As fast-food prices soar to unaffordable heights, the fast-food wars are heating up. Countless meal deals have been released this summer to attract conscious spending consumers.
While some of these deals are getting extended, some fast-food chains have problems that are much bigger than their unaffordable menu items.
The Consumer Base Has Shifted
Over the past year, customer satisfaction with fast-food restaurants has increased even as inflation seems to have made customers tighten their purse strings and eat out less often.
Now, customers who are eating out more often are higher income earners, which means they are looking to go to restaurants that satisfy their needs. So which restaurants meet those needs? Let’s get into it!
The Low Scorers
24/7 Wall St. reviewed the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)’s Restaurant and Food Delivery Study 2024 to see how each of the 23 major fast food restaurants score for customer satisfaction.
From service to atmosphere to food quality, these are some of the worst restaurants according to customer satisfaction scores.
McDonald’s
Despite an improving score of nearly 3%, McDonald’s remains in last place with a customer satisfaction score of 71 out of 100. Largely due to poor service quality and high prices, McDonald’s is a fast food giant that doesn’t seem to know how to improve for the modern era.
While the $5 Meal Deal is trying to lure customers back to help with declining sales, the company hasn’t seen success in appealing to its customer base.
Popeyes
One of the worst-scoring restaurants is Popeyes, a chicken restaurant that saw its satisfaction score drop from 74 in 2023 to 72 this year. Thanks to inflation and a slight increase in wages, the chicken fast food joint has seen one of the biggest price hikes of any fast food chain, and customers are noticing.
One Reddit user commented on the higher prices, saying, “As a former Popeyes worker, we wondered the same. How is a family meal anywhere between $30-45+, yet we are all still getting paid less than $15/hr? I remember when I first started, a single biscuit was 50¢… when I left it was $1.25.”
Jack in the Box
Scoring just above McDonald’s and Popeyes is Jack in the Box. With a customer satisfaction score of 72, a 1% drop from last year’s score, the company’s scandals and food safety issues are still weighing the fast food joint down.
Located mainly on the West Coast in the Southwest, Jack in the Box reportedly suffers from poor customer service, outdated restaurants, and a limited menu in stock.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell unsurprisingly makes the list of fast-food chains with poor customer service, but they did see a 3% uptick from last year’s rating.
The brand, which now charges for extra sauce packets, has been working to improve its relationship with customers, offering healthier options for those who don’t want water-down meat stuffed tacos.
Subway
Right between the most famous taco fast food chain and a popular ice cream chain is the most well-known sandwich chain: Subway.
With a score of 74 out of 100, a 1% drop from last year, Subway struggles to regain the respect of customers after multiple scandals around their chicken and tuna have left them scrambling to find a new way to appeal to consumers.
Dairy Queen
As hinted, the ice cream chain Dairy Queen scores pretty low on the customer satisfaction list with a rating of 74 out of 100. The ice cream chain does have decent prices that don’t make customers wince, but the quality of food and customer service has not been exceptional.
From the understaffed locations that mostly hire teenagers working late on a weeknight, Dairy Queen struggles to find a way to satisfy customers who want to enjoy a cold treat on a hot day.
Little Caesars
Completing the circle of fast food on the list is Little Caesars, which scored higher this year by 1%. Sure, there could be worse pizza out there, but Little Caesars suffers from other factors.
From bad customer service across many of its locations to higher prices for pizza that used to cost $5, Little Caesars is no longer the go-to pizza joint for those looking for a budget-friendly meal.
Wendy’s
Despite the many scandals across the fast food industry, the last fast food restaurant to make this list is Wendy’s. Sure, they have great meal deals, including one where you can get a free small Frosty, but the company has always scored relatively low.
From expensive meals that are extremely unhealthy to its ongoing scandals, which include refusing to join the Financial Fair Play, Wendy’s lands a score of 76 out of 100.
Ending on a High Note
Not all fast-food restaurants are equal. In fact, let’s end this list with the top-scoring fast-food chain in the US: Chick-fil-A.
From healthier meals that don’t cost an arm and a leg to its extremely friendly staff, choosing Chik-fil-A always feels like a win for customers looking for a meal that makes them feel good at the end of the day.
