The 9 Worst Restaurant Chains In 2025 (According To Customer Satisfaction)

Yahoo

a day ago

The customer is always right, as the saying goes. So what better way to measure restaurants than through customer satisfaction? We've collected data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Consumer Affairs, Yelp, and discussions on Reddit to get a comprehensive conclusion of customer sentiment on fast casual chain restaurants. Based on our research, we've identified the nine worst restaurant chains based on customer satisfaction, and it goes beyond just the food. Fast casual dining is extremely popular in the U.S., and a customer's experience can be swayed by many things, including their experience with the waiter or waitress, the amount of time it takes to be seated, and even the general vibe of the restaurant.
It's worth noting that all of these chains have several locations across the United States, and customer experience can vary drastically based on things like franchise ownership and management. However, the restaurants on this list are repeat offenders, with several customers noting the same issues across locations. Considering everything from rude waitstaff and poor food quality to long wait times and unclean restaurants, customer reviews say that these are the worst chains out there.
Read more: 10 Steakhouse Chains That Are Going To Take Over The US
Denny's
It seems the famous Super Slam breakfast plate is not enough to keep customers satisfied with Denny's. According to the American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Denny's is the worst-rated full-service restaurant chain in 2025, with a rating of 75 out of 100. Its customer satisfaction score has gone down since 2024, which begs the question: What is going wrong at Denny's?
According to Consumer Affairs, which has more than 400 ratings and reviews of the 24/7 diner, customers agree on a few main problem areas when it comes to dining at Denny's. In particular, customers take issue with the long wait times and inconsistent service quality. Some customers note that it took more than an hour to be seated, while others claim their waitress all but ignored them, despite the restaurant not being all that busy. Even delivery drivers try to avoid Denny's for their lengthy wait times. One DoorDash driver took to Reddit to say, "I normally don't take Denny's for the simple fact that 9/10 orders there aren't ready. It's only when it's super slow or a really good offer, I'll go there."
Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings is known for its Sports Bar atmosphere, chicken wings, and all-you-can-eat appetizers, but the chain has also earned an unfortunate reputation for having abysmal service and inconsistent food quality. Like any other chain, the service quality varies by location. As one customer explained so eloquently on Reddit, "It all depends on the location. Most are trash. A few are not".
According to Comparably, which compares restaurant competitors based on how likely customers are to recommend the place to a friend, this restaurant boasts a low score of -31 (yes, negative) on a scale from -100 to 100. That's lower than Wingstop, Applebee's, and even Hooters. Wing-lovers do not play around when it comes to their chicken wings, and with such inconsistent experiences across the board, it comes as no surprise that customers are not completely satisfied with Buffalo Wild Wings. And to top things off, prices are only going up, adding insult to injury for dissatisfied consumers, with some complaining that prices are excessive for the quality and portion sizes.
Chili's
Chili's has received a lot of online attention on TikTok for its Triple-Dipper, which accounts for over a tenth of its total sales. Despite the rise, fall, and recent resurgence of Chili's, the chain seems to be dropping in customer satisfaction compared to previous years, proving you can't believe everything you see on TikTok. Based on the ACSI, the chain has dropped a couple of points between 2024 and 2025, and more than half of the customer ratings on Consumer Affairs are 1-star reviews.
Many reviews report food quality issues, with customers complaining that many of their meals lacked flavor, were burnt, had unexpected spice, and more. Some have reported issues like potato soup that arrived without potatoes, reminiscent of baby food. Similarly, the restaurant has served chicken quesadillas that were severely lacking in chicken. The overall consensus is that the food quality just doesn't match the price, and with so many other chains to choose from, customers may start turning to more affordable options.
IHOP
The International House of Pancakes seems to be having a management issue. Since 1958, the family-friendly breakfast chain has been known for its fluffy golden pancakes, but according to customer reviews, it's becoming known for something else entirely. While some customers online have positive things to say about the food, there are several menu items you'll probably want to avoid at IHOP. Not to mention, many reviews from various IHOP locations claim the service is extremely poor and that bad management seems to be at the root of the issue.
Of 352 reviews on Consumer Affairs, 60% of them are 1-star ratings, with many of them related to inconsistent food quality. Customers have complained about receiving egg white omelets that were brown, and being served undercooked eggs that were so cold, they didn't even melt the cheese on top of them. Other patrons were met with cold coffee, brown avocado, and incorrect food orders. Several consumers noted an heir of unprofessionalism from management, with little regard for customer satisfaction, despite the company's claims that food will always be served with a smile.
