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The Social Media 50

April 1, 2011
By Peter Romeo
Published: April 1, 2011

In research conducted from late January to mid-February, our staff monitored the two leading social-media channels for restaurants right now, Twitter and Facebook, counting followers and fans, how often consumers discussed the brand and the efforts of operators to foster that give-and-take.

The data was tallied and weighted to reflect its relative value. For instance, a mention of the brand on Twitter—an @mention, in Twitter-ese—counted 10 times as much as a tweet by the operator itself. Facebook wall posts by the public similarly counted as 10 points.

The result was a Social Media Index for each operation identified by our staff or sites like WeFollow.com as a likely social networking frontrunner. Presented here is the Social Media 50, the 50 operators with the highest scores. A glimpse at the Twitter and Facebook activities of all 115 rated players (AJ Bombers is No. 77), is below. A more detailed explanation of the methodology is on the bottom of the page, along with a calculator to discover your own ranking. - Peter Romeo

#
Company
Twitter followers
@mentions
Tweets
Total Twitter score
Facebook fans
Wall postings
Total Facebook score
Social media index
1 Starbucks 1,228,450 1,476 5 1,243,215 19,339,183 164 19,340,823 20,584,038
2 McDonald's 81,031 251 4 83,545 6,996,078 0 6,996,078 7,079,623
3 Taco Bell 35,921 437 6 40,297 5,386,361 130 5,387,661 5,427,958
4 Buffalo Wild Wings 1,857 8 0 1,937 3,863,092 53 3,863,622 3,865,559
5 Subway 38,627 95 5 39,582 3,778,898 48 3,799,378 3,818,960
6 Chick-fil-A 57,912 134 0 59,252 3,720,538 182 3,722,358 3,781,610
7 Dunkin' Donuts 66,281 228 20 68,561 3,008,792 74 3,009,532 3,078,093
8 Krispy Kreme 6,256 0 4 6,260 2,902,194 0 2,902,194 2,908,454
9 KFC_Colonel 23,437 43 9 23,876 2,794,005 41 2,794,415 2,818,291
10 Pizza Hut 43,180 60 3 43,783 2,590,202 112 2,591,322 2,635,105
11 Dairy Queen 12,483 12 0 12,603 2,578,932 21 2,579,142 2,591,745
12 Domino's 24,707 39 4 25,101 2,043,876 141 2,045,286 2,070,387
13 Hard Rock Café* 23,181 41 11 23,602 1,884,465 13 1,884,595 1,908,197
14 Papa John's 21,453 30 4 21,757 1,531,009 4 1,531,049 1,552,806
15 Chipotle 14,894 76 57 15,711 1,151,408 34 1,151,748 1,167,459
16 Cold Stone Creamery 3,709 4 2 3,751 1,159,707 8 1,159,787 1,163,538
17 Outback Steakhouse 4,516 7 1 4,587 1,040,092 11 1,040,202 1,044,789
18 Olive Garden 629 2 0 649 1,031,577 102 1,032,597 1,035,085
19 Panda Express 1,956 7 0 2,026 1,000,419 59 1,001,009.00 1,003,035
20 Hooters 10,290 23 0 10,520 940,938 34 941,278 951,798
21 Jamba Juice 6,093 9 0 6,183 839,193 0 839,193 845,376
22 Burger King 4,558 34 1 4,899 834,416 28 834,696 839,595
23 Wendy's  14,136 249 9 16,635 727,003 6,138 788,383 805,018
24 Chili's 15,787 131 3 17,100 675,332 12 675,452 692,552
25 Carl's Jr. 15,104 1 10 15,124 632,672 26 632,932 648,056
26 Einstein Bros.  1,029 2 0 1,049 624,013 28 624,293 625,342
27 T.G.I. Friday's 1,444 27 14 1,728 519,162 17 519,332 521,060
28 Jimmy John's 13,681 73 9 14,420 493,195 23 493,425 507,845
29 Panera Bread 19,820 46 2 20,282 441,895 17 442,065 462,347
30 Gordon Ramsay 212,296 242 0 214,716 234,115 26 234,375 449,091
31 Five Guys 8,593 16 0 8,753 424,603 0 424,603 433,356
32 Hardee's 6,233 11 4 6,347 422,539 17 422,709 429,056
33 Applebee's 5,021 47 1 5,492 420,233 16 420,393 425,885
34 Cinnabon 2,514 7 4 2,588 420,370 3 420,400 422,988
35 Jack in the Box 19,211 18 1 19,392 352,527 7 352,597 371,989
36 IHOP 0 0 0 0 359,821 20 360,021 360,021
37 Zaxby's* 0 0 0 0 349,224 0 349,224 349,224
38 Ruby Tuesday 132 2 0 152 326,528 15 326,678 326,830
39 Texas Roadhouse 0 0 0 0 245,824 11 245,934 245,934
40 Red Mango 6,910 19 3 7,103 226,031 1 226,041 233,144
41 Red Lobster 2,378 11 0 2,488 229,706 7 229,776 232,264
42 Auntie Anne's 6,007 18 14 6,201 220,940 8 221,020 227,221
43 White Castle 3,442 12 4 3,566 215,967 13 216,097 219,663
44 Dave & Buster's* 9,824 8 2 9,906 203,747 2 203,787 213,693
45 Denny's 7,802 0 0 7,802 186,536 15 186,686 194,488
46 Quiznos 6,339 13 0 6,469 180,200 3 180,230 186,699
47 Arby's 2,760 28 26 3,066 181,120 11 181,230 184,296
48 BJ's Restaurants 4,841 6 0 4,901 169,052 7 169,122 174,023
49 Pinkberry 15,000 20 2 15,202 150,288 9 150,378 165,580
50 PF Chang's 17,403 14 4 17,547 128,153 8 128,233 145,780
 

