A new report from Chatmeter reveals that quick-service restaurants (QSRs), commonly known as fast-food restaurants, are struggling to keep customers happy.
Despite Chick-fil-A, Carl’s Jr. & Hardee’s, and Arby’s topping Chatmeter’s 2024 QSR Reputation Ranking for food, service, and value, even the industry’s favourites are facing widespread complaints, particularly about customer service.
With foot traffic decreasing, customer dissatisfaction is on the rise. The report shows that reviews mentioning service issues jumped by 19%, pointing to inattentive staff, rude managers, and incorrect orders. Negative references to manager behaviour saw a 15% increase, while staff mistakes climbed 7%.
Wait times are another pain point, with mentions of long waits up by 8%. Some diners reported waiting 30 minutes or more for their meals, and mobile orders, which grew by 52%, have been a consistent source of frustration for customers who find their orders delayed or deprioritised.
“Every brand is at risk of going viral for the wrong reasons,” said John Mazur, CEO of Chatmeter. “QSRs must act quickly to address customer concerns and deliver on their promises.”
Though customer service leads the list of complaints, price sensitivity is still an issue. Reviews tagging restaurants as “overpriced” surged by 43%, with customers voicing frustration over price discrepancies between menus and checkouts, and unfavourable comparisons to sit-down restaurant prices.
Chatmeter used its AI-powered tool Signals to analyse Google reviews from 100 locations of each chain to develop its rankings. As negative reviews stack up, the report serves as a wake-up call for fast food chains to prioritise their customer service before dissatisfied diners walk away for good.