Panera Bread Company is perceived as America’s most reputable hospitality company, according to a recent consumer survey.
The fast-casual chain was the only hospitality company to receive an “excellent” rating in terms of its products, innovation and leadership, among other categories, in the survey conducted by consulting firm Reputation Institute. Panera was closely followed by Dunkin’ Brands, the parent of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, which received a “strong” reputation rating.
The Top 10 list, based on 50,000 interviews with U.S. consumers, also gave a nod to Subway (No. 3), Krispy Kreme (No. 4), Wendy’s (No. 6) and Chipotle (No. 7).
“The overall reputation of the hospitality industry in the United States is stronger than other industries, which is indicative of the positive feelings Americans have towards food and travel and the way companies in this space have been able to build an emotional bond with consumers,” Brad Hecht, chief research officer at Reputation Institute, said in a statement.
While the survey results did not point fingers at companies doing poorly, it mentioned McDonald’s as a poster child of sorts for brand reputations on the decline, noting that the burger giant’s reputation rating has dropped by more than 8 points since 2014.
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