The Recommendation Index [NRN]

Sales results from the past few years show that casual-dining brands have fallen out of favor with restaurant consumers, but some chains, such as California Pizza Kitchen and Texas Roadhouse, have managed to maintain positive buzz and even inspire guests to recommend them to friends.

A new study called the Recommendation Index, developed by marketing firms Zocalo Group and MARC Research, indicates that attentive, friendly service has the most power to generate goodwill, and subsequent recommendations among consumers. Price and value, however, were not forgotten.

Zocalo and MARC studied the casual-dining segment and identified the most recommended restaurants by surveying more than 1,000 casual-dining customers, and then analyzing the positive and negative conversations and recommendations occurring online via blogs, message boards and social-media sites. They were then ranked on scores that represented the relationship of the number of positive recommendations to the number of negative recommendations and criticisms.

The top 10 casual-dining brands in terms of Recommendation Index score were:

1. California Pizza Kitchen

2. Texas Roadhouse

3. Outback Steakhouse

4. Applebee’s

5. Cheesecake Factory

6. Red Robin

7. Red Lobster

8. Olive Garden

9. Chili’s Grill & Bar

10. T.G.I. Friday’s

Click on the NRN link to read more: www.nrn.com/breakingNews.aspx?id=376848&menuid=1368

Filed Under: News