Smoothie King Tops 2025 QSR Rankings as CX Fundamentals Prove Critical to Growth

PEACHTREE CORNERS, Ga., May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Market Force Information, a global leader in customer experience management, has released its 2025 Quick-Service Restaurant (QSR) Industry Study, underscoring what top brands have always known: Customer Experience is the foundation of sustainable growth.

Leading this year's CX Metrics rankings is Smoothie King, which climbed from sixth to first place overall, driven by improvements in speed, beverage quality and cleanliness—key fundamentals that continue to define consumer loyalty in the QSR space. 

In contrast, last year's Customer Loyalty Index (CLI) leader, Andy's Frozen Custard, fell from the top five following declines across several key experience categories, including cleanliness and friendliness.

"Customer experience has always been the backbone of brand growth," said David Murray, Sr. Director of Customer Experience Strategy at Market Force and a 16-year industry veteran. "This year's rankings simply reinforce what strong operators already know: when you get the fundamentals right—speed, cleanliness, and operational consistency—loyalty follows. The brands that know and stay focused on what matters most to their guests are the ones that win."

Burger and Chicken Categories Continue to Dominate Consumer Loyalty

In-N-Out topped the overall Customer Loyalty Index in 2025, and reclaimed leadership in the burger category with strong brand trust and consistently high experience scores. Chick-fil-A remains a customer favorite in the chicken category, holding a top position for the second year in a row with continued excellence in friendliness, cleanliness, and overall operational execution.

The chicken category saw a significant shakeup, with Slim Chickens making a standout debut, tying with Chick-fil-A in CX Metrics rankings – long recognized as the gold standard in service and consistency.

Blaze Pizza Leads a Heated Pizza Category

In a highly competitive pizza segment, Blaze Pizza emerged as a clear leader, topping both the Customer Loyalty Index and CX Metrics rankings. The brand's year-over-year gains across speed, food quality, and cleanliness highlight the growing consumer demand for CX excellence.

Blaze's consistent investment in operational execution has helped it outpace established competitors and build deep customer loyalty in a category known for high frequency and strong brand preference.

At the other end of the spectrum, traditional value players like Pizza Hut, Little Caesars, and Sbarro continue to underperform in key CX categories.

Some of This Years Buzz-Worthy Brands

• Culver's and Five Guys were recognized as America's most trusted burger brands.
• Peet's, Caribou, and Einstein Bros. outperformed industry giants like Starbucks and Dunkin' in the bakery and coffee segment.
• In the sandwich category, Schlotzsky's and Potbelly led the field, while Subway landed in the bottom tier.
• Qdoba and Pollo Tropical were bright spots in the Mexican segment, showing growing loyalty and quality perception.

Market Force will host a live webinar to unpack the full CLI 2025 results, explore the trends driving loyalty, and provide an exclusive look at brand breakouts across all categories.

To register for the QSR webinar, please visit:
https://www.marketforce.com/webinar/qsr-2025 

Brands and analysts interested in a full walkthrough of results can schedule a briefing at:
https://www.marketforce.com/schedule-a-briefing

Join our growing consumer panel at:
https://panel.marketforce.com/become-a-panelist

About Market Force Information

Market Force helps global brands improve customer experience and operations with integrated services like contact centers, mystery shopping, site audits, customer surveys, social media management, and advanced analytics. Industries served include retail, grocery, restaurant, hospitality, banking and more.

Learn more at: www.marketforce.com

SOURCE Market Force Information