Tim Phillips Show, 3/30/26

What makes a brand beloved these days? According to Yelp, people want value, consistency and a reason to return. The review platform would know, after combing through thousands of ratings and reviews from customers on their site. Yelp used the research to create their Most Loved Brands of 2025 report, which has just come out.

They looked at businesses with more than 150 locations in the U.S. that have 500 or more total reviews.

Each brand was given a loyalty score, based on the average review rating, number of business page views, searches and mentions of things like value, service speed, ambiance, price and customer experience.

Yelp explains that their Most Loved Brands list “recognizes national brands that deliver consistency, value, and delight at scale,” according to millions of their users.

So, what is their Most Loved Brand of 2025? Dave’s Hot Chicken wins the top spot.

The chain is known for Nashville-style hot chicken tenders and sliders with seven different spice levels, as well as their lineup of extravagant shakes and slushers.

Overall, 71% of Dave’s Hot Chicken reviews on Yelp are 4 or 5 stars.

In the food quality and taste categories, Nothing Bundt Cakes is number one, and Trader Joe’s is first for value and speed of service.

First Watch wins first for portion size and wait experience, while Sprouts Farmers Market is number one for cleanliness.

Yelp’s Top 10 Most Loved Brands of 2025

Dave’s Hot Chicken

Trader Joe’s

bb.q Chicken

First Watch

In-N-Out Burger

BJ’s Restaurants

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Texas Roadhouse

Mountain Mike’s Pizza

Olive Garden

Source: Yelp

Monday Morning Mystery - THE NEXT TIME I FALL  -  PETER CETERA/AMY GRANT, #1 in 1986    

PETER CETERA    AMY GRANT    CHICAGO

TOP 10 PEARLS OF MOM WISDOM …. According to a new survey by Utilita

1.        If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all

2.        If you don’t ask, you don’t get

3.        Put money aside on payday before you start spending

4.        Keep spare cash in your wallet, “just in case”

5.        If you’re not sure about something, sleep on it

6.        Don’t go to bed angry

7.        Keep a spare set of house keys with someone you trust

8.        Don’t go to someone’s house empty-handed

9.        Never borrow money from your friends

10.     Lay your clothes out the night before so you’re not rushing to get ready in the morning

Tim's News You Can't Use 

Deciding what to have for dinner every night can be a chore, but new research reveals there’s an unexpected upside to sticking to a go-to meal. A new study from Drexel University in Philadelphia suggests eating the same thing on repeat may be the key to shedding pounds. While our palates love variety, it’s the consistency that counts here. The study finds that participants who ate more routine meals and kept calorie intake the same lost significantly more weight over 12 weeks than those who switched up what they ate more often. Instead of just relying on willpower, researchers note repetition is a simple but powerful psychological tool for losing weight, but it might get boring after a while. The repetition is what helps here, as it keeps goals “mentally active,” according to the study, which makes them easier to remember when faced with real-world choices, like what to eat or whether or not to work out. “Maintaining a healthy diet in today’s food environment requires constant effort and self-control,” explains study author Charlotte Hagerman. “Creating routines around eating may reduce that burden and make healthy choices feel more automatic.” Source: Newsweek
Jalopnik says a world record was recently set for the longest line of Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. The line had 1,291 sandwiches and stretched along the walkway between Terminals B and C at the Philadelphia International Airport. Volunteers handed out the sandwiches to travelers and TSA staffers after the record was certified.
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Dexerto says the BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse chain is going viral. They are offering a Sweet Heat Pepperoni Pizookie for one day only on April 1st. The cookie is topped with pepperoni and hot honey. The cookie will cost $4.01 to celebrate April Fools’ Day.
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GB News says Cadbury has a new tool to make Creme Easter Eggs mess-free. The GooTool is a limited-edition five-in-one device that combines tweezers, a spork, a grater, a straw and a whisk. Cadbury says the gadget was invented after researchers studied how fans eat Creme Eggs. Cadbury's says, "We've always known our fans are brilliantly bonkers, and the GooTool is the ultimate accessory for their quirky eating rituals."
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Sony announced a serious price hike for PlayStation 5 consoles starting April 2nd. Blaming "pressures in the global economy," Sony is raising the price of the standard Disc and Digital editions by $100 — while the high-end PS5 Pro will see a steep $150 jump to nearly $900. The problem is a surge in the cost of memory chips, which are currently being snatched up by AI data centers and forcing Sony to pass those costs onto gamers to protect their profit margins.
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UPI says a Hampton, Virginia man recently bought 20 identical lottery tickets for a single Pick 4 drawing. He won $5,000 on each ticket for a total of $100,000.  Prentice Douglas told Virginia Lottery officials he plays the Pick 4 every day. He says, "I don't have any plans for my winnings yet."
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A kangaroo that escaped from a Wisconsin petting zoo was found safe Saturday after a three-day search that drew volunteers, drones and widespread community attention. Chesney, a 16-month-old kangaroo at Sunshine Farm in Necedah, scaled an eight-foot fence last week after being spooked by stray dogs, according to his caretaker. The animal remained within a few miles of the farm but repeatedly evaded capture despite multiple sightings. Searchers used heat-sensing drones and tracked reports across wooded areas, but Chesney escaped at least twice during near captures, including one instance where he jumped into a cold river. He was ultimately lured back with familiar scents and calming voices, officials said. The kangaroo was tired but healthy after the ordeal, and the farm plans to reinforce his enclosure to prevent future escapes.
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The Daily Star says a Nottinghamshire, England burglar has been jailed for two years and four months. Carl Thomas was found in a bedroom, beneath a pile of jackets. He stole a handbag and tried to use a stolen bankcard
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Newser says 12 tons of KitKat bars are missing in Europe.  The 413,793 bars vanished between Nestlé's factory in central Italy and a distribution site in Poland. Nestlé says the delivery vehicle and its load are nowhere to be found. They are working with authorities to track down the candy. Kit Kat says, "Whilst we appreciate the criminals' exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes.’’
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Authorities in Evansville, Indiana are accusing 41-year-old Randall Baker of stealing a Bud Light truck and leading cops on a chase to recover it. Police say the truck was stolen at around three in the afternoon on Friday. While in pursuit of the truck, Baker allegedly “refused to pull over,” and eventually crashed in a field after hitting a sheriff’s patrol car. After Baker refused to exit the truck, deputies resorted to using PepperBall rounds. No one was hurt in the chase or resulting crash, and the beer is said to be in fine drinking condition.
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