According to a reader-ranked survey from USA Today, Chick-fil-A has been dethroned as America’s top fast-food restaurant. The Atlanta-based chain is a regular favorite of U.S. fast-food consumers. But in a surprise upset, California-based Mexican chain Del Taco knocked Chick-fil-A off its perch, down to number three overall. KFC placed second.
This ranking is different from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), which Chick-fil-A has topped for the past decade.
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Del Taco, which has only 600 locations throughout 16 states, didn’t make the top 10 in last year’s USA Today survey. In another upset from the 2024 rankings, Del Taco earned first place in the best fast-food fries category, followed by Jack in the Box and McDonald’s.
Chick-fil-A, which is closed on Sundays and has core values rooted in the Christian faith, has about 3,000 restaurants in 48 states. The chain regularly earns top marks for customer service, despite being known for long waits at its drive-throughs.
Chick-fil-A Is Still ‘A Favorite of Many,’ Survey Says
In its 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2024, USA Today noted, “Chick-fil-A is a favorite of many, including their friendly cow mascots who want you to ‘eat mor chikin’.’”
“The restaurant offers a variety of chicken-centric dishes, including nuggets and salads,” USA Today continued, but their classic chicken sandwich has been the most-ordered menu item at Chick-fil-A for (at least) two years running.”
On the publication’s list of best fast-food chicken, Chick-fil-A placed seventh. Jollibee, a Filipino-themed restaurant with 100 locations throughout North America, earned the top position.
For its annual survey, USA Today initially asks editors and fast-food experts to choose top contenders for a range of categories. Then readers cast votes for their favorites in each.
Following Del Taco, KFC, and Chick-fil-A, the rest of the best fast-food chains were, in order, In-N-Out, Hardee’s, Captain D’s, Taco Bell, Popeyes, Zaxby’s, and Arby’s.
Chick-fil-A Fans, Foes Remain Vocal
On social media, fans of Chick-fil-A weren’t buying the new results. “There’s nowhere near enough Del Taco stores for them to be in the running,” someone commented on Reddit. In response, someone else wrote, “It was a USA Today poll. I doubt even 600 people voted.”
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Chick-fil-A just has “die-hard fans,” another comment read. “When they can make commercials with testimonials explicitly emphasizing the pickle, you know the ball has dropped.”
Bringing up an ongoing controversy surrounding Chick-fil-A, someone posted, “Maybe bigotry is no longer a winning business strategy.”
Chick-fil-A has received criticism and threats of boycotts for allegedly being anti-gay. Meanwhile, some conservatives have criticized the chain for maintaining a DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policy.