9 The worst restaurant chains in 2025. (According to customer satisfaction)

The customer is always right as they say. So what is a better way to appreciate restaurants than customer satisfaction? We have collected data from American customers’ satisfaction index (ACSI), consumer affairs, Yelp and Reddit discussions to get a detailed conclusion on customer sentiment at fast casual network restaurants. Based on our research, we have identified the nine worst restaurant chains based on customer satisfaction, which exceeds only food. A fast casual dinner is particularly popular in the US, and the customer’s experience can be detrimental to many things, including their experience with a waiter or waiter, how long it takes to sit, and even the overall vibe of the restaurant.

It is worth noting that all these circuits have several places throughout the US, and customer experience can vary greatly in terms of things like franchise property and management. However, restaurants on this list are repeated criminals, and several customers pay attention to the same problems in all places. Given everything, from the rough quality of Waitstaff and poor food to long waiting times and dirty restaurants, customer reviews say these are the worst chains.

Read more: 10 steak chains that will take over the US

Denny’s

The famous super slam breakfast plates seem to be not enough for customers to be satisfied with Denny’s. Based on the American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Denny’s is the most rated restaurant restaurant chain in 2025, with its rating of 75 out of 100. Its customers’ satisfaction score from 2024. The question has fallen, which is the question: what’s wrong with Denny’s?

Based on consumer affairs with more than 400 ratings and reviews of about 24/7 canteen, customers agree with several major problem areas when Denny’s have to have dinner. First of all, customers argue about the long waiting time and the inconsistent quality of the service. Some customers note that it took more than an hour to sit, while others claim that everyone, except, ignored their waitress, despite the fact that the restaurant was not so busy. Even delivery drivers try to avoid Denny’s long waiting time. One Doordash driver has taken Reddit to say: “I usually won’t take Denny because of the simple fact that 9/10 orders are not ready. Only when it is a very slow or really good offer, I will go there.”

Buffalo wild wings

Buffalo Wild Wings is known for its atmosphere, chicken wings and dishes you can eat, but the chain has also earned an unhappy reputation for nasty service and inconsistent food quality. Like any other circuit, the quality of service varies depending on the location. As one client explained so eloquently “Reddit”, “It all depends on the location. Most are garbage. A few are not.”

Based on a comparison that compares restaurant competitors, given how likely customers are to recommend a friend, this restaurant boasts low (yes, negative) on a scale of -100 to 100. It is lower than Wingstop, Applebee and even Hoots. Wings lovers do not play when it comes to their chicken wings, and with such inconsistent experiences, it is not surprising that customers are not fully satisfied with the Buffalo Wild Wings. In addition, prices are only rising, so dissatisfied with consumers increases insult, some complain that prices are excessive quality and portion size.

Chili

Chili’s received a lot of Internet attention “Tik” for its triple Dipper, which makes up more than a tenth of all sales. Despite the carpet, the fall and the recent revival of Chili, the circuit seems to be declining compared to previous years compared to previous years, and proves that you cannot believe everything you see “Fik.” According to ACSI, the circuit has reduced a couple of points from 2024 to 2025, and more than half of the customers’ ratings in users have 1 star review.

Many reviews report food quality problems when customers complain that many of their dishes were lacking, burned, had an unexpected spice and more. Some reported problems such as potato soup, which came without potatoes, resembles baby food. Similarly, the restaurant served chicken quesadillas, which was very lacking in chicken. The general consensus is that the quality of the food simply does not match the price, and with the many other circuits you can choose from, customers can start with an affordable option.

Ihop

The International Pancake Chamber seems to have a management problem. Since 1958 The family -friendly breakfast chain was known for fluffy gold pancakes, but according to customer reviews, it becomes known for something else. While some customers online have positive things to say about food, there are some menu elements that you will probably want to avoid IHOP. Not to mention that many reviews of different IHOP sites say the service is very poor and that bad management seems to be the basis of this problem.

