NEW YORK, Aug. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Industries are
transformed by the changing lifestyles of their consumers, and the
restaurant industry is no exception. As busy American
schedules tighten, consumers continue to look for away-from-home
options that best fit their tastes, time and budgets. The
2015 Harris Poll EquiTrend® study looks at 66
restaurant brands across a variety of formats, from quick serve to
sit-down dining, gauging three key components of Brand Equity:
Familiarity, Quality and Consideration.
On the whole, the study measures the Brand Equity of more than
1,400 brands across 148 categories. You can find the full
list of top-ranked brands across all categories here. You can find
the full list of top-ranked brands across all categories here.
In-N-Out Burger Earns Its First Brand of the Year
Award
In-N-Out Burger, privately held and with restaurants in only
five US states, leads the Burger Restaurant category this year. The
brand surpassed large national chains and regional players alike to
take home top honors in the category. In-N-Out Burger owes
its success this year to increases in both Familiarity and
Consideration, while maintaining a strong Quality score.
"The competitive landscape has been changing in the quick
service restaurant industry, with smaller players doing fewer
things than their larger competitors and doing them very well,"
says Joan Sinopoli, Vice President
of Brand Solutions for Harris Poll. Five Guys Burgers and
Fries, Culver's, Wendy's, Steak 'n Shake, Sonic America's Drive-In,
Burger King, McDonald's, and DQ Grill & Chill also rank above
the Burger Restaurant category average.
Chick-fil-A Retains Top Honors as the Chicken Restaurant
Brand of the Year
With roots in the south, Chick-fil-A has grown considerably over
time, now operating in 42 states, and is the largest chicken chain
restaurant in the country based on sales. On the strength of
high Quality and Consideration ratings, Chick-fil-A is the Chicken
Restaurant Brand of the Year for the second straight year.
"Chick-fil-A has redefined what 'fast food' chicken is about,
carving out a true alternative to burgers," Sinopoli says.
Subway Claims Another Brand of the Year Title
Subway earns the Sandwich Shop Brand of the Year for the second
year in a row by maintaining their strong Familiarity and
Consideration marks. "Subway continues to offer healthy,
fresh, and customizable options, with marketing campaigns
consistently conveying this message," Sinopoli says. Panera
Bread also ranks above the Sandwich Shop category average.
Pizza Hut and Chipotle Receive Brand of the Year Titles
for Third Consecutive Year
Pizza Hut has been Brand of the Year in the Pizza Chain category
since 2013 on the strength of its Familiarity and Consideration
scores. "Pizza Hut has been able to stay ahead of the curve
with a focus on smart promotions and competitive pricing, without
harming their Brand Equity," says Sinopoli. Papa John's Pizza
also ranks above the Pizza Chain category average.
With a significant increase in Brand Equity this year, Chipotle
retains the lead in the Fast Casual Mexican category.
Chipotle holds the Brand of the Year title for the third year
in a row, thanks to notable increases on already-strong Quality and
Familiarity measures. Qdoba Mexican Grill also ranks above
the Fast Casual Mexican category average.
Krispy Kreme Enters the Brand of the Year
Ranks
For the first time, Krispy Kreme is named Coffee & Quick
Serve Restaurant Brand of the Year. Both the Familiarity and
Quality measures show significant year-over-year gains for the
brand. Starbucks Coffee Shops, Einstein Bros Bagels, and
Dunkin' Donuts Stores also rank above the Coffee & Quick
Service category average.
Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba's Italian Grill Earn
First-Ever Brand of the Year Awards
Outback Steakhouse has shown steady improvement in Brand Equity
over the past three years, reaching the top of the Casual Dining
Restaurant category this year. Outback Steakhouse leads on
the strength of its Quality and Consideration scores, posting
significant gains over time. "Outback Steakhouse maintains a
positive, differentiated brand image while continuing to build
their stronghold in their corner of the market," says
Sinopoli. IHOP, LongHorn Steakhouse, Applebee's, Chili's
Grill & Bar, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Red Lobster Seafood
Restaurants also rank above the Casual Dining Restaurant category
average.
Carrabba's Italian Grill edged out previous awardees Maggiano's
Little Italy Restaurant and Olive Garden Italian Restaurants to
claim the top spot in the Italian Dining category. Carrabba's
takes the lead with strong Familiarity and Consideration scores.
"Carrabba's has been consistently providing an authentic
Italian menu with high quality and competitive prices," says
Sinopoli. Olive Garden Italian Restaurants and Maggiano's
Little Italy Restaurant also rank above the Italian Dining category
average.
Harris Poll EquiTrend® Methodology
A sample of 38,670 U.S. consumers ages 15 and over were surveyed
online from January 8 through February 2,
2015 and the survey took an average of 30 minutes to
complete. The total number of brands rated was 1,410. Each
respondent was asked to rate a total of 40 randomly selected
brands. Each brand received approximately 1,000 ratings. Data were
weighted to be representative of the entire U.S. population of
consumers ages 15 and over based on age by sex, education,
race/ethnicity, region, income, and data from respondents ages 18
and over were also weighted for their propensity to be online.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have
agreed to participate in Harris Poll surveys. The data have been
weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population.
Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in
our panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be
calculated.
The Brand Equity Index is the keystone to the EquiTrend
program, providing an understanding of a brand's overall strength.
A brand's Equity is determined by a calculation of Familiarity,
Quality and Purchase Consideration. Brand of the Year is determined
by a simple ranking of brands.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure
of the National Council on Public Polls.
Harris Poll EquiTrend® study results disclosed in this
release may not be used for advertising, marketing or promotional
purposes without the prior written consent of Harris Poll.
Product and brand names are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective owners.
Over the last 5 decades, Harris Polls have become media
staples. With comprehensive experience and precise technique
in public opinion polling, along with a proven track record of
uncovering consumers' motivations and behaviors, The Harris Poll
has gained strong brand recognition around the world. The Harris
Poll offers a diverse portfolio of proprietary client solutions to
transform relevant insights into actionable foresight for a wide
range of industries including health care, technology, public
affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance,
media, retail, restaurant, and consumer packaged goods. The Harris
Poll EquiTrend® Brand Equity Study benchmarks the bonds
between brands and consumers, annually recognizing the highest
ranked brands in each category using an academically vetted brand
equity model with elements like familiarity, quality, and purchase
consideration. Contact us for more information.
Press Contact:
The Harris Poll
585-272-8400
Press.TheHarrisPoll@Nielsen.com
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SOURCE The Harris Poll