Red Robin
Red Robin's CEO announced in March 2025 that the burger chain would be considering closing 70 underperforming store locations because of decreased revenue and foot traffic. Perhaps consumer sentiment has something to do with the losses the chain is seeing in recent years. According to more than 99,000 customer reviews on Yelp, Red Robin has a severe customer satisfaction issue, mostly for its food quality, service, and wait time.
Customers have recounted experiences where waitstaff didn't check tables while they were dining, and even ignored attempts to get their attention. Some have also noticed a significant decrease in the quality and portion sizes of the food, noting a distinct burnt taste on things like burgers they once enjoyed. In fact, several customers recall the burger served at Red Robin 10 years ago being large and tasty, while it's thinner and drier today.
Applebee's
Applebee's has a reputation for providing pretty good value compared to some of its fast casual dining competitors, like Chili's, but customers are deeply unsatisfied with wait times, rude staff, and subpar food quality. Customers speculate that shrinkflation is to blame for the change in quality over the years. On Consumer Affairs, one customer from Minneapolis shared their recent 1-star experience, saying, "The last few times the prices have went up drastically and the portions have been really suffering for size," saying that they'd settled for ordering a salad and were still hungry when they left.
Multiple patrons recount experiences where they walked into a nearly empty Applebee's and were still met with long wait times and rude waitstaff, contributing to an overall underwhelming and negative dining experience. And it appears the food quality is not up to par either. In a Reddit thread titled, "What is the Worst Chain Restaurant," one commenter said, "I'm convinced their kitchen is comprised entirely of microwaves," while another even suggested that they pick up something better from 7-11.
Golden Corral
Golden Corral has long been known as the endless buffet with a diverse food selection. With everything from soup, salad, and pastas to steak, seafood, and desserts, there's a little something for everyone. However, the overwhelming consensus online is that the chain is a quantity-over-quality type of dining experience. Most consumers agree that the Golden Corral lost its appeal after childhood, when an all-you-can-eat experience was novel and exciting.
Customers lament the mass-produced food and claim the buffet started going even further downhill when they expanded the menu to additional styles of food. One customer on Reddit explained, "It was pretty good before they tried to diversify and add things like Mexican cuisine. The steak, macaroni, sliders, etc. are pretty good, but things like enchiladas sucked". Others were even less charitable, highlighting the poor food quality and lack of seasoning, with one saying, "I just appreciate their honesty in naming the place after a livestock feeding station."
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel's Southern homestyle comfort food is not enough to satisfy customers, with one patron on Reddit going so far as to say that, "Cracker Barrel isn't really selling good food. It's selling nostalgia," which might explain why some older customers do return to the Southern-style chain. Even the chicken-fried steak, which this chain is known for, is inconsistent, with mushy breading and bland flavor. There are several menu items you should probably avoid at Cracker Barrel, but poor food quality isn't the only problem. The chain has built a reputation for poor service and cleanliness as well, with one customer recounting a time when water was dripping from the ceiling onto their table.
Many customers have experienced poor service and extremely long wait times from waitstaff who ignored tables and forgot drink refills. On Yelp, one patron even complained that the "workers did not show proper hygiene" by coughing on the food. Like many other chains, food service varies based on location, but patrons appear to have similar complaints about locations all over the country.
TGI Friday's
TGI Friday's is credited with popularizing happy hour with its bar-centric casual dining experience and menu with a variety of specialty cocktails. It's often a venue for events like birthday parties, anniversaries, with its casual vibe and lively music. While it has a reputation for welcoming waitstaff and a friendly atmosphere, though, the inconsistent food quality and long waiting times deter many people. Together with the number of restaurants closing, that may actually spell disaster for TGI Friday's. Soggy French fries, bare ribs, old lettuce, over-fried chicken strips, and bitter Alfredo are among the complaints from customers online. Many also find their food being served cold or the waitstaff delivering the entirely wrong order to their table.
TGI Friday's is known for being slightly chaotic, but customers who try to subvert the chaos by ordering online don't seem to have luck either. On multiple occasions, customers have received entirely the wrong order when ordering with delivery apps like Uber and DoorDash, likely due to the chaotic atmosphere of the restaurant.
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