But I Love That Place: The 7 Most Overrated Fast Food Restaurants
French fries sizzling in hot oil. Fresh (at least at some point) hamburger searing on the flat top grill. Squeaky-voiced teen messing up our order and saying he’ll have to ask his manager. This is the fast food experience Americans are all familiar with. When we walk into a fast food restaurant we all have a certain set of expectations about the food and service based on our previous experiences. That’s why we continue to go back — no matter where in the country we are, we expect the same McDonald’s or Taco Bell meal.
However, it seems to be increasingly evident that fast food restaurants are trying new gimmicks marketing techniques to change both our expectations and perceptions of what they’re serving and how they’re serving it. If my business was being endlessly attacked by nanny-staters that want to dictate what I can and can’t serve my customers, I’d probably try almost anything to keep them coming in the door. But when you try to create the perception of better food and better value instead of actually giving it to your customers, you become a prime candidate for today’s list.
7. Wendy’s
Wendy’s is the least offensive of the restaurants on this list.
I’ve had plenty of food from Wendy’s that I have enjoyed, and can see to some degree why people want to duck in for a square burger and Frosty. However, Wendy’s definitely has some issues bubbling underneath the surface.
Despite the fact that Wendy’s often views itself as superior among the likes of competitors like McDonald’s and Burger King, the qualities they tout are mostly a façade. Take, for example, their new Natural-Cut Fries. They were obviously trying to take advantage of the fact that those restaurants that are doing fresh-cut, skin-on fries are doing well because people can taste a difference. But while Wendy’s fries have the skin-on appearance, they are the same frozen matchsticks shipped on a truck that they always were. Truthfully, with every new “fresh” item they roll out they are really just justifying their higher prices (compared to other burger chains) without really delivering a hell of a lot more in the quality department.
On a more anecdotal note, I seem to have many more service issues at the various Wendy’s I go to than at other burger joints. This includes forgotten drive-thru items, cash register operators who are bad enough at math to apply for a job as Treasury secretary in the Obama administration, and the fact that they still refuse to have a self-serve soda fountain. If refills are indeed free and I want more Diet Coke, don’t make me have to interrupt someone who is “working” in order to get it.
KFC? Blasphemy!
KFC >>>the chicken would be good if it were not greasy, soggy.. to where the skin falls off on the way home. we do not go there any more, a few years ago it was our favorite “go to ” place for fast food..
Arby’s is expensive, but i like the horsey/arby’s sauce…if i could buy it sep out somewhere i would
Subway isn’t so bad..it is worth the $5, we do go sometimes..
i like burger king and carl’s. altogether, we seldom go to any of these places..and WENDY’S…whoooooa…i think you have to flunk an iq test to work there. We went to the local Wendys about a month ago..it took 3 times for them to get the order right…. AND, it was obvious we needed a translator
All restaurants are “….serving crap you could just make at home…”, and at ten times the price. Fast food restaurants are just serving really bad crap you could make at home.
How can you eat that stuff? I havent eaten at any of those places for many years. My only guilt lies in a sonic foot-long
that I indulge in about once per year. Usually, afterward, I say to myself ” oh yeah, I remember why I only eat this once per year”.
Most Louisianians equate leaving the state with going on a hunger strike. Once I did find a restaurant out of state that had good food in Crystal River, Fla. . When I asked the owner where he learned to cook like that, he replied in a thick Cajun accent ” My Mamma. I grew up in Lake Charles.”
Brother, ask and you shall receive. I have recipes that will make you realize what a culinary wasteland you are living in.
“Back to basics” is indeed what it’s all about!
Anyone in Seattle knows the glory that is Dick’s Drive-In. Hamburger, fries, shake. Don’t fix what ain’t broke.
Don’t forget the side of tartar sauce or as we like to call it ‘green’. It can sit on the dash forever and never change color.
Before my nearby Popeye’s Chicken went out of business (and I can figure out why), many, many times, I would stop on way home wanting to buy their signature spicy chicken only to be told that they had run out, offering their regular or a mixture of spicy and regular. No frickin’ way! Out of their signature chicken at dinner time? No wonder they went out of business.
Actually went to a KFC in Germany. Ordered (in German) a 5 piece meal. Server asked “5 pieces of what?” It took tremendous self-control not to ask for 5 pieces of horse.
