McDonald's, meanwhile, retained its Best French Fry title and was voted tops in several other fast-food categories, including Best Breakfast Sandwich, Best Value and Most Child-Friendly.
The 6,107 people who participated in the survey also weighed in on a [image-nocss] category that's been hotly contested of late: Best Coffee. Not surprisingly, top honors went to Starbucks, with Dunkin' Donuts finishing second.
Among fast-food mega chains (those with more than 5,000 U.S. locations), Wendy's was ranked No. 1 for Food and Facilities, while sandwich specialist Subway was voted Most Popular and No. 1 for Service and Healthy Options.
Looking at fast-fooders with under 5,000 locations, Panera Bread, specializing in fresh-baked breads, sandwiches and salads, scored as Most Popular and No. 1 for Facilities, Healthy Options and Salads. Top Food and Top Service ratings went to In-N-Out Burger.
Milkshake mavens gave the nod to Ben & Jerry's, with Dairy Queen placing second.
In the Chicken championships, Chick-fil-A was named best in the grilled category while KFC took the fried prize.
Surveyors also voted on full-service chains: P.F. Chang's China Bistro scored a triple, ranking as Most Popular and No. 1 for Food and Facilities. Carrabba's Italian Grill topped the Service category, while California Pizza Kitchen was favored for Healthy Options. The Cheesecake Factory topped a few categories as well, including Best Value, Best Coffee and Best Desserts.
"Each year, our survey provides an insight into what real customers experience and enjoy," said Tim Zagat, founder of the Zagat Survey.
New York City-based Zagat conducts industry surveys all year round to identify the best restaurants in numerous categories, as selected by consumers. Zagat Survey is a leading provider of consumer survey-based information. As with all Zagat surveys, participants in the Survey of National Chain Restaurants are everyday consumers who have a strong interest in the topics covered. Known as the "burgundy bible," Zagat Survey is the world's most trusted source for information about where to eat, drink, stay and play around the globe, and as such has become a symbol of quality. Zagat Survey rates and reviews airlines, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, movies, music, golf, resorts, shopping, spas and a range of other entertainment categories in more than 100 countries.
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