St Austell McDonald’s crowned England’s best in Google review study

The Cornish Gateway Services McDonald’s in St Austell has been named England’s best-rated restaurant in a new analysis of Google reviews, according to a study by Remove Background. The evaluation examined Google ratings for every McDonald’s across England, measuring the share of five-star and one-star reviews to gauge overall customer satisfaction.

St Austell led the pack with an overall Google rating of 4.1 out of 5 and five-star reviews accounting for 52.42% of all feedback, while only 6.18% of reviews were one-star. In second place is the Unit A location on Lawrence Hill in Wincanton, Somerset, which recorded 50.55% five-star reviews and 9.81% one-star, also averaging 4.1 stars. The third spot goes to Boston’s A16/A17 Sutterton Roundabout McDonald’s in Lincolnshire, with 49.60% five-star reviews and 6.31% one-star, matching the same overall 4.1-star rating. In fourth place is the Milestone Road outlet in Bourne, Lincolnshire, at 49.26% five-star reviews and 6.07% one-star. Rounding out the top five is the York Road branch in Shiptonthorpe, East Yorkshire, with 49.08% five-star reviews and 5.99% one-star, contributing to its 4.1-star average.

The analysis also identified the lowest-rated location in the country. McDonald’s in Chingford, London, had the highest share of one-star reviews at 36.49% and just 24.07% five-star reviews, leaving it with the lowest overall rating among the ranked branches at 2.8.

The study’s methodology was described by Marc Porcar, CEO of Remove Background, who said the top-rated outlets are fairly dispersed across England, though the south has a stronger presence in the upper ranks. He noted that Norwich, Norfolk, stands out, with two top-ten locations, reflecting how factors like cleanliness, speed of service, and staff friendliness appear to influence perceptions in different regions. “All McDonald’s serve the same menu; however, it is clearly more enjoyed in certain locations. This could be down to many different factors, such as cleanliness, service speed, and staff friendliness,” Porcar said. “If you are lucky enough to live near any of the top-rated branches, or planning to pass one while travelling, it might be worth stopping by to try one of the nation’s favourite McDonald’s.”

Beyond the top five, the ranking features a spread of branches across rural and urban settings, with the Norwich locations and others in the south demonstrating strong performance while several northern and midlands branches also appear in the list of top ten. Norwich’s two entries highlight a notable regional presence in the upper tier, and the study emphasizes that customer experience can vary widely even within the same brand menu.

In a separate note drawing interest from travel and food enthusiasts, a frequent McDonald’s traveler who has visited more than 40 outlets worldwide shared impressions in a TikTok post. Kelly Marshall described a range of experiences from Japan to New Caledonia and France, noting that some locations delivered meals described as phenomenal, while others fell short. She highlighted a Fiji location—Lautoka—as an especially positive stop, rating it nine out of ten. The post adds a consumer-tourism dimension to the broader discussion of what shapes satisfaction at fast-food chains abroad.

Overall, the study provides a snapshot of customer sentiment across England’s McDonald’s network, illustrating how regional factors and local conditions can influence a standardized menu’s reception among diners.