Move Over In & Out, America Has Voted On A New Fast-Food King

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Chicken or beef? When it comes to America's favorite fast-food chain, we have a new reigning champion.

West Coast staple In & Out Burger has been dethroned by Chick-fil-A as the country's favorite quick-service restaurant, according to a 2019 online Market Force survey.

The survey, which had 7,668 participants, ranked various types of fast-food restaurants in eight separate categories: Staff friendliness, overall cleanliness, food quality, curb appeal, atmosphere, speed of service, value for money spent, and healthy options.

In a battle against other chicken joints, which included the likes of Zaxby's, Raising Cane's, and Popeyes, to name a few, Chic-fil-A reigned supreme in every category except atmosphere, falling in a close second with a score of 73 percent behind 77 percent for Raising Cane's. Chic-fil-A scored 82 percent in staff friendliness and overall cleanliness, 78 percent in food quality, 76 percent in curb appeal, 71 percent in speed of service, 54 percent in value for money spent, and 55 percent in healthy menu options.

In a separate vote, Chic fil-A also scored higher in customer loyalty than any other restaurant in any category with 79 percent.

The burger battle was more competitive with In & Out securing the number one spot in only four of the eight categories: Curb appeal with a score of 68 percent, overall cleanliness at 71 percent, staff friendliness at 73 percent, and value for money spent at 61 percent. Five Guys sat atop the list in food quality with a 72 percent score, 55 percent in speed of service, and 64 percent in atmosphere. Smashburger was voted number one in healthy options for burger chains at 32 percent.

Although In & Out's title of America's favorite fast-food chain is no more, the home of the double-double is still sitting pretty as the nation's favorite burger joint with a customer loyalty score of 73 percent.

Chic-fil-A and In & Out both ranked first in customer loyalty in their respective categories of chicken and burgers, but it was the former's utter dominance all around in the survey and it's securing of the highest loyalty rating that has crowned Chic-fil-A the new king.