New Report Shows Chick-Fil-A Is Still Dominating The Fast Food Scene

There's not one thing alone that makes Chick-fil-A as popular as it is. Some will say the company just makes a darn good chicken sandwich, while others may point to the chain's impressive focus on customer service and consumer-employee interactions as the reasons why. Whatever the case may be, it's no secret Chick-fil-A has become nothing short of a fast food powerhouse — and if a 2022 to 2023 restaurant study is to be believed, Chick-fil-A is still the undisputed champion of the fast food market.

Chick-fil-A has, for an incredible nine straight years in a row, placed ahead of its fast food competitors with an A.C.S.I. (or American Customer Satisfaction Index) score of 85. This chain has apparently become something of a gold standard among customers, whether it's through chicken sandwiches, welcoming service, or short wait times. In comparison, Taco Bell and McDonald's — two staples of the fast food industry — scored lower at 71 and 69 A.C.S.I. scores, respectively. While Chick-fil-A is by no means the perfect restaurant, it's still an incredible feat to have such a high score after nearly a full decade, especially in comparison to some of its famous peers.

But with every king, there's always someone gunning to take the crown away from them. It seems Chick-fil-A is getting some competition — not from another chicken restaurant like Popeyes, but from a prominent name in the sandwich sector: Jimmy John's.

Chick-fil-A may have an impressive streak going in the restaurant industry, but that doesn't mean it has no stiff competition. Sandwich chain Jimmy John's has put a stake in second place, making it close to pushing Chick-fil-A off its throne.

According to the report, Jimmy John's has an A.C.S.I. score of 84, perhaps owing to the chain's focus on speedy service and delivery. The chain has also accrued some notable awards and recognitions over the years. Back in 2016, CNN Money declared Jimmy John's to be among some of the ten "great franchise bets," and in early 2023, Jimmy John's was awarded for developing a prototype drive-thru-only restaurant as part of its commitment to improving service, delivery, and convenience. In short, Jimmy John's may not have the same power Chick-fil-A evidently wields, but it does have an impressive track record that demonstrates it's not a competitor to be taken lightly.

Other fast food restaurants that seem to be making waves include KFC with a score of 81 and Papa John's with 80. Although we can't say for sure whether or not Chick-fil-A will maintain its high position as the gold standard of fast food — or if Jimmy John's, KFC, or Papa John's will dethrone it — this will certainly make for some very interesting competition.