These Companies Have The Best Customer Service (2023)

Which companies have the best customer service? The short answer: supermarkets, restaurants, and car manufacturers.

But the long answer is fascinating, and you'll want to stick around for it. Most experts I know eventually turn to the authoritative American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), which publishes its scorecard by industry category, for a response. But since its inception almost a quarter century ago, the ACSI has never shared a list for all of its companies.

Until now.

ACSI is the only national cross-industry measure of customer satisfaction in the United States. It ranks companies within their industry based on customer evaluations of the quality of goods and services purchased in America and produced by domestic and foreign firms with substantial U.S. market shares.

But top 20 lists, and "best of" compilations? No.

So I asked David VanAmburg, the ACSI's managing director, and Forrest Morgeson, its director of research, if they would consider developing a list of the 20 companies that have the best customer service exclusively for Forbes. They agreed.

ACSI took three years of data and ranked the best companies in their index. Scroll to the bottom of this story for details on their methodology and a quick introduction.

Which companies have the best customer service? Here's the authoritative list

Here's the ACSI list that answers the question: Which companies have the best customer service? I've included their industry category, score, a commentary from VanAmburg and Morgeson, a testimonial from a real customer they surveyed, and the company's claim to fame.

1. Chick-fil-A

Category: Limited-Service Restaurant

Score: 86.0

ACSI commentary: "Chick-fil-A seems to have the recipe for great customer experiences with its more focused menu and great service."

Customers say: "The professionalism and courtesy of the Chick-fil-A staff are far superior to any other chain restaurant I've frequented."

Claim to fame: Its employees were rated the most polite in their industry category. When it comes to companies that have the best customer service, Chick-fil-a can't fly any higher.

2. Trader Joe's

Category: Supermarkets

ACSI Score: 85.4

ACSI commentary: "From its private label staples to its organic produce, Trader Joe's has carved out a niche that has propelled its rapid growth."

Customers say: "From the selection of products that you can only get there to the quality of service you can get nowhere else they're always my first choice. Trader Joe's products are the standard by which I measure other stores."

Claim to fame: It's one of America's top employers, according to, ahem, us.

3. Aldi

Category: Supermarkets

ACSI Score: 85.0

ACSI commentary: "Like its subsidiary Trader Joe's, Aldi's no-frills approach seems to connect with consumers and has fueled rapid growth over the past decade."

Customers say: "Aldi has everything I need at the lowest prices in a small area that feels like a Mom and Pop store. I love the personal feel of the store combined with the high quality and low prices every day."

Claim to fame: ALDI is big here, but their customer service reputation is even bigger in the UK, where it nabbed the top spot in a recent survey.

4. Amazon

Category: Internet Retail

ACSI Score: 84.8

ACSI commentary: "The world's largest internet retailer has mastered a combination of value, satisfaction, and delivery efficiency that consumers love."

Customers say: "Infinite variety on one site without having to search multiple brands and companies online."

Claim to fame: A few years ago, ForeSee ranked Amazon highest in overall customer satisfaction in its survey with a score of 90, the highest ever recorded by the firm.

5. Lexus

Category: Automobiles

ACSI Score: 84.6

ACSI commentary: "Toyota's Lexus brand has been a perennial leader among not just automakers, but luxury brands around the world."

Customers say: "It makes me feel pampered because it's so comfortable and well designed and I love driving it."

Claim to fame: J.D. Power has repeatedly recognized Lexus for its outstanding customer service.

6. Costco Wholesale

Category: Dept. & Discount Stores

ACSI Score: 84.4

ACSI commentary: "Maybe it’s the low prices, the liberal return policy, or the delicious free samples, but customers love Costco."

Customers say: "The prices are unbeatable and Kirkland is a very reliable brand."

Claim to fame: Costco has numerous service awards and a service-centric corporate culture.

7. HEB Grocery

Category: Supermarkets

ACSI Score: 84.4

ACSI commentary: "A regional supermarket serving Texas, HEB has quietly become one of the biggest and most popular private grocers in the United States."

Customers say: "They have the best quality and the best assortment of fresh produce and often excellent sale prices on them so I can serve my family the most nourishing food."

Claim to fame: Look at all these awards and recognitions. Not bad for a regional grocery chain.

8. Toyota

Category: Automobiles

ACSI Score: 84.4

ACSI commentary: "Despite a spate of recent large recalls, the world's second-largest automaker remains a favorite with owners."

Customers say: "The great gas mileage and great acceleration for a hybrid car."

Claim to fame: That's quite a collection of awards, Toyota.

9. Publix

Category: Supermarkets

ACSI Score: 84.3

ACSI commentary: "Employee-owned and long a leader in ACSI, Publix keeps its customers in the southern United States happy."

Customers say: "The people that work there. They make shopping a pleasure!"

Claim to fame: Like the previous two winners, Publix collects awards like they're stamps. Nice hobby.

10. Wegmans Food Markets

Category: Supermarkets

ACSI Score: 84.2

ACSI commentary: "A smaller regional supermarket like HEB, Wegmans makes grocery purchasers in the northeast U.S. happy."

