The Best Practice Awards 2025
Celebrating the Best Restaurant Brands in the Industry
Every year, the coveted BBI Best Practices Awards (BPAs) celebrate the best performers in the restaurant industry. With a history of more than 20 years recognizing the greatest brands, they have become a coveted prize and are routinely mentioned in earnings calls and board calls, and have become a cause for significant internal celebration.
Previous winners include…
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Panda Express
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Panera
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Silver Diner
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LongHorn Steakhouse
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Seasons 52
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The Capital Grille
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Velvet Taco
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Twin Peaks
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Olive Garden
Critically, the BPAs are determined by actual performance data – underscoring the significance of objective, measurable success in driving industry excellence. They honor top-tier brands that have not only excelled in operational metrics but have also fostered environments that prioritize employee satisfaction and customer delight.
What Are the Best Practice Awards?
The 2025 edition of the BPAs spans two focus areas across different segments, there are ten award categories in total.
The Best Practice Awards are special honors. They go to restaurants that:
- Treat their employees well (this is called the Employer of Choice award).
- Make their customers super happy (this is called the Voice of the Customer award).
These restaurants work hard to be the best, and it shows.
Why These Awards Are Important in 2025
Today, restaurants face many challenges.
Workers want better jobs. Guests want better experiences. And restaurants want sales and traffic.
These award-winning restaurants are doing both really well.
“The Best Practices Awards are rooted in actual performance data, which means that these winners are not only the best at what they do but are also making real, measurable progress that leads to tangible outcomes,” said Victor Fernandez, Chief Insights Officer at Black Box Intelligence. “The BPAs celebrate those restaurant brands that are leading the industry by driving continuous improvement, and this year’s winners represent the very best in people management, guest experience, and operational excellence in the current environment, which is not without its challenges.”
Employer of Choice nominees are selected based on management, non-management, and general manager turnover rates—key metrics statistically linked to stronger financial performance.
“Years of Black Box Intelligence data show that brands who excel in employee retention and engagement experience higher guest traffic and increased sales performance.” said Victor Fernandez, Chief Insights Officer at Black Box Intelligence. ““The Employer of Choice Award recognizes the very best performers when it comes to staff retention.”
The BPA Employer of Choice Winners for 2025 are:
Bagel Brands (Quick Service)
Who is Bagel Brands?
Bagel Brands is a prominent American restaurant company specializing in fresh-baked bagels and breakfast offerings. Headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, the company operates over 1,000 locations across the United States and employs more than 16,000 individuals.
It serves as the parent company for four well-known bagel brands:
- Einstein Bros. Bagels
- Bruegger’s Bagels
- Noah’s New York Bagels
- Manhattan Bagel
Why They Won?
Significantly lower non-management, management and GM turnover in the markets in which they operate compared to their Quick Service Restaurant competitors.
Panda Express (Fast Casual)
Who is Panda Express?
Panda Express is the largest family-owned and operated Asian dining concept in the United States, renowned for its American Chinese cuisine. Founded in 1983 by Andrew and Peggy Cherng, the company has grown from a single mall food court location in Glendale, California, to over 2,500 restaurants worldwide.
Why They Won?
- Lower Turnover: On average, Panda Express consistently maintains much lower turnover rates for non-management, management, and General Manager employees compared to their local Fast Casual competitors.
- Rankings:
- Lowest non-management and management turnover.
- Ranked #2 in General Manager turnover within the segment.
- Gender Diversity: Their restaurant managers reflect better gender diversity than the majority of Fast Casual brands.
Eat’n Park (Family Dining)
Who is Eat’n Park?
Eat’n Park is a family-owned restaurant chain founded in 1949 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Known for its friendly service and iconic Smiley Cookies, the company operates 56 locations across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia as of 2024. Eat’n Park began as a carhop-style drive-in and has evolved into a full-service family restaurant chain.
Why They Won?
- Eat’n Park consistently maintains lower turnover rates for non-management, management, and General Manager employees compared to their local family dining competitors.
- They are ranked #1 for the lowest management turnover rates against the family dining benchmarks at the local level and have tied for #1 in General Manager turnover within the segment.
- This marks Eat’n Park’s 7th Best Practices Award, highlighting their ongoing commitment to best-in-class people practices.
LongHorn Steakhouse (Casual Dining)
Who is LongHorn Steakhouse?
LongHorn Steakhouse is a prominent American casual dining restaurant chain renowned for its expertly grilled steaks and Western-themed ambiance. Established on August 10, 1981, in Atlanta, Georgia, by George McKerrow Jr., the brand has grown significantly over the decades
Why They Won?
- This is their 7th BBI Best Practices Award.
- At the local market level, they had lower turnover than their peers for all position levels considered: non-management, management, and General Managers.
- LongHorn Steakhouse’s retention was especially strong for their non-management employees, a category in which they ranked #1 for Casual Dining.
