Celebrating and Recognizing Top Performers

BBI Best Practices Awards

The coveted BBI Best Practices Awards (BPAs) have been celebrating the best performers in the restaurant industry for more than 20 years.

What makes them unique is that the results are determined exclusively by data. The judging criteria incorporates specific factors that are statistically proven to be evident in the most financially successful restaurant brands across our benchmarks.

A group of fifteen people, dressed in business attire, stand together on a blue carpeted stage with a backdrop displaying various restaurant logos, including Waffle House, In-N-Out Burger, Olive Garden, Cane's, and more. Several people are holding awards.
A man speaks at a podium on a stage with a Silver Diner logo displayed on a screen behind him. Another man stands to the side holding an award, and a woman is partially visible near the podium.
Five people stand together on a stage, smiling. Three hold small trophies. The group consists of three men and two women, dressed in business attire. Behind them are colorful geometric shapes on a backdrop.
A woman speaks at a podium with a presentation slide behind her. The slide shows "Employer of Choice Winner" and the LongHorn Steakhouse logo.

Award Categories

Recognizing Exceptional Performance

Our annual Best Practices Awards span two focus areas across different verticals – meaning there are a total of ten award categories in all. The top performers are nominated before being whittled down to the ultimate winner in each.

Badge with hexagon logo and "BPA" text, labeled "Best Practices Awards" and slogan "A Cut Above." Below is a purple ribbon reading "Employer of Choice.
  • Quick Service

  • Fast Casual

  • Family Dining

  • Casual Dining

  • Upscale Casual

  • Fine Dining

Badge with hexagon logo and "BPA" text, labeled "Best Practices Awards" and slogan "A Cut Above." Below is a purple ribbon reading "Employer of Choice.
  • Limited Service

  • Full Service

  • International (outside US)

2024 Winners

Current BPA Holders: Employer of Choice

Panda Express Logo
Quick Service
Panda Express
Fast Casual
Panera
Logo of "Silver Diner" with stylized blue lettering. The text is flanked by horizontal lines on both sides.
Family Dining
Silver Diner
Casual Dining
LongHorn Steakhouse
Green logo for "Seasons 52 Fresh Grill" with "Fresh Grill" in uppercase letters beneath "Seasons 52" written in a stylized cursive font.
Upscale Casual
Seasons 52
Fine Dining
The Capital Grille

2024 Winners

Current BPA Holders: Voice of the Customer

Full Service
Twin Peaks
Limited Service
Velvet Taco
Logo of Coco Bambu Restaurante featuring a brown silhouette of a parrot perched above the text.
International
Coco Bambu

Criteria: Employer’s Choice

Why the Employer of Choice BPA Matters

Winners meet stringent criteria related to how the most financially successful restaurants are run (i.e. top performers in sales and traffic). The primary factor considered is turnover – at non-management, management and General Manager levels. The model also incorporates a variety of other workforce metrics that statistically map to lower turnover and better financial performance.

A group of five people smiling and posing on stage. Three individuals in the middle are wearing blue denim jackets, one of whom is holding a trophy. They are flanked by two others dressed in professional attire. The background features colorful, geometric designs.

Criteria: Voice of the Customer

Why the VoC BPA Matters

Winners meet stringent criteria related to how the most financially successful restaurants are run (i.e. top performers in sales and traffic). The primary factor considered is guest sentiment specifically through Average Star Ratings on online reviews channels – which is statistically directly correlated to financial performance. We analyze all reviews collected throughout the most recent calendar year.

A man stands at a podium speaking into a microphone at an award event. Behind him is a screen displaying the Velvet Taco logo and the phrase "Voice of the Customer Winner." Two people are visible in the background, smiling.

Roll call: Past Winners

All Previous BPA Recipients

Employer of Choice

Year Quick Service Fast Casual Family Dining Casual Dining Upscale Casual Fine Dining
2024 Panda Express Panera Silver Diner LongHorn Steakhouse Seasons 52 The Capital Grille
2023 Panda Express Panera Silver Diner Olive Garden Seasons 52 The Capital Grille

Voice of the Customer

Year Limited Service Full Service International
2024 Twin Peaks Velvet Taco Cocu Bambu
2023 Twin Peaks

Note: The 2023 Voice of the Customer BPA winner was for the entire restaurant industry. Brand is listed in its specific segment for ease of presentation.

Best Practices Awards

The Best Practices Awards (1998-2000) recognized the brands that consistently delivered exceptional results across the restaurant experience. Nominee selections were evaluated based on sales, traffic, employment, and people practices. The recipients of each award ranked highest in their segment.

We chose to re-structure this into the Voice of the Customer and Employer of Choice awards we have today following a Covid-driven hiatus.

