Chick-fil-A Top QSR (Again)

Amid rising food prices and shifting consumer preferences, the restaurant industry is facing a dilemma of “super-size” proportions. Despite all those challenges, quick-service restaurants (QSRs) have maintained a steady customer-satisfaction score of 79 (on a 100-point scale), according to the recently released American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Restaurant and Food Delivery Study 2025.

But maintaining such satisfaction entails hard work and innovation, ASCI experts say.

“Restaurants can’t simply rely on their traditional playbooks anymore,” said Forrest Morgeson, Associate Professor of Marketing at Michigan State University and ACSI’s Director of Research Emeritus. “Smaller, popular brands like Raising Cane’s and Wingstop are proving that creative marketing, digital engagement and focusing on core strengths can challenge even the most established chains. The brands that succeed will be the ones that adapt quickly to shifting tastes without compromising consistency or experience.”

That reality is borne out by the survey’s QSR rankings. While Chick-fil-A rules the roost among such restaurants for the eleventh year in a row with a steady ACSI score of 83, the chain did experience its slowest growth in 20 years, providing openings for such brands as Raising Cane’s and Wingstop.

Among other chicken chains, KFC stumbled 5% to 77, as it faces competitors who are adapting to shifting preferences more quickly. Popeyes (up 4% to 75) looks to build on gains by rolling out its “Easy to Run” initiative to standardize processes, improve order accuracy and reduce wait times.

The ASCI survey also ranked sit-down restaurants, and while the top two continued to hold their places (Texas Roadhouse, followed by LongHorn Steakhouse) both also saw their customer ratings drop, by 1% and 2%, respectively.) Click here for more from the study, including its analysis of sit-down eateries.