QSR chains, Trader Joe’s top Yelp’s ‘Most Loved Brands’ list
A fast-growing chicken chain and a popular grocer claimed the top spots in an annual ranking of the county’s 50 most loved brands.
Dave’s Hot Chicken took the No.1 spot overall on Yelp’s “Most Loved Brands” list, followed by Trader Joe’s. The list is compiled using Yelp’s proprietary data, evaluating factors such as 4- and 5-star ratings, repeat page views, consumer interest and searches. BB.Q. Chicken, First Watch and In-N-Out Burger rounded out the top five. (A list of the top 20 brands is at end of article.)
Founded in 2017 as a parking lot pop‑up in Los Angeles, Dave’s Hot Chicken was started by friends who set out to perfect Nashville‑style hot chicken. According to Yelp’s Review Insights, diners frequently mention Dave’s consistent food quality, generous portion sizes, fast service, and notably, its customization options. Customers can tailor their orders with seven different heat levels, making each visit uniquely their own, noted Yelp.
Trader Joe’s was noted highest for value and speed of service, showcasing the chain’s low prices and ability to serve customers quickly.
“In a year defined by price sensitivity, earning customer loyalty is more important than ever,” said Sarah Chang, Yelp's VP and head of enterprise sales. “Customers count on businesses to deliver their favorite menu items as expected or to complete services reliably every time. This dedication to quality sets the Most Loved Brands apart, driving great reviews and, most importantly, repeat visits.”
For the first time, brands in services categories are featured on the list —proof you don’t need a restaurant or hotel to be beloved on Yelp, the company said. Valvoline Instant Oil Change (No.16), Quick Quack Car Wash (No. 41), Discount Time (No. 37) turn essential maintenance into positive rituals by combining speed and transparency with wallet-friendly value, noted Yelp.
Here are the 20 brands on Yelp’s Most Loved Brands List:
- Dave’s Hot Chicken
- Trader Joe’s
- BB.Q Chicken
- First Watch
- In-N-Out Burger
- BJ’s Restaurants
- Nothing Bundt Cakes
- Texas Roadhouse
- Mountain Mike’s Pizza
- Olive Garden
- Dutch Bros
- Carrabba's Italian Grill
- LongHorn Steakhouse
- Blaze Pizza
- Nordstrom
- Valvoline Instant Oil Change
- Total Wine & More
- Paris Baguette
- Denny's
- The Cheesecake Factory
To see the complete list, including by category and regional preference, click here.
Methodology
The Most Loved Brands are determined by looking at businesses across all categories with over 150 locations in the United States and 500 or more total reviews. To rank the Most Loved Brands, each brand is assigned a loyalty score, which consists of the brand’s review rating along with the volume of business page views by returning visitors, searches, and photo uploads, and then weighted each loyalty score.
Using AI-powered Review Insights, Yelp analyzed the topics that reviewers mention most for the Most Loved Brands, including ambience, customer experience, price, and food. It also went a layer deeper into Review Insights data, analyzing review sentiment for a number of additional subtopics like value, speed of service, and more. To be considered, a majority of locations for each brand had to have reviews mentioning the topic.