Think you know where to grab a decent meal? Let’s be real, there’s nothing worse than spending your hard-earned cash at a restaurant only to walk away disappointed. Maybe the food was cold, the service terrible, or the prices made your wallet weep. Either way, regret hits hard when you realize you could have eaten better at home.
According to recent customer satisfaction data and reviews from across the country, some restaurant chains are consistently leaving diners frustrated. From fast food giants to sit-down spots, Americans are speaking up about where they feel cheated. These are the places that keep popping up in complaints, low ratings, and brutally honest reviews throughout 2024 and 2025.
McDonald’s
McDonald’s received a rating of 71 out of 100 in 2024, placing it at the bottom among all major fast food chains, despite showing a slight improvement from its 2023 score of 68. The Golden Arches might be everywhere, but that doesn’t mean customers are happy about it. The score improved by 3% from 2023, yet customers report messed-up orders and rude staff as common complaints.
In 2025, McDonald’s dropped another point to 70, earning the lowest score once again while the company reported its worst sales drop since the pandemic. People aren’t just complaining about the food either. Wait times seem endless, mobile orders get botched regularly, and the overall experience feels rushed and careless. When you’re paying more than ever for fast food, these issues hit differently.
Popeyes
Popeyes received a rating of 72 out of 100 in 2024, marking a three-point drop from the previous year and earning the ranking of second-worst fast food chain. That famous fried chicken might taste good when it’s fresh, but getting to that point is apparently a nightmare. Customers report waiting over half an hour for a chicken sandwich, and while the Louisiana chain knows its way around fried chicken, service is a different story.
Popeyes saw its same-store sales slide 4%, representing the most significant drop of the quarter in 2025. Honestly, it’s hard to recommend a place where you might age waiting in the drive-thru. Even loyal fans admit the inconsistency is maddening. One location might nail it, while another leaves you questioning your life choices.
Jack in the Box
Jack in the Box earned a rating of 72 out of 100 in 2024, marking a 1-point deficit from 2023. The quirky mascot and weird menu combinations used to be part of the charm, but customers aren’t laughing anymore. The chain ranks second worst in customer service, with complaints ranging from incorrect orders to unresponsive support.
There’s something deeply frustrating about a restaurant that can’t get your order right when you’re literally telling them exactly what you want through a screen. The 24-hour availability is nice in theory, but not when the quality suffers at every hour of the day. People want consistency, and Jack in the Box just isn’t delivering on that front.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell earned a rating of 73 out of 100 in 2024, though this represented a positive swing from being ranked the second-worst fast food restaurant in 2023. Sure, it’s gotten slightly better, but that’s not saying much when you started near the bottom. Despite having a killer social media presence, the Tex-Mex giant has work to do, with a score of 73 and complaints about incorrect orders, long wait times, and inconsistent food quality.
Late-night Taco Bell runs used to be a rite of passage, but now they’re more likely to be a source of disappointment. The value menu keeps shrinking while prices creep up, and what you get often looks nothing like the picture on the menu board. When even your drunk food disappoints you, something’s seriously wrong.
Denny’s
According to the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, Denny’s is the worst-rated full-service restaurant chain in 2025, with a rating of 75 out of 100, down from the previous year. The 24/7 diner that once symbolized American comfort food has lost its way. Customers take issue with long wait times and inconsistent service quality, with some noting it took more than an hour to be seated while others claim their waitress ignored them despite the restaurant not being busy.
Denny’s comes in last with a score of 75, down 1% from last year, and continues its plan through 2025 to close down 150 underperforming restaurants. The Grand Slam breakfast might be a classic, but that doesn’t help when you can’t even get a server’s attention. Even delivery drivers apparently try to avoid picking up from Denny’s because of the wait times, which tells you everything you need to know.
Chili’s
Based on ACSI data, Chili’s has dropped a couple of points between 2024 and 2025, and more than half of the customer ratings on Consumer Affairs are 1-star reviews, with many reporting food quality issues. TikTok might love the Triple Dipper, but real-world experiences tell a different story. Some customers reported potato soup that arrived without potatoes and chicken quesadillas that were severely lacking in chicken.
The American Customer Satisfaction Index gives Chili’s a score of 78, falling short of the overall score of 82 for sit-down restaurants, dropping from a score of 80 just last year. When you’re paying sit-down restaurant prices for food that tastes worse than it did before, people notice. The overall consensus seems to be that food quality just doesn’t match the price anymore.
Red Robin
Red Robin’s CEO announced in March 2025 that the burger chain would be considering closing 70 underperforming store locations because of decreased revenue and foot traffic, with consumer sentiment possibly contributing to the losses. Those bottomless fries used to be the whole point, but now they can’t save a sinking ship. According to more than 99,000 customer reviews on Yelp, Red Robin has severe customer satisfaction issues related to food quality, service, and wait time, with customers noticing a significant decrease in quality and portion sizes.
