In addition to measuring chains’ operational attributes, Technomic also rated their connection to consumers through a series of questions designed to gauge loyalty and perception of a brand. A few chains ranked high in several categories—including Seasons 52, thanks to a strong health-driven message that’s resonating; In-N-Out, a brand that’s remained a cult classic due to word-of-mouth; and most notably, Chick-fil-A, which, while sometimes polarizing in its beliefs, has a strong following as the only chain to rank in all four measures.
Advertising effectiveness
| Overall | |
| Red Lobster | 33% |
| Chick-fil-A | 31% |
| Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen | 29% |
| Joe's Crab Shack | 28% |
| SONIC Drive-In | 28% |
Emotional connection
| Overall | |
| Chick-fil-A | 40% |
| In-N-Out Burger | 38% |
| Seasons 52 | 36% |
| Cracker Barrel Old Country Store | 35% |
| The Capital Grille | 32% |
Brand image
Is a place where the customer comes first, is a restaurant consumers trust, has a likeable “personality” and has values that are similar to my own.
| Overall | |
| Chick-fil-A | 40% |
| Ben & Jerry's | 37% |
| In-N-Out Burger | 36% |
| Seasons 52 | 30% |
| Panera Bread/St. Louis Bread Co. | 30% |
Brand loyalty
Is a place where the customer comes first, is a restaurant consumers trust, has a likeable “personality” and has values that are similar to my own.
| Overall | |
| Papa Murphy’s | 47% |
| In-N-Out Burger | 45% |
| Cracker Barrel | 42% |
| Cheddar's Casual Cafe | 41% |
| Chick-fil-A | 39% |
About the research
Technomic’s Consumer Brand Metrics program is a comprehensive, ongoing study that tracks the performance of leading limited- and full-service chains by measuring the consumer experience. This report includes the top 100 restaurant chains operating within the U.S. in terms of sales, plus additional chains to round out certain categories or capture regional data. The data represents responses from approximately 87,000 consumers, with data collection occurring between Oct. 1, 2013 and Sept. 30, 2014. Scores represent the percentage of respondents who strongly agree with the statements, ranked on a scale of 1 to 5.
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