The restaurant brands hungry consumers think of first

Though McDonald’s and Burger King finished at the bottom of the pack in overall brand loyalty score their burgers make a lasting impression. When consumers want a quick-service burger they think of those brands most often.

Applebee's took the lead over Chili's and TGI Fridays and McDonald's beat out quick-service competitors Burger King and Wendy's.

Pizza Hut barely edged out Domino’s for being top-of-mind among consumers seeking limited-service pizza. In general, limited-service chains dominate pizza cravings, with few respondents citing full-service brands as their go-to.

When it came to sub or deli sandwiches, Applebee's inched past Chili's and Denny's. Subway, however, took the top spot over Quiznos Subs and Jimmy John's by a wide margin.

IHOP shines at breakfast, with a slight lead over Denny’s — and a 38-percentage point lead over Waffle House. McDonald’s owned awareness for limited-service breakfast, with more than a 35-percentage point lead over the next closest brand, Burger King.

For lunch, over a quarter of respondents say they think of Applebee's first, and when it comes to lunch in the limited-service segment, over half of them say they think of McDonald's first.

Applebee’s had the top mind share for lunch and dinner among casual-dining chains, edging out Olive Garden and Chili’s.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents say they think of McDonald’s first when they feel like having French fries, far outpacing the number of people who immediately think of Burger King or Wendy’s.

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