Several customers recall the burger served at Red Robin 10 years ago being large and tasty, while it’s thinner and drier today. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and when a restaurant can’t live up to what it used to be, customers feel betrayed. Waitstaff ignoring tables and burgers tasting burnt are recurring themes in reviews. It’s hard not to feel regret when you remember how good things used to be.
Sonic
Sonic received a rating of 76 out of 100 in 2024, though the company saw a 6-point increase from 2023, representing the largest single jump on the entire list. The drive-in concept is retro and fun, but it doesn’t matter if the execution is awful. The chain scored a disappointing 73 in 2025, falling well short of the 79-point average for quick-service restaurants and dropping considerably from last year’s score of 76.
On Trustpilot, Sonic has a dismal 1.5-star rating, with customers reporting rude staff, runny shakes, a frequently malfunctioning ordering system and app, incorrect orders, and undercooked food. Those cherry limeades hit differently when you’ve been waiting 30 minutes in a parking spot with no explanation. The novelty of ordering from your car wears off fast when basic service standards aren’t met.
Subway
Subway was rated 74 out of 100 in 2024, representing a 1-point decrease from 2023. Build-your-own sandwiches should be foolproof, yet somehow Subway manages to disappoint. Complaints about inconsistencies across locations, rude employees, sloppy sandwiches, and long waits placed Subway in the sixth spot with a score of 74, down from 75 in 2023.
The bread doesn’t taste as fresh as it used to, portions seem smaller, and the whole experience feels cheaper despite prices going up. When you can get a better sandwich at a local deli for roughly the same price, why bother with Subway? The chain once dominated the fast-casual sandwich market, but now it’s struggling to give customers a reason to return.
Red Lobster
Red Lobster struggled mightily in 2024, experiencing a sales drop of nearly 23% to $1.68 billion, while its restaurant count plunged 20% to 518 locations. Those Cheddar Bay Biscuits can’t save a chain in free fall. Despite turnaround efforts post-bankruptcy, such as streamlining its menu and partnerships with celebrities, customer visits continued to plunge in 2025, falling 31% in January, 35% in February, and 24% in March.
The environment yielded several big-name bankruptcies, including Red Lobster. It’s sad to watch a once-reliable seafood chain crash this hard. Customers complain about skyrocketing prices, smaller portions, and seafood that doesn’t even taste fresh anymore. When your main selling point is seafood and people question its quality, you’ve lost the plot entirely.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings sinks 4% to 76 in the 2025 ACSI rankings. Wings and sports should be a winning combination, but this chain keeps fumbling. Customers are extremely unlikely to recommend the chain to friends, with reasons consistently pointing back to poor customer service, though people are livid about the service rather than what’s on their plates.
The food itself might be acceptable, but when you’re dealing with surly staff, forgotten orders, and mistakes handled with attitude rather than apologies, the whole experience sours. Sports bars are supposed to be fun hangout spots, yet Buffalo Wild Wings feels more like a place where you’re inconveniencing the staff by showing up. That’s not a vibe anyone wants to pay for.
TGI Fridays
TGI Fridays confirmed it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024 and has continued shuttering restaurants in 2025, with only 85 locations remaining open according to its website. The flair-covered walls and mozzarella sticks used to mean something, but those days are long gone. TGI Fridays was among the big-name bankruptcies in the restaurant environment.
Bankruptcy doesn’t happen overnight, and customers saw the decline coming. Service got slower, food quality dropped, and prices kept climbing anyway. The chain that once defined casual dining in America is now a shadow of its former self. Walking into a TGI Fridays in 2026 feels less like a night out and more like visiting a monument to better times.
Restaurant disappointment hits hard because eating out is supposed to be a treat, not a source of stress and buyer’s remorse. These 12 chains have earned their spot on this list through consistent customer complaints, declining satisfaction scores, and a general failure to deliver value for money. From cold food to rude service, from shrinking portions to skyrocketing prices, the issues are real and widespread.
The data doesn’t lie. When major satisfaction indexes show restaurants consistently scoring at the bottom year after year, and when thousands of customers share similar complaints across review platforms, patterns emerge. These aren’t isolated incidents or one-off bad experiences. They’re systematic problems that suggest deeper issues with quality control, staff training, and corporate priorities.
Before you place your next order at one of these spots, maybe consider your local alternatives instead. Support a family-owned restaurant where they actually care about your experience, or save your money and cook something at home. Life’s too short for regrettable meals. What’s your take on these chains? Have you had similar experiences, or do you think they deserve another chance?
