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Zagat survey shows Wendy's, Panera as top QSR chains

NEW YORK The Zagat Survey revealed Friday that Wendy's and Panera Bread are consumers' top choices for quick-service restaurants. The information was a result of Zagat's first Fast Food Survey in which 24 chains were surveyed, with 5,535 voters weighing in on everything "from pizza to poultry, burritos to burgers and salads to subs."

Wendy's was dubbed most popular in the Fast-Food Mega-Chains category, which looks at chains with at least 5,000 outlets. The chain also won the most votes for the best burgers, with 30 percent of the votes, followed by Burger King, which received 22 percent of the votes, and McDonald's, which garnered 13 percent.

Panera won the Most Popular Overall title.

In addition, the survey showed that 79 percent of respondents said taste is the most important factor in choosing a fast-food restaurant, while 49 percent said they were more concerned with price and value.

The survey also showed that health and nutrition concerns weighed on the public's mind. Ninety-three percent of those surveyed reported being somewhat or very concerned with the fat and calorie content of fast food. In addition, 96 percent of respondents said they would eat out the same amount or more if trans fats were banned in quick-service restaurants.

"Not all fast food restaurants are created equal-nor were they meant to be," said Tim Zagat, chief executive of Zagat Survey. "Some are better at burgers and others are masters of milkshakes. This survey reveals what fast-food restaurants are doing right, and where there's room for improvement. The big challenge right now is the public's concerns, expressed by 93 percent of our respondents, about the industry's health standards."

For more results of the QSRsurvey, as well as results from Zagat's full-service survey, visit www.ZAGAT.com.

Zagat Survey LLC, based here, is a leading provider of consumer survey content restaurants, hotels and other entertainment categories.

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