KFC receives unexpected news and takes a hard hit in the United States

In the competitive world of fast food, major chains usually boast about their popularity. However, not all news is good for the giants of the sector. Sometimes, a single report can unexpectedly shake their reputation.

A recent analysis of millions of reviews has left KFC in a very unenviable position. The fried chicken chain was named the worst rated in the country according to a study by the site ChicksX. This conclusion was based on the analysis of 7.3 million TripAdvisor opinions about 244 restaurant brands in the United States.

An unappetizing result

KFC, with its more than 4,000 locations in the United States, received an average score of just 2.89 out of 5. This rating places it at the bottom of the list, even below direct rivals like McDonald's. "It was one of the few disappointments of my vacation in New York," commented Francesco N, a TripAdvisor user, in his review of a KFC in Penn Plaza that has already closed.

McDonald's didn't fare much better, with an average score of 2.99 in its 14,300 establishments in the country. Zahara J, another user, complained about the service on Broadway saying: "The food was disgusting, it was dry, they took a long time to take my order and some machines didn't even work." The ranking shows that the customer experience leaves much to be desired in several giants of the industry.

Burger King didn't do well either, with an average score of 3 in its more than 6,600 U.S. locations. Jonas S recounted on TripAdvisor his experience on Broadway: "It took them 15 minutes to bring us the food and the burgers were covered in ketchup, don't spend your money here." Thus, the list of the worst includes several of the best-known brands.

Other names on the blacklist

The ranking of the ten worst is completed with names like Church's Texas Chicken, Long John Silver's, Taco Bueno, and Taco Bell, according to New York Post. Hardee's, Wendy's, and Pizza Hut also appear, with scores just above 3 out of 5. Church's, for example, achieved only a 3.08 average, while Long John Silver's stayed at 3.16.

Meanwhile, the list also showed who enjoy a better reputation, such as Andy's Frozen Custard, based in Missouri with 85 locations in 14 states, which took first place. Great Harvest Bread Company, from Montana with about 150 franchises, ranked second. The podium was completed by The Melting Pot, a fondue chain with nearly 100 locations, including two in New Jersey.

Even at the local level, in New York the Mediterranean-inspired chain Cava stood out, with an average of 4.55 out of 5. To be included in the study, each brand had to have at least 150 reviews on TripAdvisor. The results show that customer perception matters more than ever, and KFC will have to rethink its strategy to climb positions in the United States.