A person's preferences can be determined by so many factors. Region, taste, and age can all play into the things we love, and the things we remember well into adulthood. For most of us, the brands that we use in the kitchen are often influenced by the brands our families used. When it comes to restaurant chains, nostalgia is a big factor when it comes to customer loyalty. Every year, the Nation's Restaurant News releases a list of the restaurant chains with the best customer loyalty, and the 2017 report is out.
As part of a Consumer Picks survey, NRN looked deep into customer preference when choosing a restaurant. This also correlated with a restaurant brand's strength, or how much buzz it builds, along with a factor called True Loyalty. True Loyalty, according to NRN, "is the percentage of visits that were motivated by the brand and not by circumstance." Essentially, when diners have a choice of where to eat, where do they instinctively choose to go?
The percentage of brand loyalty indicates the "percentage of respondents that said their last visit to the brand was motivated by the brand and not by convenience." Here are the top 20 restaurant chains in 2017 that inspired diners to always head on over and take a seat.
20. Olive Garden
Inspired 47 percent loyalty
19. Jersey Mike's
Inspired 47 percent loyalty
18. Jason's Deli
Inspired 47 percent loyalty
17. Five Guys
Inspired 47 percent loyalty
16. Rita's Italian Ice
Inspired 48 percent loyalty
15. Papa John's
Inspired 48 percent loyalty
14. Round Table Pizza
Inspired 49 percent loyalty
13. Chipotle Mexican Grill
Inspired 49 percent loyalty
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12. Whataburger
Inspired 50 percent loyalty
11. Pei Wei Asian Diner
Inspired 50 percent loyalty
10. Krispy Kreme
Inspired 50 percent loyalty
9. Chick-fil-A
Inspired 50 percent loyalty
8. Captain D's
Inspired 51 percent loyalty
7. Panera Bread
Inspired 52 percent loyalty
6. Cracker Barrel
Inspired 52 percent loyalty
5. Raising Cane's
Inspired 53 percent loyalty
4. Texas Roadhouse
Inspired 54 percent loyalty
3. Red Lobster
Inspired 54 percent loyalty
2. Papa Murphy's
Inspired 60 percent loyalty
1. In-N-Out Burger
Inspired 62 percent loyalty
Texans, where were your votes for Whataburger?! It didn't even make it into the Top 10, and instead your own true enemy, In-N-Out Burger, topped the list for customer loyalty.
Which restaurant on this list does your family love?
Watch: Why We Love Cracker Barrel
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