LOUISVILLE, Colo. -- A new nationwide study by customer intelligence solutions company Market Force Information reveals consumers' favorite quick-service restaurant (QSR) chains in four popular food categories: chicken, pizza, Mexican fare and sandwiches.
First up, chicken.
As consumers' appetite for chicken continues to grow, so does the contest for favorite chicken chain. Chick-fil-A snagged the top spot in Market Force's 2015 QSR study with 74%, edging out Raising Cane's, which earned 73% on the Composite Loyalty Index.
In the 2014 study, the tables were turned with Raising Cane's ranking first and Chick-fil-A a close second.
Hapeville, Ga.-based Chick-fil-A is the largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the United States, based on domestic annual sales, with more than 1,850 locations in 41 states and Washington, D.C. In 2013, it had annual sales of more than $5 billion.
Baton Rouge, La.-based Raising Cane's is a regional chain focused in the Louisiana area and known for its chicken fingers, which are growing in popularity among adults and children alike. It has undergone rapid growth in the past few years and has plans to expand to other parts of the country.
Zaxby's and Wingstop came in third and fourth, respectively, as they did in 2014.
The top-three-ranked chicken chains also consistently scored in the top three of the attributes evaluated in the study. Raising Cane's was the food favorite, and also lauded for its speed of service. Chick-fil-A dominated in the staff friendliness, value and atmosphere categories. It was recognized for offering the healthiest food options, as were El Pollo Loco, Zaxby's and Boston Market.
Other chicken category highlights:
- 38% had visited a chicken chain at least five times in the previous 90 days.
- 24% brought along children on their most recent visit.
- Raising Cane's has highest stomach share, followed by El Pollo Loco.
- Raising Cane's had the highest loyalty card awareness (55%), but Wingstop prevailed with the highest participation rate (100%).
- Wingstop also has the greatest customer awareness for its mobile app, and the highest download rate.
Click here to view the charts. Watch for additional reports on pizza, Mexican fare and sandwiches.
For the rankings, Louisville, Colo.-based Market Force polled more than 12,700 consumers who were asked to rate their satisfaction with their last experience at a given restaurant and their likelihood to recommend it to others. That data was averaged to rate each restaurant brand on a Composite Loyalty Index. The study also looked at the attributes that drive these preferences, analyzing factors such as service, food quality and value, as well as the latest industry trends involving social media and mobile technology.
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