(NEXSTAR) – The fast food industry has faced challenges this year, but a well-known brand remains at the top for customer happiness, as per the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI).
For the 11th consecutive year, Chick-fil-A has been rated highest in customer satisfaction, surpassing its fast food rivals and other quick-service chains like Panera, Starbucks, and Domino’s.
This index, which serves as a national economic gauge, is derived from over 16,000 surveys evaluating aspects such as food pricing, mobile app usability, order accuracy, and more. Customers assessed the nation’s biggest companies based on their recent interactions. Additionally, the index includes an “All Others” category that provides a combined score for smaller companies.
Chick-fil-A’s continued dominance comes after a rocky start to the year as high prices and economic uncertainty slowed demand, according to Revenue Management Solutions, a company that analyzes restaurant industry data.
To put that in real numbers, a report by industry performance tracker Technomic found that chain sales grew by 3.1% in 2024, but menu prices grew by 4.1%, meaning customers spent less when sales are adjusted for inflation.
“Consumers frustrated by high prices shifted from big-name fast food brands to smaller up-and-coming competitors, convenience stores, or just stayed home,” according to the ACSI study. “Compared to restaurant menu inflation, food-at-home prices were up just 1.2%.”
Chick-fil-A managed 5.4% sales growth during the year, but that was the slowest growth in over two decades, according to the ACSI. McDonald’s, which recently enjoyed nationwide headlines over its decision to bring back its beloved Snack Wraps, grew just 0.2% in part thanks to consumer frustration over its price, the report found.
The report also looked at how customers view food delivery, and found that satisfaction with DoorDash was unchanged at 74 out of 100, Uber Eats rose 1% to 75, and Grubhub jumped 3% to 73, apparently due to recent app improvements.
“While prices remain the lowest-scoring part of the food delivery experience, scores have improved somewhat with fairness of food prices and fairness of taxes and service fees both up 3% to 71,” according to the ASCI report, which noted upticks in customer satisfaction when it came to mobile apps and websites.
In 2024, Americans spent roughly $1.09 trillion on food-away-from home, according to the USDA Economic Research Service, up from $1.06 trillion the year before.