 

 

#
Company 
Twitter followers
@mentions
Tweets
Total Twitter score
Facebook fans
Wall postings
Total Facebook score
Social media index
51 Firehouse Subs 3,169 14 10 3,319 141,411 23 141,641 144,960
52 Bruegger's* 2,092 4 0 2,132 141,438 0 141,438 143,570
53 Popeyes 9,887 26 11 10,158 131,938 13 132,068 142,226
54 Red Robin 4,110 8 7 4,197 129,638 14 129,778 133,975
55 Culvers 6,195 35 6 6,551 115,827 13 115,957 122,508
56 Moe's Southwest Grill 3,918 8 4 4,002 116,588 0 116,588 120,590
57 Rick Bayless 102,035 90 5 120,515 0 0 0 120,515
58 Tropical Smoothie Café* 2,484 8 16 2,580 103,076 0 103,076 105,656
59 Kogi BBQ  80,262 31 7 80,579 18,153 5 18,203 98,782
60 Souplantation* 15,937 26 15 16,212 77,583 1 77,593 93,805
61 Tom Colicchio 89,745 19 10 89,945 1,854 0 1,854 91,799
62 Longhorn Steakhouse 0 0 0 0 88,667 9 88,757 88,757
63 Qdoba 7,212 7 4 7,286 80,562 24 80,802 88,088
64 Pei Wei 4,801 39 16 5,207 82,483 18 82,654 87,861
65 HuHot Mongolian Grill* 2,401 17 8 2,579 81,946 0 81,946 84,525
66 Carrabba's 3,769 4 0 3,809 73,917 7 73,987 77,796
67 Dinosaur BBQ 248 0 0 248 75409 20 75,609 75,857
68 Monical's Pizza* 1,467 7 9 1,546 63.619 1 63,629 65,175
69 Ninety Nine* 0 0 0 0 61,219 13 61,349 61,349
70 Michael Symon 23,009 13 15 23,154 34,088 11 34,198 57,352
71 Tao Las Vegas 23,674 45 4 24,128 29,273 4 29,313 53,441
72 California Pizza Kitchen 7,852 5 1 7,903 45,421 3 45,231 53,134
73 Grilled Cheese Truck 29,991 53 12 30,533 19,755 7 19,825 50,358
74 Maggiano's 12,016 4 0 12,056 37,441 3 37,471 49,527
75 DenverChefDude 47,107 19 569 47,866 0 0 0 47,886
76 Genghis Grill* 22,207 7 6 22,283 24,735 46 25,195 47,478
77 Kimpton 12,250 11 1 12,361 33,812 2 33,832 46,193
78 Mario Batali 16,626 17 2 16,798 24,342 0 24,342 41,140
79 Zippy's 5,235 22 15 5,470 34,742 5 34,792 40,262
80 TCBY* 2,397 4 1 2,438 37,584 1 37,594 40,022
81 McAlister's Deli 3,238 2 0 3,258 28,675 3 28,705 31,963
82 Pal's Sudden Service* 517 0 1 518 31,302 0 31,302 31,820
83 Toppers Pizza* 2,017 0 1 2,018 29,045 2 29,065 31,083
84 NomNom Truck 18,754 41 10 19 10,955 1 10,965 30,139
85 FreshBerry* 23,103 6 2 23,165 4,700 0 4,700 27,865
86 Baker's Drive-thru* 0 0 0 0 27,731 0 27,731 27,731
87 Smashburger 3,258 8 1 3,339 23,514 13 23,644 26,983
88 Grant Achatz 21,274 1 0 21,284 4,834 0 4,834 26,118
89 Thomas Keller 25,811 14 0 25,951 48 2 68 26,019
90 Camille's* 23,945 5 3 23,998 1,754 1 1,764 25,762
91 Wolfgang Puck 5,938 3 1 5,969 18,447 2 18,467 24,436
92 Fazoli's* 492 11 2 604 23,826 0 23,826 24,430
93 Busboys and Poets 8,761 30 5 9,066 15,265 2 15,285 24,351
94 AJ Bombers 12,000 66 33 12,693 2,192 0 2,162 23,522
95 Spaghetti Warehouse* 727 1 4 741 22,465 1 22,475 23,216
96 Cat Cora  16,017 1 0 16,027 6,910 0 6,910 22,937
97 Kona Grill 2,147 22 0 2,367 20,210 1 20,490 22,857