To fairly judge Wendy’s, you ought to lump them with McDonalds, Jack in the Box, and Burger King. By that standard, they are excellent. But, any chance you got, go to In and Out Burger: fresh ground meat, fries made from actual potatos on site, and servers that speak English.
It’s important to note that for a place like Wendy’s it was not my intention to say they were one of the worst overall fast food restaurants, a list on which Burger King belongs in my opinion. It’s just that Wendy’s fails to live completely up to it’s own hype for me. Thus it makes the overrated list.
In and Out is the most overrated fast food place,
In’n'Out does make an OK burger but the fries are to die from. I’ve find them to be mealy in texture and bland in flavor every time I’ve ordered them,so I don’t anymore.
No doubt the fries at In n Out are the worst of any fast food place anywhere. I have no idea why the place is so popular. I have friends who went a stood in line for hours when they first opened in AZ, but I have never yet had an In n Out burger that was better than that of any random burger joint you care to name. I don’t eat french fries very often, but if I do, I want them to be good, because who wants to waste a food splurge on something tasteless. No other word for In n Out fries; they taste like the soda straws they used to sell in bags at the supermarket, or the taste like them if you put enough salt on them so you can taste ANYTHING. I avoid fast food as a general rule, but I haven’t always; was a time I could tell you the entire menu and pricing structure of every fast food place, and of them all, In n Out is the worst. Mediocre burgers and terrible fries make it a no win situation. Everyplace else has something edible, if only you look hard enough.
Yeah, almost always a long line here in SoCal and I can’t figure out why. It’s not so much that it’s awful in quality (tasteless, yeah, quality is ok) and the fries are bad, it’s how much other folks hype it to me.
I’m glad to read these comments. Considering the popularity of the place, I thought there was something wrong with me because I think their fries taste like cardboard (they use fresh potatoes–it’s got to be the oil). But what do I know. If all the fast food joints were lined up in a row, I’d probably walk into the White Castle.
Agreed, Subway makes the worst sandwiches ever (although once when there was no other option in town, I had one of their BLTs–it was serviceable).
Hmmmm.
Five Guy’s fries suck just as bad. Either overly greasy or just plain yuck with salt.
How difficult is it to make excellent fries? I do it all the time without any hassles. Just cut the potatoes the day before and soak them overnight in a solution of salt and vinegar. The excess starch gets washed off and the vinegar taste will add to the taste of the burger. Especially if it has cheese on it.
You’re in Prince William County, Virginia.
Pick a restaurant.
Fast food, slow food, full service, cafe, bar and grill, family, you name it.
Just pick one and go inside.
Notice how your shoes won’t slide on the floor when you walk in?
They just stick; in the grease.
Sometimes the suction almost pulls your shoes off.
Never wear your sandals.
It’s a good idea to bring your own sanitary hand wipes in with you.
Scrubbing up before and after you’ve been served can be a little touch and go.
Practice opening doors and flushing toilets with your foot at home.
The commode plunger sitting in a puddle in the corner explains the “water” on the floor, but leaves the odor up to your imagination. All you know is it isn’t from some kind of cleaning fluid. The dead flies are a clue.
Okay, it’s time to order.
Be sure you have the correct number for whatever you want.
Illegal Hispanics don’t do very well when you complicate things like saying, “No onions, please.” or “Hold the pickles.”
Surprise, sort of like it is Christmas I wonder what is in the bag awaits you at the end of the line no matter what.
Complain?
And make them fix your stuff again..?
Ha, Ha, Ha…
Don’t concern yourself with the small stuff like no one working in the place has the required food handlers gloves on and there are no hair nets in sight to contain the average 18 – 24 inches of glistening, wash once a year flowing black mane.
There is never any charge for the strands of hair that you find wrapped around your burger or embedded in the soggy french fries.
And for your peace of mind remember that your local health department and elected officials want to assure you that the deep chest coughing and hacking doesn’t mean that these folks have tuberculous and that they have as much right to pick their noses and scratch their rear ends as you do.
So, you’re home, in the evening, next day now.
And you realize that the growing pain in your, your spouse’s and kid’s stomach isn’t from a cold or the flu.
It is getting much worse much faster than it should.
Then you remember your dinner out family feast the night before..
Food poisoning..?
As soon as the ER doctors finish seeing the 12 hour backlog of illegal Hispanics there waiting for treatment you’ll know.
Maybe..!
