Specializing in American-style Mexican cuisine as well as American-style burgers, fries, and shakes, Del Taco does a heck of a lot! But hey, this may be problematic – ever heard the saying “don’t bite off more than you can chew?” From taco combos to cinnamon churros.. and their “carnitas,” Del Taco has quite a varied menu. Sure there’s a Mexican flavor to things, and sadly, it seems that it’s not enough to keep customers coming back. Guests are kept waiting to receive their food, and when said food arrives, it’s usually pretty lackluster.
In terms of flavor and also have a little too much rice in their burritos, Del Taco has been disappointing to customers. But with the rise of vegetarian and vegan options, it seems it’s breathed new life into the business. If you’re feeling vego, why not give it a go? Consumer Score: 40%
KFC
Ah, the good old Colonel. Delivering their famously herbed and spiced chicken since 1952, KFC now has over 22,000 locations worldwide. The fourth-largest fast-food restaurant chain (off locations alone), KFC is just quintessentially American. But despite its strong branding and reputation across the globe, KFC has experienced a bit of a slump in recent years.
From rumors they use steroids to make their chickens grow larger and faster than ever (they’ve been called “Frankenchickens” – geez, we certainly feel like PETA needs to get on this), to poor food quality (slimy chicken…eep!) and just bad customer service, KFC isn’t so finger-lickin' good! We’ll let you decide if you chance upon a KFC restaurant soon. Consumer Score: 40%
Cinnabon
Mmm.. nothing like a fresh hot pastry from Cinnabon, eh? Unfortunately, it seems that all the good stuff stops after the smell lures you in. With its warm, sticky-sweet cinnamon buns, the look and aroma are extremely enticing. But it seems that Cinnabon, despite their offerings of sweet pastries and coffee (it seems like there isn’t much to get wrong here!), has been in a bit of a sticky situation of late. With a return customer rate of 40%, it seems they can’t get consumers to... well, stick.
Okay, enough with the sugary sweet puns! Cinnabon needs to, first of all, amp up the customer service and second of all, not serve reheated and stale cinnamon buns – and maybe then they’ll start seeing more customers and more dollars! That’s some advice fresh out the oven. Consumer Score: 40%
Einstein Brothers
Now there’s something that Americans really love for breakfast. It’s doughy, it’s filling, and it’s usually nice and warm. It can be served sweet or with the popular choice of smoked salmon and cream cheese. Yes, it’s a bagel. And a place which does bagels, lots of bagels, and fast? Einstein Brothers! Marketing themselves as a “gourmet” bagel vendor, the chain sees 40 percent of its customers return. It’s not bad, but it’s not amazing. And that’s why it’s on our list!
Reviews have seen the chain slammed for poor bagel quality… nothing worse than a stale bagel! Some have gone as far as to say that grocery store bagels are better! Whoever is on the board really needs to take heed of these comments. Stat. Consumer Score: 40%
White Castle
Between Krystal and White Castle, there isn’t much of a difference. It also seems that there isn’t much more to love when comparing the chains. But next on our list is White Castle, famous for its petite (they are kinda small!) hamburgers. Now, if we go for a burger, we want a BURGER. Like, a decent, hand-filling, stomach-filling burger. Not one where after a few bites, we’re asking for the main event. Sums it up, eh?
Sure, they’re square, and it’s novel, we suppose, but these are supermarket-style. Don’t get us started on the bland patties. Next time, we’re making burgers at home! And after the Consumer Reports, it seems the majority of diners are too! Consumer Score: 39%