Papa Murphy’s distinguishes itself from the mid-sized pizza chain pack by offering a unique experience where customers can pick up their pizza themselves and bake their pizzas in the comfort of their own homes. They don’t have to worry about timing their takeout and delivery order and can pick up pre-made customized pizzas at any time, along with other unique menu options like cookie dough and cinnamon wheels that can also be popped in the oven for after dinner. 

The take-and-bake concept lends itself well to beating industry challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past six months, only a limited number of Papa Murphy’s stores had to close temporarily and there were no permanent layoffs. Customers were constantly looking for meal solutions since most dining rooms were closed in the spring and Papa Murphy’s was equipped to deliver. 

– Joanna Fantozzi

Chick-fil-A has long been a standard bearer for consistent food and gracious service, and has maintained a cult following as it has expanded from its Southeastern heartland to become the United States’ third-largest chain in terms of annual domestic sales, according to Nation’s Restaurant News Top 200 data, having raked in more than $12.5 billion in 2019.

In both 2019 and 2020 (pre-pandemic), Chick-fil-A ranked first place in terms of service and quality (the latter, in a tie with The Cheesecake Factory and Longhorn Steakhouse). 

As the coronavirus pandemic hit, the Atlanta-based chicken specialist got top ranks among limited-service restaurants in two safety categories: Overall trust, and sanitation.

It also scored highest in terms of craveability for its menu of items such as its signature fried chicken sandwich, always with two pickle chips, its waffle fries and its freshly made lemonade. 

Since the pandemic started, Chick-fil-A has introduced new items, including a new chocolate brownie, an upgraded version of its coffee, and a chicken Parmesan meal kit that it first tested in 2018 but is arguably better suited to these times. 

– Bret Thorn

The Cheesecake Factory Inc., long known for its expansive multi-page menu, capacious interiors and beguiling cheesecake counters, continued to rank at the top for quality among full-service restaurants in the Consumer Picks survey.

The Calabasas Hills, Calif.-based casual-dining brand with more than 200 domestic locations, earned top ranking from 72% of respondents in a tie with Chick-fil-A and Longhorn Steakhouse. Cheesecake Factory also moved up in service, increasing from No. 17 (61% rated it “best in class” or “above average”) in 2019 to No. 2 (66%) in 2020.

And in the consumer survey during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cheesecake Factory scored high (72%) among consumers for its “sanitization,” or trust that the restaurants were cleaning frequently and to the highest standards.

David Overton, Cheesecake Factory CEO and chairman, said in a July earnings call that the general large size of the brand’s units was a benefit during coronavirus restrictions.

“Our large restaurant footprint and flexible seating layouts are enabling us to recapture meaningful sales levels despite capacity restrictions,” said Overton, who opened the first Cheesecake Factory in 1978 to feature his mother’s cheesecakes. 

The Cheesecake Factory units range from 5,500-square feet to 10,000-square feet, and about a fifth have patios to serve customers amid indoor-dining capacity restrictions.

– Ron Ruggless

Mid-summer, when California began experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases, the drive-thrus at In-N-Out Burger were often up to 20 cars deep. 

The lines were intimidating, but fans didn’t mind. Consumers ranked In-N-Out with high regard. The Irvine, Calif.-based quick-service brand was ranked second for service (66%) and true loyalty (57%). 

After the shutdown, In-N-Out won a second-place ranking among guests who said they’d “go out of their way to have food from this restaurant.” It was also ranked highly for its menu and sanitation efforts, and consumers said the chain “values its employees.”

The brand, known for paying above minimum wage to employees at its 357 restaurants in six states, didn’t lay off or furlough any of its 29,000 workers. Those whose hours were reduced received supplemented paychecks for 10 weeks. In the other words, the company made them whole if they weren’t making their regular pre-pandemic wages. Employees also got bonuses ranging from $500 for full-time associates and $250 for part-time workers.

Outside of its core California market, most In-N-Out restaurants have reopened dining rooms at limited capacities. The chain has opened six new restaurants, so far, this year. 

– Nancy Luna

The sweet pork barbacoa, an original item on the menu of Salt Lake City, Utah-based Cafe Rio Mexican Grill since its founding in 1997, is one of the menu items that elevate the brand’s craveability vote. Ranked highest for craveability, with 60% of consumers rating it “best in class” or “above average,” the fast-casual chain tied for the No. 1 slot with Freebirds.

Founded in St. George, Utah, Cafe Rio is has grown to 134 restaurants in 11 states. The brand offers counter service for dine-in and to-go, according to Cathy Knowlson, marketing director.

Cafe Rio emphasizes its scratch-made dishes. “We do not have microwaves or freezers in any of our restaurants,” Knowlson said.

Guests customize their meals as they place their order directly with the team member making it. 

In addition to sweet pork, guests often mention the grill’s tortillas, enchilada-style burritos (with signature sauces and cheese on top), tomatillo dressing, queso, tres leches cake and specialty drinks like horchata and mint limeade. The brand does not offer adult beverages.

Café Rio has also adapted to the digital age. Knowlson said guests can order online, through the brand’s smartphone app and with third-party delivery partners.

In-restaurant guests can watch tortillas being made throughout the day on a hot comal or griddle.

The brand also offers a loyalty program called My Rio Rewards that gives frequent guests free items.

– Ron Ruggless

Freebirds World Burrito has earned top marks in craveability, placing first in 2019 and second in early 2020, although basically in a dead heat this year with top-ranking brand Cafe Rio.