Was there a point to this article? Its just a sereies of rants about food places the author doesn’t like. Where’s the beef?
All of them got a waiver from Obamacare based on corporate donations to the Democrat party. None are hiring due to increased FDA, environmental and labor regulations. All are on PETA’s target list. Feel better now?
Sometimes the Lord tests our patience.
Dealing with people that wear grey suits is one of them.
Reading a lot of the articles published here on PJM is another.
Particularly the opt-in comments…
It’s called a humor column. The point is to laugh and enjoy yourself and not be such a curmudgeon.
Oh, its a humor column. Would have helped if the author had actually been humorous.
I agree – Wendy’s and KFC have gone downhill. Subway is just terrible. If I want a sub, there are lots of good delis and sandwich shops around here that are far better.
The fellow from Louisiana extols his native cuisine and regards food beyond its borders as a wasteland. The fattest people in the country bar none are in Louisiana. They are jaw-dropping corpulent. You almost rub your eyes. So this tells me there is a lot of fat in those tasty gumbos and others delicacies. I admire fat and salt as much as the next man, but I’m just sayin’.
Banjo, you are just saying…..correctly. We do have that problem here, but fat has nothing to do with it. The problem comes from the copious amount of rice, potatoes and sugar consumed. I personally do not have a problem with my weight due to my very active lifestyle and an avoidance of the aforementioned carbohydrates. One does not have to suffer from obesity because they enjoy good food.
Avoid potatoes as if they are the plague. If you must have rice, switch from jasmine to basmati, brown or wild. Never put sugar in anything. At my house the only sugar consumed by savored by hummingbirds. When you do eat, eat only until you are comfortable; do not stuff yourself. Most importantly, exercise. I dont mean you should join a gym. Work. Work hard at something productive.
I make large amounts of Sauce Picante, Bisque, Boudin, and sausage then freeze it in small amounts. I mix onion, jalepeno, and garlic in ten lbs of ground beef or venison and form into patties, also frozen in small batches. I can go all day listing this stuff but I will spare y’all. I cant talk about my duck recipes or I will slobber on my keyboard. In a weekend I can make enough to last a month, and it unfreezes and heats up faster than a 17 yo can screw up your order, at one tenth the price.
Well said. From one suthen boy to another I am pretty sure that the enormous amounts of roux essential to Louisiana cooking is the culprit for the high percentage of lardasses in Napoleonic law land. The original Cajun cook, Joostan Wilsun , seemingly always began his recipes with ‘First, you cook a roux.” White flour fried in fat is one of the worst things you can eat. Of course, if you are not a city slicker you probably burn off all those calories shooting nutria, shucking oysters and rasslin’ gators.:>)
At home, I enjoy Enola Prudhomme’s favorite Cajun recipes. It is all in the spices and the cooking, not excess carbohydrates and the fat and sugar.
http://www.amazon.com/Enola-Prudhommes-Low-Calorie-Cajun-Cooking/dp/0688092551/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2
I make it to Louisiana whenever I can. In Texas there are a few great Cajun joints, but the further you get from southern Louisiana the more hit and miss it is.
Why switch from jasmine to basmati rice?, what’s the “secret” that makes the latter better pray tell?
KFC….I bought chicken fingers there and they were as tough as shoe leather. That was years ago, never been back. Wendy’s…Has slipped in quality big time. Buns small and dry. Fries more close to McDonald’s. Smaller and like eating pretzels. I bought nuggets, see KFC. Leathery.
Subway inferior? How about horrible.
Went to a McDonalds once, and they had no coffee for breakfast.
Although expensive, 5 Guys rocks. Quizno’s $5 sub best bargain. Firehouse Subs melt in your mouth. Chick fil et great chicken biscuit for breakfast. Good people too.
I stopped frequenting Fast Food restaurants regularly decades ago.
I can still remember as kid in the 1960′s, we were all excited to see the bright shiny new McDonalds with its sign tallying the numbers of burgers sold, reaching up to … ONE MILLION! WOW!
But by the time I got to be a teen, as much as I liked their “Hot Apple Pies”, I found I got sick to my stomach every time I ate there.
Burger King was my favorite in the 1970s, but there again, on the few times I tried it in the 1980s and 1990s, I got extremely sick after eating at some BK.
Wendy’s was also a favorite in the 1970s and early 1980s, esp since they were the first to offer a “Triple Quarter Pounder” in my area. I nearly choked on that much meat! And their frosties were good as well. But as you mention, their prices are high and quality has gone downhill over the years. So I rarely go back.