Year Quick Service Fast Casual Family Dining Casual Dining Upscale Casual Fine Dining
2020 Wendy’s Panda Express Silver Diner 99 Restaurants BJ’s Brewhouse The Capital Grille
2019 Wendy’s City’s BBQ Norms LongHorn Steakhouse The Cheesecake Factory J. Gilberts
2018 Wendy’s Panda Express Eat n’ Park Olive Garden The Cheesecake Factory The Capital Grille
2017 Raising Cane’s Panera Bread Eat’n Park 99 Restaurants The Cheesecake Factory The Capital Grille
2016 White Castle Jason’s Deli Denny’s Chilli’s The Cheesecake Factory
2016 Taco Bell Denny’s Chilli’s The Cheesecake Factory
2015 Taco Bell Boston Market LongHorn Steakhouse BJ’s Brewhouse
2013 White Castle Boston Market LongHorn Steakhouse BJ’s Brewhouse
2012 White Castle La Madeleine Eat’n Park Longhorn Steakhouse BJ’s Brewhouse
2011 McDonald’s Eat’n Park Logan’s Roadhouse The Cheesecake Factory
2010 Burger King Eat’n Park Famous Dave’s BJ’s Brewhouse
2009 Burger King Eat’n Park Famous Dave’s BJ’s Brewhouse
2008 Whataburger Golden Corral Olive Garden Claim Jumper
2007 White Castle Panda Restaurant Group LongHorn Steakhouse The Capital Grille
2006 White Castle Jason’s Deli Olive Garden Morton’s Steakhouse
2005 Donatos Pizza Peter Piper Pizza California Pizza Kitchen The Capital Grille
2004 Monical’s Pizza Chuck E. Cheese Olive Garden Claim Jumper
2003 Noah’s Bagels Corner Bakery California Pizza Kitchen Claim Jumper
2002 El Pollo Loco Corner Bakery California Pizza Kitchen Maggiano’s
2001 Corner Bakery Red Lobster Claim Jumper
2000 Maggiano’s
1999 The Cheesecake Factory
1998 Red Lobster

Note: From 1998 to 2000, these awards were for the entire industry rather (as opposed to being segment specific). The winners are included under their specific segments for ease of presentation.

Legacy

The Legacy Award recognizes an individual or individual(s) who have made outstanding contributions to the restaurant industry.

Year Legacy Award
2024 G.J. Hart, President & CEO of Red Robin
2023 Joni & Wally Doolin Black Box Intelligence
2020 David Gordon & Dina Barmasse, The Cheesecake Factory
2019 Steve King, Dave & Buster’s
2018 Danny Meyer, USHG
2017 Steve Carley, Red Robin
2016 Sally Smith, Buffalo Wild Wings
2015 John Miller, Denny’s
2013 Gene Lee, Darden
2012 Kent Taylor, Texas Roadhouse
2011 Jerry Deitchle, BJ’s Restaurants
2010 Greg Creed, Taco Bell
2009 Doug Brooks, Brinker
2008 Phil Hickey, Rare Hospitality
2007 Jim Broadhurst, Eat’n Park
2006 Lloyd Hill & Lou Kaucic, Applebee’s
2005 Joe Lee, Darden

Heart of the Workplace, Diamond Catalyst and Catalyst

The Diamond Catalyst Award (2013-2019) carried an elevated status over the original Best Practices Awards. Judged on the same criteria, it was given to a single brand with superior operational and workplace results than the entire industry as opposed to its specific segment.

The Catalyst Award (1999-2012) was given to a restaurant brand that outpaced the industry norm and demonstrated significantly improved performance in people practices over the prior year.

The Heart of the Workplace Award (2002-2020) was presented to a company demonstrating significant commitment to and investment in its employees and communities.

All three awards were consolidated into the new criteria referenced above from 2023 onwards.

Year Diamond Catalyst Catalyst Heart of the Workplace
2020 LongHorn Steakhouse Whataburger
2019 La Madeleine BJ’s Brewhouse
2018 Panera BJ’s Brewhouse
2017 Olive Garden Red Lobster
2016 Dave & Buster’s Cafe Momentum
2015 White Castle Panera
2013 The Cheesecake Factory Chilli’s
2012 Domino’s Red Robin
2011 Chilli’s Darden
2010 Logan’s Roadhouse Corner Bakery
2009 The Cheesecake Factory Hard Rock Cafe
2008 Dave & Buster’s Chili’s
2007 Pizza Properties Legal Sea Foods
2006 BJ’s Brewhouse Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
2005 T.G.I. Friday’s Eat’n Park
2004 Applebee’s Jamba Juice
2003 Pata Pomodoro Rock Bottom Restaurants
2002 Applebee’s Restaurants Unlimited
2000 Texas Land and Cattle
1999 Frisch’s Restaurants

Become a BPA Winner

How To Get Your Brand a BPA

As we mention extensively above, the BPAs are determined purely on data pertaining to actual performance that we analyze as part of our extensive benchmarks. If you are currently included within these benchmarks, you are already under consideration for the awards. If you are not but would like to explore involvement, reach out to our team.

Presentation slide showing logos of "Voice of the Customer Nominees" including Dutch Bros, In-N-Out Burger, and others. "Global Voice of the Customer Nominees" include Burger & Lobster, Flat Iron, and more. Blue panel with icons on the left.

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