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Consumer Picks 2016: Limited-Service Results

Consumer Picks 2016: Limited-Service Results

Consumer Picks logoNRN presents Consumer Picks — a comprehensive look at customer preference and restaurant brand strength. This annual special report is produced with WD Partners. Share your thoughts on this year's results via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter using #ConsumerPicks.

The following rankings cover the 112 Limited-Service chains in the 2016 Consumer Picks survey. Survey respondents rated the chains on 10 attributes, including Food Quality, Cleanliness, Service and Atmosphere. Those ratings created an Overall Score, which is weighted by the importance customers place on each attribute. Brands are ranked below by Overall Score.

Click through each chain to see all attribute scores. Scores for the 10 attributes represent the percentage of respondents who said a chain was "excellent" or "good" in that area, or who "definitely" or "probably" would revisit or recommend the brand.

See the full Consumer Picks report >>
Get the methodology behind the survey >>

**Denotes a brand that received 120 to 149 survey responses. All other brands had 150 or more responses.

Rank Chain Segment Overall Score

1

Ben & Jerry's

Frozen Treats

73.4

2

Haagen-Dazs

Frozen Treats

70.9

3

In-N-Out Burger

Burger

70.6

4

Chick-fil-A

Chicken

69.6

5

Rubio's**

Mexican

67

6

Smoothie King

Beverage/Snack

67

7

Bruster's Real Ice Cream

Frozen Treats

65.6

8

Red Mango**

Frozen Treats

64.7

9

Pei Wei Asian Diner

Asian

64.6

10

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Beverage/Snack

64.5

11

Godfather's Pizza

Pizza

64.5

12

Corner Bakery Cafe**

Bakery-Cafe

64.4

13

Baskin-Robbins

Frozen Treats

64.2

14

Blimpie America's Sub Shop**

Sandwich

64

15

Pollo Tropical

Chicken

63.8

16

Peet's Coffee & Tea

Beverage/Snack

63.8

17

Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza

Pizza

63.4

18

Charley's Grilled Subs

Sandwich

62.9

19

Smashburger

Burger

62.8

20

Quiznos

Sandwich

62.8

21

Sarku Japan**

Asian

62.7

22

Marble Slab Creamery**

Frozen Treats

62.5

23

Starbucks Coffee

Beverage/Snack

62.3

24

Panera Bread

Bakery-Cafe

62.2

25

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Burger

62.1

26

McAlister's Deli

Sandwich

62

27

Jason's Deli

Sandwich

61.7

28

Cinnabon

Beverage/Snack

61.5

29

Culver's

Burger

61.5

30

Einstein Bros. Bagels

Bakery-Cafe

61.4

31

Penn Station East Coast Subs

Sandwich

61.4

32

Qdoba Mexican Eats

Mexican

61

33

Rita's Italian Ice

Frozen Treats

61

34

Tropical Smoothie Cafe**

Beverage/Snack

60.9

35

Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

Chicken

60.9

36

Marco's Pizza

Pizza

60.8

37

Firehouse Subs

Sandwich

59.9

38

Cold Stone Creamery

Frozen Treats

59.9

39

Caribou Coffee**

Beverage/Snack

59.5

40

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

Sandwich

59.4

41

Jamba Juice

Beverage/Snack

59.2

42

Round Table Pizza**

Pizza

59.2

43

Sizzler**

Buffet

59.2

44

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill

Mexican

59.1

45

Which Wich

Sandwich

58.7

46

Fuddruckers

Burger

58.5

47

Whataburger

Burger

58.3

48

Braum's Ice Cream & Dairy Stores

Frozen Treats

58.2

49

Bruegger's Bagels

Bakery-Cafe

58

50

Jet's Pizza

Pizza

57.8

51

HomeTown Buffet**

Buffet

57.8

52

Mrs. Fields Cookies

Beverage/Snack

57.5

53

Jersey Mike's Subs

Sandwich

57.5

54

Great American Cookies

Beverage/Snack

57.5

55

Togo's**

Sandwich

57.3

56

Papa John's Pizza

Pizza

56.9

57

Tim Hortons

Bakery-Cafe

56.5

58

Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes

Buffet

56.4

59

Hungry Howie's Pizza**

Pizza

56.2

60

El Pollo Loco

Chicken

56.1

61

Noodles & Company

Asian

55.8

62

Sbarro

Pizza

55.7

63

Au Bon Pain

Bakery-Cafe

55.6

64

Zaxby's

Chicken

55.4

65

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Mexican

55.1

66

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches

Sandwich

55

67

Boston Market

Chicken

54.7

68

Pizza Hut

Pizza

54.5

69

Carvel

Frozen Treats

54.4

70

Wingstop

Chicken

54.3

71

Schlotzsky's

Sandwich

54.3

72

Subway

Sandwich

54

73

Golden Corral

Buffet

53.8

74

Dickey's Barbecue Pit

Specialty

53.6

75

Ponderosa Steakhouse/Bonanza Steakhouse

Buffet

53.3

76

Steak 'n Shake

Burger

53.3

77

Panda Express

Asian

53.3

78

Domino's

Pizza

52.9

79

Moe's Southwest Grill

Mexican

52.5

80

Orange Julius

Beverage/Snack

52.2

81

Wendy's

Burger

51.7

82

Fazoli's

Pizza

51.4

83

Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits

Chicken

51.1

84

Taco John's**

Mexican

50.4

85

Ryan's

Buffet

50.2

86

Church's Chicken

Chicken

50.2

87

Sonic America's Drive-In

Burger

50.1

88

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen

Chicken

50

89

KFC

Chicken

48.6

90

Carl's Jr.

Burger

48.2

91

Captain D's Seafood Kitchen

Specialty

47.8

92

Checkers

Burger

47.8

93

Old Country Buffet

Buffet

47.5

94

Arby's

Sandwich

47.4

95

CiCi's Pizza

Pizza

47.2

96

Del Taco

Mexican

46.8

97

Dunkin' Donuts

Beverage/Snack

46.5

98

Wienerschnitzel

Sandwich

46.5

99

Jack in the Box

Burger

45.8

100

Rally's Hamburgers

Burger

45.5

101

Little Caesars Pizza

Pizza

45.5

102

Hardee's

Burger

45.3

103

White Castle

Burger

45.3

104

Burger King

Burger

44.5

105

Taco Bell

Mexican

43.6

106

Auntie Anne's

Beverage/Snack

43.6

107

Dairy Queen

Frozen Treats

43.2

108

Long John Silver's

Specialty

42.7

109

Krystal

Burger

40.3

110

McDonald's

Burger

39.5

111

A&W Restaurants

Burger

38.6

112

Chuck E. Cheese's

Pizza

32.4

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