McDonald's Continues To Underwhelm Once-Loyal Customers (But Still Has The Best Fries)

In a poll of 610 Americans conducted in early August on behalf of Crain's Chicago, consumers shared some pretty telling insights about the public perception of McDonald's — which, as you might already know, is on the decline.

In a portion of the survey that measured the percentage of participants who had a good experience across 13 criteria — including how consumers felt about their last visit, the number of menu options available, and the tastiness and quality of the food — McDonald's scored higher than its competitors ("others") on only one value: the availability of low-priced items on the menu.

What's more, 48.4 percent of people said they now visit McDonald's less than they did five years ago, compared to 20.4 percent of people who said they now visit more frequently.

The good news is that McDonald's still ranks impressively high with classic items like the Big Mac and its fries, the latter of which beat other fast food fries by a "wide margin," according to Crain's.

When asked what changes McDonald's could make to improve its performance and restore its fandom, customers unsurprisingly chose the advent of all-day breakfast (18.2 percent) and switching to hormone- and antibiotic-free meat (14.1 percent) — two suggestions the company seems to be taking to heart.