Chick-fil-A, affectionately known as “God’s chicken” or “The Lord’s Chicken,” didn’t have a prayer to retain the top spot as America’s favorite fast-food restaurant.
The popular chicken chain was toppled from its No. 1 spot by Jersey Mike’s in the 2026 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Restaurant and Food Delivery Study.
Jersey Mike’s scored 84 for freshness, food variety, and value. According to ACSI, Jersey Mike’s added 238 new locations in 2025 and reached $4.2 billion in sales, while maintaining quality.
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Chick-fil-A’s score of 83 was unchanged from 2025 for second place but, per ACSI, the chain stays the “clear leader in the chicken category.”
Do you agree? Vote for your favorite in our poll below:
Why is Chick-fil-A called ‘God’s chicken” or ‘The Lord’s chicken’?
According to the culture page of the Chick-fil-A website, founder S. Truett Cathy based his business on Biblical principles that he believed were also good business principles.
The chain’s purpose is to “glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.”
Additionally, Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays to allow its owners and employees to “enjoy a day of rest, be with their families and loved ones, and worship if they choose.”
Top 15 fast-food restaurants in America
The top 15 quick-service chains in America, according to the 2026 ACSI study:
Jersey Mike’s locations in Florida
Jersey Mike’s has 258 Florida locations out of 3,359 in the United States.
Find a location near you.
Chick-fil-A locations in Florida
There are 3,411 Chick-fil-A restaurants in the U.S. and 284 in Florida, per ScrapeHero.
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Jersey Mike’s vs Chick-fil-A: Vote for your favorite
Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY
Kim Luciani is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s Audience team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Jersey Mike’s unseats Chick-fil-A as America’s favorite. Do you agree?
Reporting by Kim Luciani, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kim Luciani, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
