Chick-fil-A Dethroned As America’s Favorite Restaurant By This NJ Chain

A New Jersey-based sandwich shop has overtaken Chick-fil-A as America’s favorite restaurant chain, edging out the long-reigning leader by just one point in a new national customer satisfaction study.

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index Restaurant and Food Delivery Study, Jersey Mike’s Subs earned a score of 84 out of 100, while Chick-fil-A followed closely at 83. That narrow margin was enough to end Chick-fil-A’s 11-year run at the top of the quick-service restaurant rankings.

The study is based on 16,464 surveys conducted via email between April 2025 and March 2026 and measures customer satisfaction across major restaurant brands nationwide.

Jersey Mike’s, founded in 1956 in Point Pleasant Beach, has expanded into a national chain with more than 4,000 locations either open or in development, according to company information.

The report highlights the company’s rapid growth in 2025, noting it opened more than 200 new locations and reached $4.2 billion in sales. It also credits the brand with maintaining quality while scaling quickly.

Chick-fil-A had held the number one position for 11 consecutive years before this year’s results.

The company has also featured actor Danny DeVito in national advertising campaigns and is known for its charitable efforts, including its annual Day of Giving, when participating locations donate 100 percent of sales to local charities. According to Jersey Mike's, the initiative has raised more than $166 million since 2011