WABAN, Mass. - Chick-fil-A, Starbucks and Subway were the only fast-food restaurants to earn "excellent" consumer ratings in a new research report published by Temkin Group, 2012 Temkin Experience Ratings. Temkin rates the customer experience of 206 large companies across 18 industries.

Based on a survey of 10,000 U.S. consumers in January 2012, the survey includes 17 fast food chains: Arby's, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Dairy Queen, Domino's, Dunkin' Donuts, Hardees, Jack in the Box, KFC, Little Caesar's, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Sonic Drive-In, Starbucks, Subway, Taco Bell and Wendy's.

Chick-fil-A, Starbucks and Subway earned the top customer experience ratings in the industry and are tied for third across all 206 companies. The three leading fast food chains are the only ones in the industry to earn "excellent" customer experience ratings. Eleven of the 17 fast food chains earned "good" ratings while the bottom three ?" Hardees, Domino's and Jack in the Box ?" earned "okay" ratings.

"Most fast food chains are doing a good job of meeting their customers' needs," said Bruce Temkin, author of the report and managing partner of Temkin Group, in a press release. The overall fast food industry earned the second spot out of 18 industries, slightly behind grocery chains but well ahead of other industries.