Of the 352 reviews on consumer affairs, 60% of them are 1 star ratings, many of them associated with inconsistent food quality. Customers complained about egg whites omelettes that were brown and were served with cold eggs that even melted at the top of the cheese. Other guardians were met with cold coffee, brown avocado and incorrect food orders. Several consumers have drawn attention to the heir to the unprofessionalism of the management, with little consider customer satisfaction, despite the company’s claims that food will always be served with a smile.

Red Robin

Red Robin CEO 2025 March It has announced that the Burger network will consider closing 70 inferior stores due to reduced income and pedestrian flow. Perhaps consumer sentiment has something to do with the losses that the circuit sees in recent years. Based on more than 99,000 YELP customer reviews, Red Robin has a major customer satisfaction problem, mainly due to food quality, service and waiting time.

Customers talk about experience when Waitstaff did not check the tables before they had dinner and even ignored attempts to draw their attention. Some have also noticed a significant decrease in food quality and portion size, noting to the clear taste for things like burglars they once enjoyed. In fact, several customers remember that Red Robin’s burger was big and delicious 10 years ago, and today is thinner and drier.

Applebee’s

The Applebee’s has a good name to give quite a good value compared to some of its everyday dishes competitors such as Chili, but customers are very dissatisfied with waiting times, rough workers and food quality. Customers speculate that over the years they have been to blame for quality changes. In consumer affairs, one client shared his latest 1 star experience from Minneapolis by saying, “The last few times the price rose drastically, and portions are actually suffering for size,” saying they settled in ordering a salad and were still hungry when they left.

Several patrons tell about experience when they went to an almost empty Applebee and were still met with long waiting times and the rude Waitstaff, contributing to the overall nature and negative dinner. And the quality of food seems to be not prepared either. In Reddit’s thread, “What is the worst restaurant”, one commentator said: “I am convinced that their kitchen is only a microwave” and the other even suggested that they will choose something better from 7 to 11 years.

Golden coral

The Golden Corral has long been known as the endless choice of self -service with various foods. With everything – from soup, salads and pastes to steaks, seafood and desserts, there is something for everyone. But the great consensus on the Internet is that the chain is quantitatively too much a nutritional dinner experience. Many consumers agree that Golden Corral has lost its attractiveness after childhood when everything you can eat was new and exciting.

Customers regret that mass -made food and claim that the buffet started to continue further when the menu expanded to the extra food style. One Reddit customer explained: “It was quite good until they tried to diversify and add things like Mexican cuisine. Steak, pasta, sliders, etc. are quite good, but things like Enchilad suck.” Others were even less charity, emphasizing the poor quality of food and lack of spices, saying, “I just appreciate their honesty to name the place after the animal feeding station.”

Cracker barrel

Cracker Barrel southern home -style comfort food is not enough for customers, and one Reddit patron goes so far to say: “Cracker Barrel doesn’t really sell good food. It sells nostalgia, which can explain why some older customers return to the southern style chain. Even chicken roasted steak, which makes this circuit known, is inconsistent, with soft bread and mild taste. The chain also created a reputation of poor services and cleanliness, and one client tells the time when the water dripped off the ceiling on their table.

Many customers have experienced poor service and a very long Waittstaff waiting time, which ignored tables and forgot to fill in drinks. During the Yelp, one guardian even complained that “employees did not show proper hygiene” by coughing food. As with many other networks, food services vary depending on location, but patrons seem to have similar complaints about places across the country.

TGI Friday

TGI Friday is credited to Happy Hour promotion with its bar with a casual dinner experience and menu with various special cocktails. These are often events such as birthday parties, anniversaries, with their random vibe and fun music. Although it has a reputation to greet Waitstaff and a friendly atmosphere, the inconsistent food quality and long waiting time discourage many people. Along with the number of closed restaurants, which can actually lead to disaster on TGi Fridays. French fries, bare ribs, old salad, too much fried chicken stripes and bitter alfred are moan among customers on the Internet. Many also think their food is cold or Waitstaff, which delivers a completely wrong order at their table.

On that Friday is known as a bit chaotic, but customers who try to enslave chaos when ordering online seem to be unsuccessful either. In several cases, customers received a completely wrong order when ordering with shipping programs such as Uber and Doordash, probably due to the chaotic restaurant atmosphere.

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