Chain restaurants that once filled America’s neighborhoods with happy families and late-night diners are facing a harsh reality. Customer satisfaction scores are plummeting, foot traffic is declining, and loyal patrons are walking away disappointed. The numbers paint a troubling picture of beloved brands that have lost their way, turning once-reliable experiences into sources of frustration and regret.
Recent data from industry analysts and consumer satisfaction surveys reveals which chains have fallen furthest from grace. These restaurants built their reputations on consistency, value, and comfort food that brought people together. Yet rising costs, operational struggles, and changing consumer expectations have left many scrambling to reconnect with the customers they once knew how to please.
Denny’s – America’s Diner Loses Its Appeal
Recent customer satisfaction surveys suggest Denny’s has struggled with low ratings among full-service restaurant chains. This represents a significant drop from previous years, marking a troubling trend for the 24-hour diner that once prided itself on being there whenever customers needed a meal.
In particular, customers take issue with the long wait times and inconsistent service quality. Some customers note that it took more than an hour to be seated, while others claim their waitress all but ignored them, despite the restaurant not being all that busy. Even delivery drivers try to avoid Denny’s for their lengthy wait times.
The chain’s struggles extend beyond service issues. Verostek also said that customer traffic declined by about 6% during the quarter as compared to the same time in 2022. Traffic also declined again by about 6%, Restaurant Business Magazine reported. The financial implications have been severe, with the company closing dozens of locations and raising the break-even point from one million dollars to $1.2 million per restaurant.
Red Lobster – From Endless Shrimp to Endless Problems
Red Lobster’s dramatic fall from grace became one of the most shocking restaurant stories of recent years. In a declaration filed with the bankruptcy court, Red Lobster reports that its customer count has declined by about 30% since 2019. The chain’s traffic has tumbled about 30% since 2019, according to the bankruptcy filing.
Customer complaints went far beyond the infamous endless shrimp promotion that contributed to the chain’s downfall. The table was sticky. The floors were filthy. The food was marginal and not as good. The service was terrible. One customer noted that even the rewards app didn’t work properly, adding to the frustrating experience.
Despite turnaround efforts post-bankruptcy, such as streamlining its menu and partnerships with celebrities such as Flavor Flav, customer visits to Red Lobster have continued to plunge this year. Customer visits fell 31 percent in January, 35 percent in February, and 24 percent in March, according to Placer.ai. The seafood giant that once defined casual dining had lost the trust of millions of customers who expected consistent quality and service.
Buffalo Wild Wings – Wings Without Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings faced a particularly damaging scandal that shattered customer trust in ways that go far beyond typical service issues. Recently, Buffalo Wild Wings were criticized for serving up wings to its customers that – wait for it – weren’t actually wings. The company, when taken to court over the issue, admitted to using chicken breast prepared and fried in such a way to look like boneless chicken wings, instead of actually using the winged part of the bird.
The deceptive practices extended beyond just product misrepresentation. If this weren’t nefarious enough, the franchise took an additional hit this year when it pulled all its remaining locations out of Canada on the basis of underperformance and poor sales. This international retreat signaled deeper operational problems that customers were experiencing firsthand.
Buffalo Wild Wings comes in last, with customers unhappy about wait times and new menu items such as the Beer Cheese and the Philly Cheesesteak and Chicken Parm Sandwich. They seem to suck all over now, nationwide, one disappointed Reddit user captured the sentiment of many former loyal customers who felt betrayed by the chain’s dishonest practices.
TGI Fridays – The Party’s Over
To say that TGI Fridays has had a difficult period is the understatement of the century. The chain was once one of the most beloved restaurants in the country, but over time, it began being viewed as a somewhat outdated place to eat. As new competitors came in and began taking over, TGI Fridays struggled, facing a lack of enthusiasm and a mozzarella stick lawsuit – and all of this culminated in a bankruptcy claim in November 2024, with the restaurant citing market conditions and its capital structure as reasons for the filing.
TGI Friday’s confirmed it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024 and has continued shuttering restaurants in 2025. According to its website, only 85 remain open. The dramatic reduction from hundreds of locations to fewer than 100 speaks to how thoroughly the brand lost its connection with customers.
However, there are some positive signs emerging. Brands that have experienced an uptick in positive reviews include TGI Fridays, with service scores up 5% and ambiance up 32% this year as the chain works to recover from a tumultuous couple of years, including mass closures and bankruptcy. Still, the damage from years of declining quality and service issues will take considerable time to repair.
KFC – The Colonel’s Recipe for Decline
For decades, KFC was the undisputed king of fried chicken, but in the last few years, that reputation has been tested like never before. It’s facing a serious dip in sales, with more people turning away from the brand. In this day and age, there are loads of fried chicken options out there, and competitors like Chick-fil-A and Bojangles have had a stellar few years, while KFC has been plagued by quality issues, with customers having increasingly poor experiences at its stores and disliking its unhealthy menu items.
The numbers tell a stark story of decline. All of this has translated into KFC having a difficult time in 2025, with sales declining by a massive 5% in the second quarter of the year. This decline continues a downward trend for the brand, with the end of 2024 having seen a similar 5% decrease in sales, and sales figures throughout 2024 also being down.
David Gibbs, CEO of KFC parent company Yum Brands, admitted during a May 1 earnings call that the chain “has been struggling” in the United States. According to Circana’s Definitive U.S. Restaurant Ranking 2025 report, chicken chains, including Raising Cane’s, Wingstop, Chick-fil-A, Zaxby’s, Bojangles and Popeyes, saw consumer spending increase in 2024 while KFC saw consumer spending fall by 4% to $4.34 billion, ranking lower than Raising Cane’s and Wingstop.
