93.1 percent of Consumer Picks respondents said Food Quality is "essential" or "very important" to a Casual-Dining restaurant experience, while only 36.6 percent said Likely to Recommend is.
Women also cared more about Craveability by a slight margin, but the groups ranked most other attributes similarly.
Cheddar's Casual Cafe and The Cheesecake Factory were the only Casual-Dining chains to be ranked in the top five for both men and women.
Meanwhile, customers with a household income of more than $100,000 annually placed slightly more importance on Likely to Recommend than those with a household income of less than $50,000 did, but the groups ranked most other attributes similarly.
The Melting Pot and The Cheesecake Factory ranked in the top five Casual-Dining chains at all income levels.
Consumers who are married or living with a partner place more importance on Service and Menu Variety than singles do. The two groups ranked most other attributes similarly.
The Melting Pot and Cheddar's Casual Cafe were the only Casual-Dining chains ranked in the top five for never-married singles, previously-married singles and people who are married or living with a partner.
Baby boomers placed more importance on Cleanliness, Service and Menu Variety, while Millennials were more interested in Atmosphere, Craveability and Likely to Recommend.
Each age group ranked a different Casual-Dining chain highest.
Only Cheddar's Casual Cafe ranked in the top five for every age group, and there was little overlap in the top five choices of each group.
Customers with advanced degrees placed more importance on Likely to Recommend than did people with only a high school education.
The Melting Pot and The Cheesecake Factory were the only chains to rank in the top five for both customers with advanced degrees and people with only a high school education.
