Three in 10 of Us Have This Anxiety and Gen Zers Have it the Most

We all get that feeling at least once in a while. It's your turn to order in one of the over 2000 restaurants located throughout the state of New Jersey and you get an uneasy feeling.  Most of us were probably not aware that three in 10 Americans experience this feeling. What is it? It's called "menu anxiety" and it's when someone is faced with the daunting task of ordering food at a restaurant. According to a survey of 2000 adults by Talker, it happens to many of us each and every day.

The comprehensive study also shows that this anxiety is worse for younger generations. An unbelievable forty-one percent of Gen Z and millennials (those who are aged between 18 and 43 years old) are victims of this eating stress, compared to only fifteen percent of Gen X and baby boomers whose age ranges from forty-four to seventy-seven.

However, there are coping mechanisms that they use to make it less daunting. The younger generations make a point to let others order first because it's a clever way to use others as guinea pigs to gauge the quality of their potential food choice. Twenty-four percent of them will take the time to check out the menu online before the meal so they know what they want prior to the potentially stressful moment.

The study also showed what is most important when going out to eat. Taste is number one, with seventy-one percent of respondents saying it's the most crucial factor when ordering food. The cost comes in second place at fifty-seven percent, which makes sense because we all want to get the most for our money. Then there's the time needed for food preparation which is twenty-two percent, how messy the meal might be at sixteen percent, and, one that I didn't think of, the environmental impact of the food.

Speaking of the environment, Gen Z and millennials are not only more likely to care about it, but they're also more aware of the impact of their meal choices. A surprising sixty-two of them consider the environmental consequences when ordering from a restaurant, compared to only forty-two percent of older generations.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) recently shared a study that details the top fast-food chains in the country based on customer satisfaction. While I agree with the top choice, the others are questionable. And hey, taste is subjective. I'm something of a fast-food restaurant connoisseur.  So, here I will re-rank the country's top five fast-food restaurant chains based on personal experience. (Hence, "Definitive" in quotes in the headline.)

First, let's examine the numbers in this report, as there are certainly some valuable points to consider. It appears as if their customer satisfaction entails 11 important factors. These include areas such as the accuracy of food orders, staff courtesy, and cleanliness. Another important measurement these days is the efficiency of the chain's app.

The ACSI report is based on 16,250 customers who were surveyed. Their top five looked like this:

Technically "other" landed at number three, but for the sake of top brands, that is the top of the list.

While I do like the variety in cuisine displayed in ACSI's list, I am surprised at many of the names I see there. To create this ranking, I did follow and considered the customer satisfaction criteria previously laid out in the survey. Though I am a drive-thru-first type of person, I will quickly peel out of the parking lot if I detect the joint doesn't look like it takes cleanliness seriously. Regardless of how much I am craving that chicken sandwich. In other words, those scored questions are legit measurements.

It's worth mentioning that I travel quite a bit as well. Whether taking my kids to a weekend lacrosse tournament or heading south to visit family, a fast-food meal is often all I have time for. Nonetheless, I don't just stop for anything, and I do aim for the healthiest option possible (most of the time).

So, imagine I just pulled off a magical interstate exit where all of these fast food restaurants had an open establishment. I'm considering the criteria points ACSI has laid out, and looking for a quality meal. Here is my official re-ranking of the top five fast-food restaurant chains in the country.

*Side-note, the ACSI also includes statistic results on full-service chain restaurants. That is not applicable to my ranking, but Chili's is the clear number one, with all the rest being second.

I'm a pizza enthusiast, let's just get that out of the way. Remember, this ranking is for fast-food chains so that local brick oven establishment that you love doesn't count here. Pizza Hut represents nostalgia for me. That deep dish out of the cast-iron pan has consistency. Plus, there's the individual size that easy to eat in the car. If this location happens to be one of the old school hut style designs with the lunch buffet, then it would rank even higher than five.

ONLY for the fries and coke with crushed ice. If McDonald's did not have these two items, it would not be on the list and I would never go here. These are the only two menu items I ever order, and each time I have the same reaction where I appreciate how good and consistent the fries are.

I think this is the only fast-food establishment where I order vegetables. That has to be worth something. Fresh peppers in a burrito any day of the week. If my wallet is feeling crazy, I'll throw a mound of their guacamole on any order. Plus, there's nothing like getting one of those fresh chips that is folded over three others and accidentally smothered in extra salt.

I really want to put Jersey Mike's here but it is not on the ACSI survey (perhaps since there aren't as many of them). Wendy's takes this spot due to the little things they offer. The nuggets are best "traditional" nuggets in the game. Plus, the baked potato with appropriate toppings is a subtle curveball to fast-food world that has the ability to serve as the secret weapon. The frosty is always reminds me of "Mr. Deeds" which means I have to get it (and it's delicious).

No surprises here. It holds strong as the king of the fast food mountain in my definitive list. That #1 chicken sandwich meal is clutch every time. Add in their own style of nuggets and it's no wonder why Chick-fil-A always has a line. Furthermore, I find each location has very professional and well-trained staff. The real bonus point here is that I recently discovered the chicken biscuit breakfast sandwich. Needless to say, Chick-fil-A is the only of these fast-food establishments I can hit for any meal of the day.