I will admit, I still love Arby’s. Certainly, they have a lot of overpriced crap on their menu, but all I care about is getting their largest Roast Beef Sandwich with “horsey sauce” and I am Ok. I go there maybe a couple times a year, but thats ok as well. I don’t think its good to go to ANY Fast Food place much more than that.
The worst experience I have ever had was with Subway. When they first opened up near me, I was a student at Penn State in the 1980s. The place was run by an Arab family who showed total contempt for their customers and would snarl at you when taking your order. No attempts at politeness or smiles… which is the very minimal one expects at a Fast Food joint. Keep in mind that this was decades before 9/11 and in a very liberal college town. I find it difficult to believe they were so nasty due to some anti-Arab sentiment. They just did not seem to like the (American) public.
But the worst thing was their sandwiches. Although the chain advertised “fresh bread baked daily on the premises”, one could see the old bread sitting out on a rack day in and day out, and it was the worst dried out bread I have ever eaten. This in a state (PA) where you could walk to any block in a city and get very fresh bread in any one of dozens of Hoagy/Sub/Cheesesteak shops.
And, they had this odd way of cutting the bread to avoid putting very much filling on the sandwich. They actually cut a small triangular wedge of bread off the top instead of splitting the loaf in half, as normally expected. They would then fill this small wedge with whatever meats or seafood you ordered. But the fact that they cut it in a wedge seriously limited how much could go in the sandwich.
Again, this is in a state where you could get Subs that were huge and loaded with fresh deli meats. Just no attempt at presenting a competing product!
And the funny thing is that, on one visit, the young son who was making my sandwich must have put too much filling on my sandwich, because his father came over and chewed him out and made him remove some of the filling in front of me! No concern at all about how this appeared to the customer. Needless to say, I did not go back.
I have no idea if this is the “normal” way Subway makes its sandwiches, or just this one franchise owner’s methods. But I only went a few times in the 1980s and would never go back.
Subway’s arrogant advertisements also turned me off, with their pretense of being “healthier” than other FF places.
With the rare exception of stopping in at Arby’s, I prefer to either eat at home or spend the money for a good restaurant. Why waste your money and health on Fast Food?
My first job as a teenager was on the opening shift of the first Wendy’s in South Texas. Back then we had fresh meat and vegetables delivered every morning, which we had to prepare. We had to make the burger patties ourselves. It was the best fast food restaraunt in town. Then the rule was if your order wasn’t delivered in 15 seconds, it was free. These days I wouldn’t eat at a Wendy’s if you paid me.
And KFC? Please. Back in the day that was the best chicken around. But they changed the recipe after Col. Sander’s died. Now it’s more of a joke than a restaraunt.
Subway sucks. Used to be you could go there and order a good sandwich. Nowadays, you can’t.
I remember when the first Arby’s opened in San Antonio, 1967. Then it was delicious. Now it isn’t worth the vomit it induces.
For my money, I’d go with the China Inn all you can eat buffet. Or Burger King.
“Any company that thinks people will come in and buy their product despite an ad campaign that is annoying to the point of provoking blind rage is incredibly full of itself.”
That reminds me of the Weight Watchers commercials featuring that talentless Jennifer Hudson and her vomit-inducing voice. I hit the remote mute button faster than greased lightning. She makes my ears bleed.
You’ve got that right. She has absolutely the worst voice on the planet.
No longer participate in any take out. High prices, poor quality, hideous service, extremely poor hygiene, on surface looks clean, but cleaning of machines almost none existent. My money is precious to me and during these times hard to come by. Pack your luches and know what is in them. Know if you washed your hands. Look around your prep and eating area to see how many sick people were coughing and blowing noses where you eat, and how many mothers bring sick kids in to feed them in public. This might upset many, but these are things to think about, I have.
McDonald’s are in a some major Med Centers. At one of these a family of three spent over thirty dollars on one meal. Other places to eat in Med Center, yes. Thirty dollars to MacD’s no.
I would never go to KFC EVER!!!! There was a video I saw of a KFC that was closed down by the Board of Health in New York City. Why? Because it was filled with RATS!!! I actually saw the rats running out of the shop and I almost threw up right then and there. I will never, ever, go back to one of those.
I was betting with myself that Subway would be at the top of this list while I was reading the article… I won.
