Fast Food Rankings Shift: Jersey Mike’s Takes the Lead
The well-known American chicken fast-food chain, Chick-fil-A, has slipped from its top spot in a widely followed customer satisfaction ranking.
In the recent American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) for 2025, Chick-fil-A claimed first place. However, this year, it fell to second position.
Jersey Mike’s scored 84 out of 100, surpassing Chick-fil-A’s score of 83 points.
This marks a significant change, as it’s the first time in over ten years that a new brand has topped the ACSI quick-service restaurant (QSR) category.
The study, released on Tuesday, is based on responses from 16,464 surveys collected via email between April 2025 and March 2026.
ACSI highlighted Jersey Mike’s as “an emerging leader in QSR,” making note of the change as a notable achievement for new chains.
The report attributes Jersey Mike’s rise to its rapid restaurant expansion, which has been coupled with maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction.
“Jersey Mike’s ACSI success aligns with the company’s growth strategy, strong customer interest, and a model focused on efficient service and digital convenience,” the study noted.
Established in 1956 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, Jersey Mike’s has grown to over 4,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada, as detailed on its website.
Famous for its made-to-order subs and “Mike’s Way” sandwiches, these are served with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, oil, vinegar, and spices.
Though Chick-fil-A has lost its long-held position, ACSI remarked that the Atlanta-based chain “still leads clearly in chicken.” Following Chick-fil-A are Jimmy John’s and Panda Express, which are tied for third with a score of 81 points.
KFC, Papa John’s, and Pizza Hut come next with 80 points, while Domino’s Pizza, Raising Cane’s, Starbucks, and Subway each received 79 points.
Burger King, Culver’s, Dunkin’, Little Caesars, and Panera Bread scored just below that tier with 78 points.
At the bottom of the rankings, Dairy Queen and McDonald’s were tied for last among major quick-service chains, both earning a score of 72.
Inquiries for comments have been sent to both Jersey Mike’s and Chick-fil-A.
