Del Taco was the only chain to fulfill every nonfood- related item (napkin, straw, and correct change) with each order. McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A were the only other chains to provide a napkin with every order. In addition to Del Taco, only Captain D’s and Culver’s provided a straw with every order.

Chick-fil-A also had the best communications with researchers via its speaker systems. More than 97 percent of researchers reported communications were “clear and understandable” at Chick-fil-A. Compare that to the national average of 91.5 percent and it’s easy to see where good communication systems can translate into a competitive advantage. Three of the top five in order accuracy were also in the top five of speaker clarity (Chick-fil-A, Krystal, and Del Taco), while McDonald’s and Carl’s Jr. were sixth and seventh in accuracy and fifth and sixth in speaker clarity respectively.

Krystal also scored well in the menuboard category, with a remarkable 100 percent of the restaurants visited having menuboards that were considered clean and well-maintained. Nearly 96 percent of the restaurants visited as a part of this study met that standard.

So what chain had the friendliest service in the country? Try Carl’s Jr. At more than 34 percent of the locations visited, Carl’s Jr. associates provided service that included a smile, eye contact, and a pleasant demeanor with a “please” and “thank you.”

Surprisingly though, at nearly 20 percent of the restaurants visited, the associate at the pay window failed to thank the researcher for his business. Furthermore, less than 37 percent of pay-window associates said “please” when asking for payment, and more than 38 percent of researchers left the restaurant with an impression that service was not provided in a “pleasant demeanor.”

Historically, labor turns rather quickly in the industry, and jobs in quick-serve are often considered entry-level employment. In many aspects, the industry has been able to overcome that obstacle through technological advancements. However, store-level associates are still the only liaison between the restaurant and the customer. So unless the human resource issue is solved, service can be a huge challenge. This dynamic makes the restaurant owner/operator and his management team the key ingredients for any brand to stand out from the pack, as the crew will typically reflect the personality and commitment of its management.