You didn’t even touch on the main problem with service that ‘us folks’ here in the southern midwest (texas, oklahoma, kansas, nebraska) have at the whole slew of fast-food joints (and maybe didn’t want to). No habla englaise…
I probably spelled that wrong, but what the f….
In SW KS (and other areas I’m told) you can’t get most white teens to work at fast food because most work for their family AG and retail businesses,unless they are affluent from that biz and just refuse to work. That leaves fast food chains with mexicans and other latinos that are out of work from the decline in construction, etc. Most of these, um, persons speak little english and dislike the anglos. Result, declining service and quality. Go figure…
I agree with you about Chipotle. I like thier food, but their menu is always the same.
Luckily a new mexican restaurant opened around the corner from my apartment this summer. Good food, more variety and cheaper. I love New York!
You are dead on about every last one of them. The only one I continue to visit is Wendy’s and even that’s infrequently now. They manage to hire some of the dumbest people at the drive through and I can’t help the feeling they are checking you out just a little bit too much for my comfort. Also-why is it that so many of these places can’t get anyone who actually understands and speaks the language? I understand that in the past generation these jobs have been put down by the left wing types and now we have people “doing the jobs Americans won’t do” which is such a line of bull crap. Maybe Americans would do them if a)-they weren’t so devalued by left wing agit prop and b) – they could actually work with people they felt comfortable with and with whom they shared something in common, not just breathing, moving, and talking. Why the hell would an average American of any age want a job where you were the outsider and YOU were treated like the foreigner. When I do get someone who is obviously American at the drive through, and they can actually have a conversation, the feeling is fantastic because the experience at this point is so unexpected. Kind of like when you call up for customer service and you can actually converse and understand the person on the other end.
I love Popeye’s.
And Pollo Loco.
I try to avoid fast food places whenever possible. I agree that by-and-large the food is overpriced junk.
I do enjoy Steak and Shake; good burgers, great shakes, decent fries and sides. Usually good service on real china plates with actual metal forks, knives and spoons.
I go to Taco Bell for one thing: three tacos, frijoles and iced tea. Under $5. Now, if they could just play some decent music…
For fried chicken, flip a coin; Church’s or Popeye’s. I love Popeye’s spicy chicken, unfortunately it doesn’t love me back. They used to have great onion rings, but I guess they didn’t sell well enough.
Arby’s for a roast beef once in a great while and only with a coupon.
McDonald’s used to be great but, come on, microwave pancakes?? And everything else is out of a warmer. Still the best fries, more’s the pity.
Five Guys is good, but I’m not schlepping across town for one. Jimmy John’s just opened up a couple of miles up the road; I’ll have to try them.
Oh, Subway’s “fresh bread”? I used to be a trucker, I’ve hauled it out of the plant in Camden, New Jersey. Frozen, keep at 0 degrees in transit.
Best donuts? Tim Horton’s. Sadly, mostly in Canada and a few spots in Michigan, Ohio, and upstate New York. Best coffee, period.
And you’re right: I can do better myself at home.
Freedom and Whiskey!!
Faffnir
I loooove me some skinny fries and a shake from Steak n’ Shake, but there is no way you can call it fast food.
For doughnuts, Krispy Kreme, but only when the light is on. You can’t beat a couple dozen still-hot glazed with cold milk.
I used to work at a Kentucky Fried Chicken, and sometimes would make the cole slaw and macaroni salad in the morning (“First, you start with 100 lbs of cabbage and shred it…”) but it’s all shipped in now.
I got a big chuckle out of this article. I’ve always said that any time you find your sense of self-esteem is low, just spend a few minutes in almost any fast-food joint. Observe the customers as well as the employees for a few minutes and you’ll come away with your superiority complex fully restored.
Very good point. An article about lousy service could be a good follow-up.
The only “fast food” I go to anymore are the non-chain, mom-&-pop taquerías, Asian noodle shops or BBQ joints. Way better food and way cheaper. If only every town had ‘em.
We rarely participate in fast food, but we live in a neighborhood that has good fresh food if we don’t feel like cooking.
We have a bagel store/deli that makes fresh bagels several times a day, fresh salads and cold cuts. It has an A rating from the NYC inspectors.
We have two pizza places, but we only go to one of them – again, fresh ingredients and constant turnover, clean and great service with a smile (they know us by now).
