San Diego has been recognized as the city with the friendliest customer service in the United States, according to a recent survey by business insurance firm Money Super Market. The city achieved a score of 51.5% in reviews mentioning friendly staff and service.

Money Super Market's methodology involved analyzing approximately 100,000 online reviews from 107 cities globally. For each city, 30-50 locations were selected from top search results across restaurants, bars, attractions, and tourist sites to ensure variety. The text of 1,000 reviews per city was then analyzed to identify mentions of staff friendliness.

Top U.S. Cities for Customer Service

San Diego's high ranking was attributed to its cultural diversity, favorable climate, and a generally relaxed atmosphere. It was one of only two U.S. cities to appear in the global top 20.

Phoenix secured the second spot in the U.S. ranking with 50.9% of its reviews noting friendly service. The survey suggested this congeniality stems from a local emphasis on building trust and personal relationships before conducting business.

Dallas followed in third place with 49.6%, a score linked to "Southern hospitality" and a strong emphasis on community values and personal relationships within the service industry.

New York City ranked fourth domestically with 48.3% of reviews highlighting friendly service. Despite this strong performance within the U.S., New York did not crack the international top 20, a result that aligns with a common perception of the city as less friendly, though some New Yorkers argue this is a sign of honesty rather than rudeness.

Atlanta rounded out the top five U.S. cities with 47.1%.

The survey also identified the top 10 U.S. cities for customer service friendliness:

  • San Diego — 51.5%
  • Phoenix — 50.9%
  • Dallas — 49.6%
  • New York — 48.3%
  • Atlanta — 47.1%
  • Washington — 46.9%
  • Philadelphia — 46.6%
  • Houston — 45.3%
  • Austin — 44.8%
  • Boston — 44.8%

Global Rankings and International Comparisons

Internationally, cities in the United Kingdom dominated the top rankings. Edinburgh, Scotland, claimed the top spot globally with 59% of reviews mentioning friendly staff.

Hanoi, Vietnam, placed second with 58.6%, followed by Liverpool, UK, at 58.3%. Paris, France, surprisingly secured the fourth position with 57.5%, challenging its reputation for impolite service, while Dublin, Ireland, finished fifth with 57.3%.

Other cities in the global top 10 included Montreal, Canada; Vienna, Austria; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Birmingham, UK; and Bristol, UK.

The survey's findings provide a snapshot of customer service perceptions across major global cities, highlighting regional differences in hospitality and service culture.