COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A report analyzing millions of McDonald’s customer reviews revealed that the chain’s Ohio locations received some of the lowest ratings in the nation.
Highest- and lowest-rated McDonald’s in Ohio
A study by Restaurant Furniture found customers in the Buckeye State gave the chain some of the lowest average ratings nationwide, according to a news release. Researchers analyzed 346,236 Google reviews across 193 Ohio locations, finding the chain earned an overall rating of 3.25 out of 5.
The study examined Google reviews from the 10 most populated cities in each state. Researchers calculated a weighted average using each city’s number of locations and average rating to determine the highest- and lowest-rated McDonald’s in every state.
Overall, Toledo had the state’s lowest-rated McDonald’s locations, with an average score of 3.06. The highest-rated restaurants were in northeast Ohio, with Parma averaging 3.38 and Lorain 3.37.
“What stood out in Ohio was the range between cities,” said Nick Warren, head of ecommerce at Restaurant Furniture. “Parma scores 3.38 while Toledo sits at just 3.06, which suggests individual location management plays a huge role even within the same state.”
States with the lowest-rated McDonald’s
Highest- and lowest-rated McDonald’s in the U.S.
Ohio was not alone in its low assessment of McDonald’s. Wisconsin and South Carolina also averaged 3.25, creating a three-way tie for the country’s third-lowest-rated McDonald’s.
Only Michigan and Georgia ranked lower. Based on 185,666 reviews across 105 locations, Michigan posted the nation’s lowest average rating at 3.15. Georgia finished just ahead at 3.24, based on 241,209 reviews from 114 locations.
Hawaii topped the rankings with an average rating of 3.77 across 48 locations and 68,580 reviews.
Cities with the “best” and “worst” McDonald’s
Among the cities analyzed, Auburn, Alabama, had the nation’s lowest-rated McDonald’s, with an average score of 2.86, about 6.5% lower than Toledo’s 3.06 average. Within Alabama, Dothan ranked highest at 3.55, about 24% higher than Auburn.
Roswell, New Mexico, claimed the highest-rated McDonald’s in the study with an average score of 3.97, despite New Mexico ranking seventh overall among the 50 states.
“What’s interesting is how some cities in lower-ranked states still manage to achieve outstanding ratings,” said Warren. “This highlights that individual restaurant management and staff can make a dramatic difference in customer experience, regardless of statewide trends.”