NEW YORK, NY – During the last 12 months, social-media users posted many more positive opinions than negative about US fast-food chains, with Subway garnering the most praise on social media, according to a new social media analytics study from Amplicate. However, burger chains, in general, suffered a slip in popularity among social media users over the last 12 months.

Amplicate tracks and analyzes opinions on any topic posted on social media. It tracks more than 139 million opinions from more than 28 million people on more than 328,000 topics.


Despite some negative headlines about the fast-food industry over the year, 70 percent of all opinions posted on social media about US fast-food chains were positive over the 12 months. Subway was the most-loved fast-food chain during the year, with 83 percent of opinions on social media expressing love for the company. Only Popeye's was close to receiving as much love. Seventy-nine percent of comments about the Cajun chicken specialist were positive over the 12 months.

Heading into 2011, Taco Bell was the most popular fast-food chain. But the Mexican-style food chain suffered a fall from grace in early 2011 when a scandal concerning the meat contents of its ground beef tacos dented its popularity on social media.

On the other hand, Burger King was the most disliked fast-food chain throughout the 12 months. Only 47 percent of comments on social media about the fast-food veteran were positive over the year.

Social media users were only able to muster tepid enthusiasm for burger giants such as McDonald's and Wendy's as they searched for healthier fast food.

Amplicate's new report titled Public Opinion on Fast Food Chains in the US on Social Media reveals dissatisfaction with a fast-food chain’s burgers was the leading reason for posting a negative opinion on fast-food chains on social media in the last 12 months.

“Social media users were most negative about Burger King's burgers, unsurprisingly,” Juan Alvarez, CEO of Amplicate told MEATPOULTRY.com. “Another common cause for complaint about Burger King was its commercials.”

However, surprisingly, although more than 50 percent of comments on social media about Burger King were negative, Burger King's famous Whopper is still very much loved, he added. “Over 80 percent of comments about the Whopper were positive in the last 12 months.”

“What social media users overwhelmingly love about Popeye's is its chicken,” he added. “Social media users also love Subway's chicken. But by far the most common reason for social media users expressing a positive opinion about Subway was its freshly prepared sandwiches, followed by its fresh cookies.”