Data Reveals America’s Lowest-Rated McDonald’s Locations

POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — A recent analysis has identified the lowest-rated McDonald’s franchises across the United States, with Michigan notably hosting three of the bottom 10 locations.

The lowest-ranked McDonald’s in the nation is located in Surprise, Arizona, holding an average of just 1.55 stars on Google Reviews. The findings were compiled by the web firm SEO Backlinks, which examined 12,834 locations that each had at least 500 customer reviews.

SEO Backlinks founder Oliver Weston explained that because the menu and pricing remain consistent across the chain, Google star ratings serve as a primary metric for distinguishing individual franchise performance. Weston noted that the star rating is the only thing that sets one apart from the next.

Customer feedback for the Surprise location highlighted significant operational issues. One reviewer described the service as being by far the worst of any McDonald’s, while another noted that drive-thru wait times are horrendous, even during periods of low traffic.

Other low-performing sites include restaurants in Goshen, Indiana, with 1.99 stars; Auburn, Alabama, with 2.27 stars; and St. Clair Shores, Michigan, with 2.28 stars. Conversely, the highest-rated location was identified in Eagle Pass, Texas, which earned 4.25 stars, followed closely by a site in Calexico, California, with 4.23 stars.

McDonald’s maintains a massive footprint in the U.S. with 13,920 restaurants, according to ScrapeHero, with Texas leading the country with 1,291 locations. The company is currently navigating internal friction regarding an $8.5 billion strategy that requires franchisees to fund $800,000 remodels across more than 46,000 restaurants.

This initiative aims to overhaul kitchen technology, store design, and operational workflows. However, many franchisees have expressed concerns regarding the high costs and specific details of the project.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)