This CA-Based Fast Food Chain Is By Far The Highest Rated In National Survey

Panda Express was the highest-rated California-based fast food chain in a recent national survey.

The results of the American Customer Satisfaction Index Restaurant and Food Delivery Study 2026 were published on Tuesday.

Panda Express, which is headquartered in Rosemead, was the fourth-highest-ranked fast food chain with a rating of 81 compared to 80 the previous year.

Of the 28 options in the study, other California brands included Irvine-based Taco Bell and San Diego-based Jack in the Box, which ranked fourth and fifth from the bottom, respectively, both with scores of 74, and Chipotle of Newport Beach, which ranked 10th from the bottom with a score of 77.

The highest-ranked fast food chain overall was Jersey Mike’s, which scored an 84, and the lowest-ranked was McDonald’s with 72.

The survey results come at a challenging time for fast food, as companies face traffic declines related to questions of value, according to the study, although customer satisfaction remained stable for the third year.