A Christchurch McDonald’s restaurant has been ranked among the 10 best in New Zealand, according to a new list based on thousands of online customer reviews.

McDonald’s Merivale, on Papanui Road, secured fourth place nationally with an average rating of 3.93 out of five, based on 3,451 reviews.

The rankings, supplied to chrislynchmedia.com by digital marketing website SEO Backlinks, place Merivale ahead of restaurants in Auckland, Nelson, Rotorua and Taupō.

The Christchurch restaurant was beaten only by McDonald’s Tokoroa, Ōtorohanga and Takanini.

Tokoroa took the top spot with an average rating of 4.03 from 2,537 reviews, narrowly ahead of Ōtorohanga on 4.00.

Takanini, in South Auckland, finished third with a rating of 3.95.

At the other end of the rankings, McDonald’s at Auckland Airport’s international departures was rated the country’s worst, receiving just 1.67 out of five from 338 reviews.

McDonald’s Silverdale was second from the bottom with 2.69, followed by Kumeū on 2.78.

New Zealand’s 10 best rated McDonald’s restaurants

1. Tokoroa: 4.03 (2,537 reviews)
2. Ōtorohanga: 4.00 (2,571 reviews)
3. Takanini, Auckland: 3.95 (1,964 reviews)
4. Merivale, Christchurch: 3.93 (3,451 reviews)
5. Tāhunanui, Nelson: 3.93 (876 reviews)
6. Richmond, Nelson: 3.91 (774 reviews)
7. Kaitaia: 3.89 (1,258 reviews)
8. Karaka, Auckland: 3.88 (1,017 reviews)
9. Taupō: 3.88 (6,461 reviews)
10. Rotorua Fairy Springs: 3.86 (2,271 reviews)

New Zealand’s 10 worst rated McDonald’s restaurants

1. Auckland Airport International Departures: 1.67 (338 reviews)
2. Silverdale: 2.69 (452 reviews)
3. Kumeū: 2.78 (339 reviews)
4. Pukekohe: 2.87 (246 reviews)
5. Thames: 2.93 (1,462 reviews)
6. Lynfield, Auckland: 2.94 (194 reviews)
7. Albany Foodcourt, Auckland: 2.98 (243 reviews)
8. Clendon Park, Auckland: 3.02 (1,503 reviews)
9. Belmont, Auckland: 3.04 (1,173 reviews)
10. Westgate North, Auckland: 3.08 (165 reviews)

The results show considerable differences in customer ratings across the fast food chain, with more than two points separating the highest and lowest ranked restaurants.

Interestingly, McDonald’s Taupō received the largest number of reviews among the top 10, with 6,461 customers contributing to its average score of 3.88.

Merivale also attracted substantial feedback, with more than 3,400 reviews contributing to its fourth place ranking. The ratings provide a snapshot of customers’ reported experiences rather than an official assessment of restaurant quality.

The figures were supplied by SEO Backlinks, which said averages were calculated to two decimal places, with restaurants displaying identical rounded scores ordered according to their unrounded averages.