The ChangeUp 2026 Experience Report
Our second annual Experience Report reveals which retail and restaurant brands are delivering physical experiences that resonate most with customers.
This year, we surveyed over 6,500 consumers about 300+ brands–more than double last year’s field–and gathered over 400,000 data points to uncover what customers really think about the experiences brands are delivering in 2026.
Inside the Report:
- The Top 100 Brands: The 50 retailers and 50 restaurants resonating most with customers this year.
- The eight dimensions of experience: How well a brand delivers across the moments that shape the in-person experience.
- The brands breaking through: Which brands are gaining ground this year and what’s driving their rise.
- What keeps customers coming back: How top performers like In-N-Out and Costco hold customers’ attention year after year.
- Actionable insights for any brand: How to protect what’s working, repair what’s quietly costing the business, and build something distinctly yours.
Whether or not your brand made the Top 100, this report uncovers what customers value most and how to deliver an experience that makes a trip worth making, and coming back to.
Change is inevitable. We make it intentional.
ChangeUp is an award-winning brand strategy and retail design agency, designing for the moments where brands and customers meet. We create brand-led experiences through thought-provoking strategy, design, environments, and architecture.