McDonald's Ranks Lowest in Customer Satisfaction for Second Year in a Row

McDonald's has been ranked last in the American Customer Satisfaction Index's Restaurant and Food Delivery Study for the second consecutive year, despite efforts to enhance its menu and value meals. The chain scored 71, a slight improvement from last year's 69.

Despite Menu Enhancements, McDonald's Ranks Last in Customer Satisfaction for Second Year

McDonald's may be making progress in its efforts to reengage inflation-weary consumers by implementing more significant, more satisfying burgers and value meals. However, the chain was ranked last in a consumer satisfaction study for the second consecutive year.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI) has recently published its annual Restaurant and Food Delivery Study for 2024, according to Men’s Journal. This study assesses the top 23 fast-food chains in the United States and a selection of smaller chains. Established in 1994, the ASCI is an economic indicator that assesses consumer satisfaction with various products and services.

The ASCI, a key player in the industry, determines its annual findings by employing customer interview data. This data calculates a restaurant's satisfaction score on a scale of 0 to 100. The score is based on a variety of criteria, including the accuracy of food orders, the quality and variety of food and beverages, the courtesy and helpfulness of the staff, the layout and cleanliness of the restaurant, the quality and reliability of the mobile app, the speed of check-out or delivery, and the satisfaction of the website.

Although McDonald's once again ranked last, it improved by two points to 71, as opposed to 69 points in the 2023 study. Popeyes and Jack in the Box followed closely behind at 72 points, with Taco Bell at 73 points and Subway at 74. In the interim, Chick-fil-A maintained its position as the industry leader in customer satisfaction for the tenth consecutive year, with an impressive 85 points.

Former McDonald's Chef Explains Low Customer Satisfaction Rankings on TikTok

Mike Haracz, a former McDonald's chef, has proposed several hypotheses on his popular TikTok account, where he frequently shares insider information regarding the reason for McDonald's consistently low ranking.

"McDonald's is the biggest restaurant, so more people go there than anywhere else," Haracz explained. "More people have an opinion, there could be some skewing of the fact that everyone has been there, so there is a larger pool of information."

"More people are more likely to leave a negative review than a positive review, that's just how the world works," he continued. "But let's be very clear here, percentage-wise and what the study shows, yes, McDonald's is not doing that great in customer satisfaction."

Despite the current situation, Haracz also points out that McDonald's burgers were previously the least popular among customers. This led to the introduction of Quarter Pounders, which was prepared with fresh beef. With these changes and more in recent months, it's hopeful that McDonald's can significantly enhance its score in the upcoming study.

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