June 30--McDonald's is once again the nation's least-loved fast-food restaurant, while Chick-fil-A plucked the top spot, according to the annual American Customer Satisfaction Index.
Overall customer satisfaction with fast-food restaurants fell 3.8 percent to 77 out of a possible 100, the lowest point for the category since 2010, according to the index, released Tuesday. In its first year in the survey, Chick-fil-A led the group with an 86, the highest level ever for a fast-food restaurant.
The annual survey for the first time also included Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread. The chains have been around for years, but ACSI said it determines which companies to measure based on market share and revenue. It also said that each company it measures has to have enough survey responses to produce a statistically significant score. Chipotle got an 83 and Panera scored an 80.
The survey findings suggest that consumers are still eating out -- an average of four meals a week -- but are less satisfied with the chains they frequent. The only returning chain to register a gain was Dunkin' Donuts, which earned a 78, up from 75 a year earlier. Starbucks, meanwhile, saw its score slip to 74 from 76.
Full-service restaurants held steady with a score of 82. Texas Roadhouse was the top chain, with an 83. Ruby Tuesday took the lowest spot in that lineup with a 73.
The bottom ranking for McDonald's has been an annual tradition in the ACSI survey. In 2015, McDonald's score fell to 67 from 71, or a decline of 6 percent from 2014, according to results released Tuesday.
McDonald's was one of many chains that slipped in this year's survey. For example, Wendy's saw its score drop 6 percent, to 73, while Burger King's rating fell 5 percent, to 72. Customer satisfaction also fell at all of the big national pizza chains, with declines of at least 5 percent at Papa John's, Domino's, Pizza Hut and Little Caesars.
The 2015 ACSI Restaurant Report is based on interviews with 5,023 customers, chosen at random and contacted by email between Jan. 19 and Feb. 9. Last year's survey, which also included telephone interviews, ran from Jan. 13 to March 11.
Oak Brook-based McDonald's pointed out that it continues to serve millions of people each day.
"We are always listening to the 27 million customers McDonald's serves every day in the U.S. and appreciate hearing feedback from them, and other sources, as it helps us improve and evolve," McDonald's USA said in a statement.
jwohl@tribpub.com