The fast-casual Freebirds with 55 units, all in Texas, has worked hard to keep its food delicious, CEO Alex Eagle said.

That has included, over the past year or so, a comprehensive review of every ingredient, and every vendor’s capability of delivering “consistently craveable product,” he said. 

Installation of improved equipment is underway across the chain, and training has been intensified, with updated recipes that include more details, including tools to be used in preparation.

The chain, based in Austin, Texas, has also implemented a “master griller” certification program and made sure that someone with that certification is in every restaurant.

Eagle said customers are especially fond of Freebirds’ steak burritos, and its annual summer limited-time offer of smoked Texas brisket.

In response to increased business between lunch and dinner, Freebirds is testing two snacks that highlight the chain’s popular ingredients: Extreme Potatoes, which are like nachos but with fried, cubed potatoes instead of tortilla chips, and Extreme Queso, which is melted cheese sauce with choice of protein along with pico de gallo, guacamole, hot sauce and chips.

– Bret Thorn

American Deli’s obsession with service and food earned the brand top marks for loyalty (60% said they’d go out of their way to eat there) after the pandemic shutdown. Even before the pandemic hit the industry, consumers ranked the limited-service brand highly for craveability (58% rated it “best in class” or “above average”), putting it in the No. 3 slot.

Chong Kim founded the chain in a mall in Decatur, Ga. in 1989. It has since grown to 180 locations in eight states, serving an eclectic menu of wings, fried rice, burgers, fried fish, Philly cheesesteaks, chicken tenders, subs, fried shrimp, gyros and salads.

The menu variety was purposeful, as the founder wanted to sell diverse foods that would satisfy the taste buds of every American family.  Because everything is cooked to order, American Deli fans are known to customize items, like ordering wings or fries cooked to a specific crispiness or requesting “a drizzle of hot sauce” on lemon pepper wings, the company said. 

During the pandemic, the chain ranked No. 1 for brand devotion among limited-service brands. The company said regulars stopped by their local store frequently during the crisis to encourage employees. Some gave stores homemade masks. 

“Our loyal guests are fantastically creative,” the company said. 

– Nancy Luna

As restaurant dining rooms shut down during the pandemic, it became especially challenging for full-service restaurants to find their footing. But McCormick & Schmick’s — which currently operates 29 restaurants in North America — came out on top in both the menu and loyalty categories after the pandemic began.

According to Datassential, 64% of customers were craving the Landry’s-owned chain and their menu of seafood and chops. The brand was also the top full-service restaurant in the brand devotion category, with 61% saying they would go out of their way to have food from McCormick & Schmick’s. 

Even before the shutdown, McCormick & Schmick’s was voted in the top 10 for ambience, and 57% of consumers ranked the chain best in class for quality.

Although some units are still in the process of opening back up, throughout the pandemic McCormick & Schmick’s implemented multiple COVID-era operations strategies like specialty meal kits and virtual wine dinners. During the lockdowns, they transformed unused dining rooms into marketplaces selling prepared foods and hard-to-find essential pantry items. 

The chain also introduced curbside and takeout and delivery services for customers craving the brand’s menu items to eat at home. To keep guests coming back, the chain now offers contactless menus that automatically load onto customers’ phones when they log into the WiFi: no QR code needed.

– Joanna Fantozzi

Steakhouses are sort of the fine-dining equivalents of comfort-food restaurants. Warm furnishings, straightforward menus and a service style that is attentive without being overbearing are hallmarks of that segment, so it makes sense that, in these troubled times, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, the chain of about 140 restaurants based in Winter Park, Fla., has scored top marks for its ambience, ranking “best in class” or “above average” among 80% of consumers. 

“Ruth’s Chris is a place where guests can relax in a welcoming and comfortably elegant atmosphere,” a company spokesperson said. “We aim to consistently provide a world-class dining experience.”

Each restaurant has its own design, expressing local flair, but the chain maintains a legacy started by Ruth Fertel, who founded Ruth’s Chris in New Orleans more than 50 years ago and set the standard for its food and service.

As its dining rooms started reopening in May, safety became part of the ambience, with new floor plans allowing for more space between tables, servers wearing masks and more frequent sanitization.

“All of this has been done with a focus on maintaining a comfortable place for family and friends to enjoy warm hospitality and sizzling steaks,” the spokesperson said.

– Bret Thorn

On the value rating, Detroit-based Little Caesars climbed to the No. 1 spot in the 2020 survey, up from the No. 2 position last year.

Guests ranked Little Caesars highest for value for the dollar and affordability, though Papa Murphy’s was the favorite for offering discounts or special deals and Golden Corral ranked highest for portion sizes.

Little Caesars is known for its $5 Hot-N-Ready pizza. In August, the chain rolled out a $6 Slices-N-Stix version, with half sliced as cheese-topped breadsticks, which is promoted as the equivalent of four pepperoni slices and eight cheese bread sticks.

Though it has long been known as a takeout pizza brand, Little Caesars launched delivery in January, in partnership with DoorDash and bringing its more-affordable offering to the pizza delivery scene — just in time for the pandemic. 

The chain also offers online ordering and no-contact pickup using its “pizza portals,” where customers can scan their phones and pick up their pizza from heated compartments.

After the pandemic-related shutdown, Little Caesars doubled down on its value positioning.

“While we’ve always been the place people go for an affordable meal in a pinch, the public is relying on us now more than ever,” said president and CEO Dave Scrivano in a statement in March. “We can provide them with something very few other businesses can — a safer way to get inexpensive meals for their families,  just when they need them the most. We’ve been doing this for decades.”

– Lisa Jennings