These Brands Are America’s Favorite Restaurant Chains

Consumer spending is an indispensable pillar of the U.S. economy, and in 2023, the typical American household spent about $77,300. A meaningful portion of that spending went towards non-essential luxuries, including live events, hobbies, and other forms of entertainment — but one luxury Americans spend more on than nearly any other is dining out at restaurants.

24/7 Wall St. Key Points:

• Customer facing industries are often highly competitive, and the multi-billion dollar full-service restaurant industry is no exception.
• Recent survey data measuring customer satisfaction suggests that some major restaurant chains are doing a far better job at meeting or exceeding customer expectations than others.
• Also: Discover the next Nvidia

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey, Americans spent nearly $529 billion on restaurant dining in 2023, or about $3,930 per household. A recent survey conducted by McKinsey, a management consulting firm, shows that even in times of strict budgeting, Americans are generally willing to spend money eating at restaurants. According to the survey, which focused on consumer sentiment in the wake of the holiday spending season, Americans are more likely to splurge at restaurants than any other discretionary category. (Here is a look at how Trump administration policies may impact food prices.)

Whether for the convenience, food quality, or novelty they offer, restaurants are a bedrock industry in the United States. But with hundreds of billions of dollars at stake, the restaurant industry is also highly competitive — and among major national restaurant chains, certain brands are held in far higher regard with American consumers than others.

Using data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, 24/7 Wall St. identified the most popular restaurant chains in the United States. We ranked 13 major, full-service restaurant brands with available data on their average customer satisfaction score in 2023 and 2024 — from those with the lowest scores to those with the highest.

For each company on this list, customer satisfaction index scores are based on a range rating benchmarks. These include accuracy of food orders, food and beverage quality and variety, speed of service, interactions with staff, and restaurant cleanliness. In these and other areas, some restaurants have more room for improvement than others.

The full-service restaurant industry as a whole had an average customer satisfaction index score of 82.5 out of 100 in 2023 in 2024. Among the 13 brands on this list, average scores range from 75.0 to 83.5.

Several of the brands on this list, while distinct, are owned by the same parent company. Darden Restaurants, for example, owns Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse — and both of these restaurants rank in the top five for customer satisfaction. Dine Brands, meanwhile, is the company behind both IHOP and Applebee’s, two restaurants that each have below average customer satisfaction scores. (Here is a look at the best stocks to own if a recession comes.)

These are America’s favorite full-service restaurant chains.

Why It Matters

The restaurant industry is distinct from many others in that, even in times of financial belt tightening, large segments of the population are still willing to spend on dining out. But American consumers have plenty of options in the highly-competitive restaurant industry — and any restaurant’s continued success hinges, in part, on the reputation it has cultivated with its customers.

13. IHOP

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 75.0 out of 100
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 78 in 2024, 72 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Dine Brands Global, Inc.
• Corporate headquarters: Pasadena, CA
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: $812.3 million
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: $167.8 million
• Stock ticker: NYSE: DIN

12. Red Robin

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 76.5 out of 100 (tied)
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 76 in 2024, 77 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc.
• Corporate headquarters: Englewood, CO
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: $1.2 billion
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: -$19.2 million
• Stock ticker: Nasdaq: RRGB

11. Denny’s

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 76.5 out of 100 (tied)
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 76 in 2024, 77 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Denny’s Corporation
• Corporate headquarters: Spartanburg, SC
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: $452.3 million
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: $47.3 million
• Stock ticker: Nasdaq: DENN

10. The Cheesecake Factory

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 78.0 out of 100
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 78 in 2024, 78 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated
• Corporate headquarters: Calabasas, CA
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: $3.6 billion
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: $221.9 million
• Stock ticker: Nasdaq: CAKE

9. Red Lobster

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 78.5 out of 100 (tied)
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 78 in 2024, 79 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Golden Gate Capital
• Corporate headquarters: Orlando, FL
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: N/A
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: N/A
• Stock ticker: Not publicly traded

8. Chili’s

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 78.5 out of 100 (tied)
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 80 in 2024, 77 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Brinker International, Inc.
• Corporate headquarters: Dallas, TX
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: $4.4 billion
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: $272.8 million
• Stock ticker: NYSE: EAT

7. Applebee’s

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 79.0 out of 100 (tied)
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 79 in 2024, 79 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Dine Brands Global, Inc.
• Corporate headquarters: Glendale, CA
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: $812.3 million
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: $167.8 million
• Stock ticker: NYSE: DIN

6. Buffalo Wild Wings

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 79.0 out of 100 (tied)
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 79 in 2024, 79 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Inspire Brands
• Corporate headquarters: Atlanta, GA
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: N/A
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: N/A
• Stock ticker: Not publicly traded

5. Outback Steakhouse

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 81.5 out of 100 (tied)
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 80 in 2024, 83 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Bloomin’ Brands, Inc.
• Corporate headquarters: Tampa, FL
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: $4.0 billion
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: $204.1 million
• Stock ticker: Nasdaq: BLMN

4. Olive Garden

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 81.5 out of 100 (tied)
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 83 in 2024, 80 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Darden Restaurants, Inc.
• Corporate headquarters: Orlando, FL
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: $11.4 billion
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: $1.3 billion
• Stock ticker: NYSE: DRI

3. Cracker Barrel

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 82.0 out of 100
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 82 in 2024, 82 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
• Corporate headquarters: Lebanon, TN
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: $3.5 billion
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: $72.8 million
• Stock ticker: Nasdaq: CBRL

2. Texas Roadhouse

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 83.5 out of 100 (tied)
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 85 in 2024, 82 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Texas Roadhouse, Inc.
• Corporate headquarters: Louisville, KY
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: $5.4 billion
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: $517.7 million
• Stock ticker: Nasdaq: TXRH

1. LongHorn Steakhouse

• 2-year average annual customer satisfaction index score: 83.5 out of 100 (tied)
• Customer satisfaction index score by year: 85 in 2024, 82 in 2023
• Brand’s parent company: Darden Restaurants, Inc.
• Corporate headquarters: Orlando, FL
• Corporate revenue in most recent available fiscal year: $11.4 billion
• Corporate operating profit in most recent available fiscal year: $1.3 billion
• Stock ticker: NYSE: DRI

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