- They are also very strong in management turnover, tied at #1 in Casual Dining.
The Cheesecake Factory (Upscale Casual)
Who is The Cheesecake Factory?
The Cheesecake Factory is a renowned American restaurant chain celebrated for its extensive menu, generous portions, and iconic cheesecakes. Founded in 1978 by David Overton in Beverly Hills, California, the company has grown into a leader in experiential dining, emphasizing culinary innovation and hospitality.
Why They Won?
- Lower Turnover: On average, The Cheesecake Factory consistently maintains significantly lower turnover rates compared to their local Upscale Casual competitors across all positions evaluated (non-management employees, restaurant managers, and General Managers).
- Rankings:
- Ranked #2 in non-management turnover.
- Ranked #1 for restaurant management turnover.
- Gender Parity: The gender parity of their restaurant managers is among the top third in the Upscale Casual category.
- This marks The Cheesecake Factory’s 11th Best Practices Award, highlighting their ongoing commitment to best-in-class people practices.
The Capital Grille (Fine Dining)
Who is the Capital Grille?
The Capital Grille is an American restaurant chain of upscale steakhouses owned by Darden Restaurants. The brand has locations in twenty-five states, the District of Columbia, and Mexico City. There are 63 locations, including one location in Costa Rica.
Why They Won?
- The Capital Grille consistently maintains significantly lower turnover rates than its local Fine Dining competitors across all evaluated positions (non-management employees, restaurant managers, and General Managers).
- The brand is ranked #1 in Fine Dining for turnover in non-management, management, and General Manager positions.
- This marks The Capital Grille‘s 7th Best Practices Award.
More on the Winners for the 2025 Employer of Choice Category
Best Practice Awards: Voice of Customer Winners 2025
The Voice of the Customer Award recognizes brands that have achieved the highest guest satisfaction scores, as measured by average star ratings across major online review platforms. This award, determined solely by customer feedback, reflects the deep commitment these brands have to delivering exceptional dining experiences.
The BPA Employer of Choice Winners for 2025 are:
Torchy’s Tacos (Limited Service)
Who is Torchy’s Tacos?
With over 130 locations opened, they serve up the best of the best, focusing on developing partnerships around the world to responsibly source the finest ingredients. They believe in their missions and putting the best food forward as a team
Why They Won?
- Torchy’s Tacos achieved a 4.6 Average Star Rating (ASR) for all feedback received in 2024.
- When compared to brands we evaluated (those above the bottom quartile of reviews per unit—20 reviews per unit), the average ASR in Limited Service was 4.0, making Torchy’s Tacos a standout in the segment.
Twin Peaks (Full Service)
Who is Twin Peaks?
Twin Peaks is a U.S.-based sports bar and restaurant chain known for its mountain lodge ambiance, hearty American fare, and the “Twin Peaks Girls”. Founded in 2005 in Lewisville, Texas, by Randy Dewitt and Scott Gordon, the brand has expanded significantly and is now headquartered in Addison, Texas .
Why They Won?
- Twin Peaks achieved a 4.7 Average Star Rating (ASR) for all feedback received in 2024.
- When compared to brands we evaluated (those above the bottom quartile of reviews per unit—78 reviews per unit), the average ASR in Full Service was 4.3, making Twin Peaks a standout in the segment.
Coco Bambu (Global)
Who is Coco Bambu?
Coco Bambu is a prominent Brazilian restaurant chain renowned for its seafood-centric menu and upscale yet accessible dining experience. Established in 1989 in Fortaleza, Ceará, by Afrânio and Daniela Barreira, the brand has expanded significantly, boasting over 90 locations across Brazil as of 2025 .
Why They Won?
- Coco Bambu has an incredibly high Average Star Rating (ASR) of 4.9 (rounded up), which is a remarkable achievement.
- For comparison, the international brands we evaluated have an average ASR of 4.3, making Coco Bambu stand out as a leader in guest satisfaction.
- This is their second BBI Best Practices Award, retaining the award they won last year. More on the history of our awards can be found on our website.
More on the Winners for the 2025 Voice of the Customer Category
A Big Congrats to the 2025 Winners!
“We are incredibly proud to recognize the achievements of this year’s winners,” said Amy Valentine, Director of Customer Success at Black Box Intelligence.
“The Best Practices Awards have a long-standing tradition of honoring operational excellence in the restaurant industry. To be able to highlight these brands’ success through the BPAs is a true privilege.
These brands are setting the bar in our industry, and we’re thrilled to celebrate their achievements.”
What Restaurants Can Take Away To Win Next Year
As we mentioned extensively above, the BPAs are determined purely on actual performance data.
If you are included within our extensive restaurant performance tracking dataset, you are already considered for the awards.
But the efforts to impact your results? Consistent effort, data vigilance, and a passion for the guest experience.