Customers say: "The brightness and decorations in the store. It is a very welcoming place."

Claim to fame: It's a great place to work, according to, um, another publication.

11. Subaru

Category: Automobiles

ACSI Score: 83.9

ACSI commentary: "The safety-focused carmaker has spun its popularity with customers into record U.S. sales in recent years."

Customers say: "That it's just an all-around good safe car and goes great in the winter season."

Claim to fame: Kelley Blue Book named Subaru the "most trusted" car brand for 2018.

12. Google

Category: Internet Search Engines

ACSI Score: 83.6

ACSI commentary: "Still just a simple white page with a box, Google has turned efficiency and ease of internet searches into one of the world's largest companies."

Customers say: "They always have the most accurate results."

Claim to fame: Highly ranked on Glassdoor's best places to work survey.

13. Apple

Category: Personal Computers

ACSI Score: 83.3

ACSI commentary: "While its iPhone products propel its growth, Apple's personal computers are still loved by customers."

Customers say: "The excellent software is not hampered with viruses like other operating systems."

Claim to fame: One word -- iPhone.

14. L Brands

Category: Specialty Retail

ACSI Score: 83.3

ACSI commentary: "With more than $10 billion in annual revenue, L Brands portfolio of stores are not a "secret" anymore, and customers like them."

Customers say: "I have a scent and product for every mood."

Claim to fame: Parent company of Victoria's Secret.

15. LG

Category: Household Appliances

ACSI Score: 83.3

ACSI commentary: "Household appliances may not be exciting, but LG's quality and value make it a winner with customers."

Customers say: "I have never had a problem with either of my new LG washer and dryer. I have no complaints."

Claim to fame: Its products receive awards for innovation year after year.

16. Texas Roadhouse

Category: Full-Service Restaurant

ACSI Score: 82.3

ACSI commentary: "Good steaks, good service, and free peanuts make Texas Roadhouse a winner for its customers."

Customers say: "The value for the meats is like no other steakhouse. I always feel like I am getting my money's worth every trip."

Claim to fame: Scroll to the bottom of this list for all the awards.

17. Cracker Barrel

Category: Full-Service Restaurant

ACSI Score: 82.3

ACSI commentary: "Simple, traditional American recipes and low prices make Cracker Barrel a favorite."

Customers say: "Cracker Barrel is the closest thing to Grandma and Mom's recipe that I've found. Our entire family loves Cracker Barrel because of that reason."

Claim to fame: Won the Chain Restaurant Consumers’ Choice Award three years in a row.

18. Thrivent Financial

Category: Life Insurance

ACSI Score: 82.0

ACSI Commentary: “A not-for-profit life insurer with a reputation for corporate social responsibility that appears to extend to its customers.”

Customers say: "They actually care about the customer's needs."

Claim to fame: Named one of the world's most ethical companies last year.

19. FedEx

Category: Consumer Shipping

ACSI Score: 82.0

ACSI Commentary: "Its rapid delivery and easy package tracking make FedEx customers satisfied."

Customers say: "The very happy person with a big smile who delivers my parcels. Very sweet."

Claim to fame: Recipient of multiple international customer service awards, including the Ruban d’Honneur award for outstanding customer focus.

20. Daimler - Mercedes Benz

Category: Automobiles

ACSI Score: 81.8

ACSI Commentary: "A name synonymous with luxury, Mercedes is typically at or near the top of the automakers in ACSI measurement."

Customers say: "It drives like a dream."

Claim to fame: With cars like that, no wonder it has so many awards.

How they drew up a list of companies that have the best customer service

As promised, here's a little more on ACSI's rigorous methodology and how theyanswered the question of which companies have the best customer service. The researchers used data for all companies from 2015 to 2017 to rank the companies. These rankings were compiled year-by-year based on a company’s performance on customer satisfaction, along with consumer perceptions of service quality, value, and brand loyalty. ACSI excluded pure-product companies, such as those that manufacture nondurable goods.

"A company had to appear in the top 25 for two of the three years to be included in the final rankings," says Morgeson. "Those meeting this criterion then had their blended score on the variables mentioned above averaged across the three years, resulting in a final ranking for the three-year period."

Who am I to say which companies have the best customer service?

Where are my manners? I almost forgot to tell you who I am. I've covered customer service for decades as a consumer advocate. I've founded three nonprofit organizations, including Elliott Advocacy, which empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. My site maintains the largest database of executive customer service contacts in the world. I've also written several books on customer service.

I write a weekly nationally syndicated column about customer service for consumers. My mission at Forbes is to cover service from the customer perspective. We already have several terrific contributors who write about it from a business point of view.

I'm excited to hear from you as we take this adventure through Consumerland together. Naming which companies have the best customer service is just the start. If you have any story ideas, comments, complaints, or news tips -- or if you just want to send me a lengthy email lamenting the death of customer service in America -- I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at chris@elliott.org or you can get help with any customer service issue on my consumer advocacy site.