98 Boston Market 2,602 7 6 2,678 19,823 21 20,033 22,711
99 Yard House 3,262 37 19 3,651 18,120 4 18,160 21,811
100 Billy Dec 12,516 83 15 13,361 8,258 3 8,288 21,649
101 In-N-Out 21 0 0 21 19,940 8 20,020 20,041
102 Captain D's* 1,447 9 4 1,541 16,602 2 16,622 18,163
103 Naked Pizza* 11,616 5 8 11,674 6,035 1 6,045 17,719
104 TidBitBistro 17,386 8 7 17,473 234 0 234 17,707
105 Jason's Deli 4,798 5 2 4,850 12,206 4 12,246 17,096
106 Claim Jumper 2,260 0 0 2,260 14,576 0 14,576 16,836
107 The Counter 8,546 12 1 8,667 7,217 0 7,217 15,884
108 Naples Tomato 14,393 2 0 14,413 760 0 760 15,173
109 StephAndTheGoat 10,135 6 0 10,195 3,245 0 3,245 13,440
110 Freddy's* 0 0 0 0 12,436 1 12,446 12,446
111 Mooyah Burger 4,963 2 1 4,984 7,173 0 7,173 12,157
112 Fatz* 580 12 39 739 11,340 1 11,350 12,089
113 Starr Restaurants 4,744 7 0 4,814 6,859 7 6,929 11,743
114 Taco Bell Truck 9,905 0 0 9,905 0 0 0 9,905
115 El Pollo Loco 4,418 1 4 4,432 5,173 28 5,453 9,885
116 Wing Zone 2,150 0 1 2,151 6,990 13 7,120 9,271
117 Roy Rogers 3,788 0 0 3,788 5,179 1 5,189 8,977
118 Schnitzel and Things 7,077 11 4 7,191 1,503 2 1,523 8,714
119 Gringo's* 144 0 2 146 8,509 0 8,509 8,655
120 Rick Tramonto 5,919 0 1 5,920 2,159 0 2,159 8,079
121 Burger Lounge 4,878 6 1 4,939 2,841 1 2,851 7,790
122 Wildfire Restaurants 4,463 9 18 4,571 3,200 0 3,191 7,762
123 Chef Tim Love 6,635 1 0 6,645 973 0 973 7,618
124 Rickshaw Truck 7,577 3 1 7,608 0 0 0 7,608
125 Syrah Wine Parlor* 4,674 14 14 4,828 2,567 1 2,577 7,405
126 Churchs 4,661 1 0 4,671 2,374 4 2,414 7,085
127 Iguana Mexican Grill* 2,446 14 0 2,586 4,239 0 4,239 6,825
128 Streetza Pizza 5,917 2 2 5,939 620 0 620 6,559
129 Firehouse Pacific Beach* 3,238 8 10 3,378 3,105 1 3,115 6,493
130 Shake Shack 6,403 2 0 6,423 0 0 0 6,432
131 Ron Zimmerman 5,412 21 18 5,640 698 0 698 6,338
132 Norman Van Aken 2,348 2 0 2,368 3,674 0 3,674 6,042
133 Jack Stack Barbecue* 982 11 39 1,131 4,546 0 4,546 5,677
134 The Publican 3,058 3 0 3,088 2,804 0 2,804 5,172
135 Gordon Biersch 2,521 0 0 2,521 2,433 21 2,643 5,164
136 Chef Tony Marciante 4,898 2 2 4,920 74 0 74 4,994
137 Analog Bar* 2,877 15 27 3,054 2,096 0 2,096 4,973
138 Myers + Chang 2,363 5 8 2,421 2,529 0 2,529 4,950
139 Ludo Bites 3,246 13 1 3,377 1,322 1 1,332 4,709
140 The Oasis* 56 0 0 56 4,387 1 4,397 4,453
141 Campero USA 4,063 12 3 4,186 0 0 0 4,186
142 Bob Chinns 3,236 1 3 3,249 868 0 868 4,117
143 Tony Roma's* 991 7 7 1,068 2,995 0 2,995 4,063
144 Todd English 4,030 8 3 4,113 0 0 0 4,030
145 Between The Buns* 636 1 2 648 3,035 0 3,035 3,683
146 Fresh To Order* 405 1 2 417 2,347 0 2,347 2,764
147 Loveless Café 2,393 1 3 2,406 259 0 259 2,665
148 Heavy Restaurant Group* 2,557 3 1 2,588 0 0 0 2,588
149 The Whippoorwill 32 0 0 32 1,052 1 1,062 1,094