Chili’s – Triple-Dipper Can’t Save Triple Disappointment
Chili’s has received a lot of online attention on TikTok for its Triple-Dipper, which accounts for over a tenth of its total sales. Despite the rise, fall, and recent resurgence of Chili’s, the chain seems to be dropping in customer satisfaction compared to previous years, proving you can’t believe everything you see on TikTok.
Based on the ACSI, the chain 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. Many reviews report food quality issues, with customers complaining that many of their meals lacked flavor, were burnt, had unexpected spice, and more.
The quality control problems have become particularly embarrassing. Some have reported issues like potato soup that arrived without potatoes, reminiscent of baby food. Similarly, the restaurant has served chicken quesadillas that were severely lacking in chicken. These basic failures suggest systemic kitchen management problems that have eroded customer confidence in the brand’s ability to deliver even simple menu items correctly.
Red Robin – Gourmet Burgers Turn into Gourmet Disappointments
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. This drastic measure reflects the severe customer satisfaction crisis facing the once-popular burger chain.
According to more than 99,000 customer reviews on Yelp, Red Robin has a severe customer satisfaction issue, mostly for its food quality, service, and wait time. Customers have recounted experiences where waitstaff didn’t check tables while they were dining, and even ignored attempts to get their attention.
The deterioration in food quality has been particularly noticeable to longtime customers. Some have also noticed a significant decrease in the quality and portion sizes of the food, noting a distinct burnt taste on things like burgers they once enjoyed. In fact, several customers recall the burger served at Red Robin 10 years ago being large and tasty, while it’s thinner and drier today. This comparison to better times highlights how far the chain has fallen from its previous standards.
Dave & Buster’s – Games Over for Customer Satisfaction
While economic conditions have been tough on restaurants across the board, Dave & Buster’s has had a particularly rough go. The company recently reported disappointing results on its last earnings call. Comparable store sales decreased by 9.4% during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024.
The entertainment-dining hybrid has struggled with an identity crisis that customers have noticed. While some fans love Dave & Buster’s for the all-in-one gaming and dining experience under one roof, critics are often quick to complain about the high cost of game credits and the restaurant’s sub-par food quality. A big part of the problem is that Dave & Buster’s has long suffered an identity crisis.
During the call, Dave & Buster’s acknowledged that its previous leadership team’s changes to the chain’s operations and menu hurt its bottom line. The company said it’s committed to improving and is working to address past mistakes. However, rebuilding customer trust after admitting to operational failures will require more than just promises of improvement.
Applebee’s – Neighborhood Grill Loses the Neighborhood
Additionally, Applebee’s domestic same-store sales have decreased for three consecutive quarters, according to Restaurant Dive. These dropped by 0.5% in the fourth quarter, with this decrease tied to declining traffic. The consistent quarterly declines show that customer dissatisfaction isn’t just a temporary blip but a sustained trend.
Applebee’s comes in at number 4 (out of 10) for customer experience, a low number 8 for menu, but number 2 for value. New menu items, like the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, saw barely any mentions, implying they may not be exciting to consumers. The inability to generate excitement about new menu offerings suggests that customers have largely tuned out the brand.
Despite attempts at improvement, fundamental service issues persist. Meanwhile, sales at Denny’s, Applebee’s, Outback Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill, Red Robin and Cracker Barrel’s are dropping, and they are shuttering hundreds of restaurants. The chain’s inclusion in this list of struggling establishments reflects the widespread nature of its customer satisfaction problems.
Subway – America’s Sandwich Shop Loses Its Appetite Appeal
The most famous sandwich shop of them all has around 20,000 locations across the United States, and you can find one in virtually every mall across the land. However, it’s important to note that it once had far more units than that. At its peak in 2015, it had approximately 27,000 restaurants, and that number’s been gradually sinking ever since. In 2024, it had to close a massive 631 restaurants in the U.S., and it spent much of 2025 without a permanent CEO, leaving the company adrift at a time of crisis.
The loss of nearly 7,000 locations since its peak represents one of the most dramatic contractions in fast-food history. Domestically, though, it’s having a hard time, partly due to the fierce competition it faces from other brands. Competitor Jersey Mike’s has been having a stellar run of success with its subs, and customers are switching over to the alternative restaurant’s sandwiches, while Subway franchisees grow increasingly irritated with how the business is managed.
The leadership vacuum at such a critical time has only compounded customer service and quality issues. When the brand that once promised “Eat Fresh” can’t maintain consistent leadership or stop the hemorrhaging of locations, it signals deeper problems that customers experience daily in terms of food quality, service, and overall restaurant maintenance.
Conclusion
The data reveals a sobering truth about America’s once-beloved chain restaurants. These establishments built their success on reliability, value, and the promise of a consistent experience, yet they’ve systematically disappointed the loyal customers who once considered them dining staples. From deceptive practices like Buffalo Wild Wings’ fake wings to operational failures resulting in hour-long waits at Denny’s, these chains have broken the fundamental trust that restaurant success depends upon.
Rising costs, increased competition, and changing consumer expectations have certainly created challenges, but the restaurants that maintained their focus on customer satisfaction have continued to thrive. The contrast between struggling chains and successful ones like Texas Roadhouse and Chili’s recent improvements shows that customer disappointment isn’t inevitable.
What do you think caused these once-successful chains to lose their way? Tell us in the comments.
