“A survey conducted by consultancy group Brand Keys, as part of its Loyalty Engagement Index, shows that Domino’s Pizza creates the most “customer delight.”For the 29 brands tracked in Brand Keys’ restaurants category, attributes relating to “healthy choices” and “brand value” exerted the strongest impact on customer decision-making, category expectations and engagement. The top brands include:

• Domino’s
• Dunkin’ Donuts
• McDonald’s
• Papa John’s
• Ruby Tuesday
• Subway

“Domino’s has had a strong year-and-a-half after revamping its entire recipe, complemented by a saturated marketing campaign with the tagline ‘Oh Yes We Did.’ The company’s efforts came after it asked its customers to air grievances about the quality of its product. Domino’s has also launched new cheesy bread, chicken items and an Artisan pizza line. ‘Consumer expectations have been accelerating for some time,’ said Robert Passikoff, founder and president, Brand Keys. ‘Many pundits have looked at the pressures of price and drew the erroneous conclusion that brands have lost their value. Quite the opposite is true: Real brands are more valuable than ever.”‘

He added that brands that lack “meaningful differentiation” are the most affected by economic and behavioral shifts. ‘Given the levels of commoditization we’ve witness in product/services and pricing/promotion strategies, it’s no surprise consumers are looking to strong brands to offer a difference. Consumers know the brands, know what they do, and know what they’re willing to pay,’ Passikoff said.”