* Denotes restaurants added since original posting on April 1, 2011.

 

Where are you in the pecking order?

Here’s how to compare your social media efforts with the Twitter and Facebook pecking of operators on our ranking. If your index falls within the top 100, we’ll add your operation to the list.

Fill in the blanks with this info:
Twitter followers: The number of people who follow your operation’s official Twitter I.D. The number should be for one account, not several added together.

@mentions: Count the @Mentions—posts mentioning @[your account name]—for the last 24 hours, as recorded under that pull-down feature on your homepage. We have a way of validating your answer, so be honest.

Tweets: Using the Your Tweets pull-down feature on your home page, count how many posts you’ve made in the last 24 hours. Here again, we have checking methods.

Total Twitter score: Multiply your @mentions tally by 10, add that number to your tweet and followers numbers, and you have your total score.

Facebook fans: How many people “like” your operation’s official Facebook page, as indicated on the left-hand column.

Wall postings: How many original wall postings—not comments on postings made by others—have been added to your wall by parties other than yourself within the last 24 hours. DO NOT count your own posts.

Total Facebook score: Multiply the number of wall postings by 10 and add that to the number of Facebook fans.

Social Media Index: Add your Total Twitter score to the Total Facebook score.

If your score falls within the top 100 scores on our ranking, we’ll add it. Send your information to Peter Romeo, promeo@cspnet.com.

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TwitterTwitter
Twitter Followers:
Twitter @mentions:
Tweets:
Total Twitter Score: 0
FacebookFacebook
Facebook fans:
Wall posts:
Total Facebook Score: 0