% | 59% | 46% |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill | 52.2% | 66% | 44% | 49% | 59% | 44% |
Top Seafood Chains
| Overall score | Service and hospitality | Unit appearance and ambiance | Food and beverage | Convenience and takeout | Value | |
| Bonefish Grill | 56.6% | 69% | 56% | 56% | 55% | 48% |
| Red Lobster | 54.1% | 65% | 52% | 57% | 52% | 45% |
| Joe’s Crab Shack | 53.8% | 63% | 55% | 56% | 50% | 46% |
Top Steak/Barbecue Chains
| Overall score | Service and hospitality | Unit appearance and ambiance | Food and beverage | Convenience and takeout | Value | |
| Texas Roadhouse | 56.4% | 68% | 54% | 56% | 56% | 49% |
| Famous Dave’s | 55.9% | 66% | 55% | 55% | 56% | 47% |
| Outback Steakhouse | 54.1% | 67% | 53% | 54% | 53% | 44% |
Top Varied Menu Chains
| Overall score | Service and hospitality | Unit appearance and ambiance | Food and beverage | Convenience and takeout | Value | |
| The Cheesecake Factory | 55.0% | 65% | 55% | 59% | 52% | 45% |
| Red Robin Gourmet Burgers | 53.9% | 63% | 54% | 56% | 53% | 43% |
| Cheddar’s Casual Cafe | 53.4% | 55% | 53% | 54% | 54% | 51% |
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