McDonald's might need to up their game after data regarding customer satisfaction at their restaurants was released.
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI), established in 1994, is an economic indicator that gauges customer satisfaction with a company's products and services. The ASCI uses customer interview data to estimate a company's satisfaction score, which ranges from 0 to 100.
This score is used by businesses and government agencies to enhance their services.
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Each year, the ASCI ranks the top 23 fast food chains in the United States, as well as a collection of smaller outlets.
The index evaluates customer experience based on the following criteria:
Accuracy of food order
Quality of mobile app
Reliability of mobile app
Beverage quality
Courtesy and helpfulness of staff
Food quality
Restaurant layout and cleanliness
Speed of check-out or delivery
Website satisfaction
Variety of beverages on menu
Variety of food on menu
McDonald's, which also ranked last in 2023, saw its score rise by two points, from 69 to 71, in 2024, per Local 12. McDonald’s was just one point behind competitors Jack in the Box and Restaurant Brands International's Popeyes.
Chick-fil-A, renowned for its outstanding customer service, retained its top spot with a score of 83, despite dropping two points from its 2023 score of 85.
"Chick-fil-A drops 2% to an ACSI score of 83 but still leads among individual fast food chains for the 10th consecutive year," according to the ACSI, as reported by The Street. "This long-term success is reflected in revenue, as the chain's nonmall locations had an average revenue of $9.4 million in 2023 (more than double that of McDonald's while being open one day less per week)."
The Street notes that despite customer satisfaction with McDonald's being on the lower end, the fast-food titan saw a 4% sales increase in the fourth quarter.
CEO Chris Kempczinski defended the company against criticism over customer service, stating, "Focusing on the fundamentals of creating an exceptional customer experience has delivered operational improvements, improved service times, and increased customer satisfaction across almost all of our major markets," as mentioned by the outlet.