America’s restaurant industry is at a post-pandemic crossroads, grappling with rising prices, shifting consumer habits, and the relentless march of digital transformation.
Both independent eateries and well-known chains have been suffering and closing rapidly, and there doesn’t seem to be one reason for failure or recipe for success.
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Yet, as the latest 2025 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Restaurant and Food Delivery Study reveals, the biggest names in the business often fall short where it matters most: customer satisfaction.
While large chains dominate the landscape in terms of sales and visibility, their sheer scale doesn’t always translate to happy customers.
In fact, the ACSI study shows that many of the industry’s largest players — especially in the quick-service and food delivery sectors — routinely fall behind smaller rivals in customer satisfaction scores.
For example, the quick-service restaurant (QSR) sector maintained a customer satisfaction score of 79 out of 100.
Chick-fil-A led the survey for the 11th year in a row, scoring 83. McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Taco Bell failed to make the top tier, overshadowed by regional favorites and smaller brands that have made strides in customer service.
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McDonald’s placed lowest in customer service survey
McDonald’s earned the worst ACSI score (70), but ACSI analysts believe the chain’s new efforts to speed up research and development needed to drive faster technology and menu changes could reverse the company’s slide.
Raising Cane’s and Wingstop, relative newcomers compared to some names on the list, are gaining ground by focusing on a limited menu, quality, and digital engagement even as they grow. The full-service segment tells a similar story.
Texas Roadhouse, a chain that emphasizes local flair and attentive service, topped the list with an 84. Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse also performed well, but many other big names struggled.
Chili’s, for example, saw its score drop by 3%, while Buffalo Wild Wings and Denny’s posted some of the lowest satisfaction ratings in the sector.
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What’s driving the gap?
“Large chains often face challenges maintaining consistency and personal touch as they expand. Customers notice when service feels impersonal or when digital experiences don’t match up to expectations,” said Associate Professor of Marketing at Michigan State University and ACSI’s Director of Research Emeritus, Forrest Morgeson, in an announcement.
Digital ordering and delivery have become critical to the restaurant experience, but the biggest brands are stumbling here, too. The nationwide chains rely on digital platforms for ordering and delivery, but the third-party services may make it difficult for them to provide a seamless or consistent experience.
Satisfaction is highest among dine-in customers (83), but falls for carry-out (79) and drops even further for delivery (74). The complexity of scaling digital operations appears to be a stumbling block for many industry leaders.
Perhaps nowhere are the challenges facing big brands more evident than in food delivery. While the sector as a whole improved slightly to a satisfaction score of 74, smaller delivery brands outperformed the giants. Uber Eats scored 75, while DoorDash and Grubhub each managed only 73.
Chick-fil-A has the highest customer service rating — again
Chick-fil-A also led in the South and West and tied with Culver’s in the Midwest, while Starbucks took the Northeast.
In the burger category, Culver’s edged out Burger King; in pizza, Papa Johns and Pizza Hut came out on top — demonstrating that even within categories, the biggest names don’t always win.
As the restaurant industry faces economic headwinds and changing consumer expectations, the ACSI survey makes one thing clear: being big isn’t enough.
Customers want quality, consistency and a personal touch. These are areas where smaller or regional brands can beat out the big nationwide chains.
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