These Are America's Favorite Fast-Food Chains in 2021
Americans are heading back to restaurants in droves, but some fast-food chains currently have a better reputation among customers than others. The just-released American Customer Satisfaction Index reveals how the biggest fast-food chains stacked up against each other over the last year, and which ones delivered the kind of service and quality of food diners would return to.
The list of this year's top limited-service restaurant chains was based on surveys conducted on more than 19,000 consumers between April 1, 2020, and March 29, 2021. Customers were asked to rate their recent experiences with these chains based on the accuracy of their order, food variety and quality, restaurant cleanliness, staff helpfulness, and satisfaction with their digital services like mobile apps.
Here are the top-rated fast-food chains in America right now.
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Five Guys
In its first-ever appearance on the list, Five Guys debuted in fifth place and beat out major fast-food burger competitors, including Burger King, Jack in the Box, Sonic, Wendy's, and McDonald's.
Starbucks
For all its current staffing and ingredient shortage troubles, Starbucks is a much-beloved brand among consumers. The chain's standing improved by one percentage point since last year, as it provided easy and reliable contactless solutions for customers during the pandemic.
Starbucks recently added the popular oat milk to its permanent lineup of dairy alternatives and launched several new beverages for both spring and summer menus.
KFC
KFC's popularity in terms of customer satisfaction remains unchanged from last year. However, the chain did stir up some next excitement this year by launching a better chicken sandwich which ended up pleasantly surprising customers. In fact, the sandwich is so popular, it's causing a strain on the chain's chicken supply.
Domino's
America's #1 pizza chain has inched up a percentage point since last year. The company's latest earnings report showed a 13.4% growth in sales in the first quarter of 2021. Last year, the chain added two new pizzas to its menu—chicken taco pizza and cheeseburger pizza—for the first time in eight years, and made a bold announcement that it's ready for absolute world domination.
Chick-fil-A
For the seventh consecutive year, Chick-fil-A tops the list of best fast-food chains based on customer satisfaction. The chain's fan-favorite chicken sandwich is still dominating the market despite many new entrants into the chicken sandwich wars. Chick-fil-A also recently announced it will soon launch a brand new virtual concept called Little Blue, which will be focused on chicken wings.
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