These Restaurant Chains Have the Happiest Employees

Employee satisfaction is directly related to business success, especially when it comes to restaurant chains. Happy employees will treat customers well and keep them coming back for the long haul. It also contributes to staff sticking around long-term. A new study takes an in-depth look at employee satisfaction to determine which chains treat their staff the best. To determine the winners, investment firm William Blair reviewed over 530,000 Glassdoor reviews across 90 restaurants.  

While many of us might assume quality of pay is the main contributor to employee satisfaction, compensation is not the most crucial factor when it comes to staff happiness. Primary scoring factors are work-life balance, company culture, and management styles. In terms of patterns, three coffee chains make the top 10, as do two fast-food chicken spots. 

This slideshow reveals the top 10 restaurant chains employing the happiest staff. All data is based on recommendation percentages per Glassdoor. Learn which restaurants aren’t meeting the mark in worker satisfaction, as well as why company culture is of the utmost importance in today’s food industry. If you’re looking for a job in the world of fast food and want to know which company treats its employees best, or if you prefer to only eat at establishments that care about their employee’s happiness, check out which restaurants ranked the highest on the list.

10. Chick-fil-A

• 72% satisfaction rate
• Known for customer service training and friendly workplace culture

9. Longhorn Steakhouse

• 73% recommendation rate
• Employees appreciate job stability and leadership support

8. Portillo’s

• 73% would recommend
• Noted for energetic environment and employee perks

7. Lazy Dog

• 74% satisfaction rate
• Team atmosphere and management communication stand out

6. Caribou Coffee

• 74% employee recommendation
• Offers a supportive workplace and quality leadership

5. Peet’s Coffee and Tea

• 76% would recommend
• Employees value product quality and training programs

4. Chuy’s

• 78% employee satisfaction
• Recognized for fun work environment and flexible hours

3. Dutch Bros

• 78% recommendation rate
• Employees praise upbeat culture and supportive management

2. Rasing Cane’s

• 82% of employees recommend their job
• Valued for team camaraderie and clear leadership

1. In-N-Out

• 91% of employees recommend working here
• Known for strong culture, good pay, and team support