Changing times, changing tastes

Lots of brands are feeling the love in 2023. Including new entrants, 52 brands in the Top 100 have gained places since last year.

The biggest gain comes from seafood specialist Bonefish Grill, rising 39 places at #89, followed by #91 Einstein Bros Bagels (+36). Other brands have jumped up over 30 places.

Astonishingly, a quarter of our Top 100 brands have achieved a YoY double-digit ranking climb. In contrast, our 2022 league table saw 46 climbers, including new entrants, with only four seeing double-digit rises. Not only that, but this year, 11 brands have risen 20+ places. No brand rose so high in 2022.

Higher love

America has a craving for Caviar (#22). Rising a remarkable 52 places since 2022, the upmarket takeaway service is this year’s biggest YoY winner. Other delivery apps impressing include Seamless (#53) and Postmates (#94), up 32 and 35 places, respectively, since last year.

Aside from delivery services, the biggest gain comes from seafood specialist Bonefish Grill, rising 39 places at #89, followed by #91 Einstein Bros Bagels (+36). Other brands have jumped up over 30 places, too – #76 Bojangles (+31) and #97 Tim Hortons (+34).

Canadian favorite Tim Hortons is enjoying extra brand love alongside its recent US moves. In a sector where convenience is king, Timmies has put app-integrated drive-thru restaurants at the heart of its recent strategy. And the QSR chain’s Cold Brew going on sale in Walmart last month can only boost its brand recognition.

Variety is the spice of love

Climbing over 20 ranks, we have #15 Pizza Ranch (+29), #18 Wingstop (+27), #66 Wetzel’s Pretzels (+22), and #70 Rubio’s (+26) – something to suit all tastes.

While these wide-ranging flavors are on the rise, some classic American burger brands are falling. Among those slipping at least ten places are Burger King, Dairy Queen, Five Guys, Whataburger and Shake Shack.

Is this a coincidence or part of a nascent trend? Well, it’s been widely reported that the younger generations – Millennials and Gen Z – have more varied tastes than their predecessors.

Faced with more choices, they’re enjoying the chance to experiment. The rise of Instagram is also a probable contributing factor as younger consumers seek something different that stands out as a ‘gram-able’ snap.

But one thing’s for sure – there’s plenty of brand love to go around in our Top 100 league table. Tastes change over time, and lots of brands are enjoying a surge in consumer affection.

BrandVue’s Most Loved Eating Out Brands in the US is informed by the opinions of more than 72,000 consumers about 158+ eating out brands.

We have used their responses to compile a comprehensive league table of the Top 100 eating out brands the US love the most. You can access the full league table, alongside expert analysis from our team by downloading the free report below.

Download the free report below.