We have a Chinese place to end all Chinese places. Slightly pricey, but again fresh ingredients with constant turnover and friendly service.
We’ve also got a wrap place, Thai, and an old-fashioned homemade ice cream parlor.
Why go to a chain?
In n Out burger just opened in Texas. Didn’t think they were exceptional in CA and same in Texas. Consensus is their fries are like sticks of cardboard. Fresh lettuce, non shredded is a plus. Their hamburger sauce is visually repulsive.
Whataburger – also family owned – is much better and their new green chili cheeseburgers and toasted buns bring me back. Good breakfasts there for on the go. For the best “fast” jalapenos stuffed with cheddar, breaded and deep fried in best mega calorie category (with Ranch Dressing an option) Jack in the Box is the place but don’t order anything else there.
‘Cept for Whataburger, it’s always better to search out the little places highly local and take your chances. We all know that. Ask a local and listen.
The only fast food restaurant chain with decent food nowadays that I know of is Braums, which is a regional chain in Oklahoma and Kansas. If you happen to drive through this part of the country, consider stopping at one of their places. Braums has the best milk on the market to sell, too, in their little grocery section. I’d think twice about moving out of the range of a Braums and having to buy some other brand of milk.
They’ve got Braums in north Texas, like in Fort Worth. Being a regional chain that covers just part of the state, you don’t have to tell them not to make your burger Texas style.
Whataburger would be great if I did not have to tell them hold the mustard every time. Half the time, I forget and get a gross, mustard-laden Texas style burger.
Totally agree-I’m so sick of fast food joints using trendy ingredients or acting like what they are making is actually healthy/gourmet. It’s just sad.
Taco Bell is the best hands down. Yes, it is cheap stuff and doesn’t taste that great. They don’t pretend otherwise though. Heck, their company motto might as well be:
“Taco Bell: What, you were expecting better?”
I live near the border, you can’t swing a dead cat without smacking it against an excellent mom & pop mexican food place. Anybody around here that goes to Taco Bell vice a mom & pop is crazy.
That being said, I agree with your comments if I run across them anywhere else.
I have always been very picky about which fast food restaraunts I visit. Arby’s and Wendy’s are okay but I only frequent them once a month. Instead, I make it an adventure to find really good fast food which is the fun part but I find I have to call in a carry out order from my favorite places. I know all the best greasy spoons, privately held family restaraunts and bistro’s within 25 miles of home that I can call for take out. Usually something close to where I’m working that day. I’m pretty well convinced that a vast majority of fast food places in this country suck, however, I can’t say anything bad about In and out burger, Wilson’s in Findlay Ohio or Devil dog in Chicago!
I couldn’t agree more about KFC. At my local KFC, I ‘ve experienced the same problems that the author did. I’ve placed orders only to have them tell me they’re out of original recipe chicken (say what?!!!) and have been given the wrong sides orders on multiple occassions. But, what really stopped me from coming back was the poor service from the lackluster staff. Micky D’s may get the order wrong now and then, but at least the kids are friendly and seem to take some pride in their job.
In my life I have eaten twice at McDonalds and vomited both times.
I used to love eating in the US fast food joints compared to our Canadian offerings, sounds like you’all are coming down to our level. Up here, in the ranks of been around a long time chains, A&W is probably still the best and it ain’t what it used to be.
I have to agree with your assessments. I don’t eat a lot of fast food, but when I do, it is rarely one of the above options.
Wendy’s is my wife’s favorite fast food joint, and they are conveniently located, so I end up there on occassion. But I have long suspected that their reputation for quality and healthy options is more based on marketing than actual fact (in fact, I assume that about most fast food places that try to position themselves as rthe healthy option).
I’ve only been to Panda Express once and I don’t recall anything special about the experience, although I was mostly focused on trying to feed two young children at the time.
I’ve never been to Fazoli’s and don’t know where I would find one if I wanted to. I guess that’s a good thing.
I tried the new Chipotle in town recently and was underwhelmed by the food while being overwhelmed by the price. Granted, there aren’t a lot of options for good Mexican in upstate New York, but I’m pretty sure I can do better than that, or just wait for my next trip out west.
I’ve never chosen to go to Arby’s and can only actually remember two times in my life when I have been there. I figure if I want a roast beef sandwich I can get some cold cuts and make it myself.
I ate at KFC last week for the first time in many years. I thought the chicken was still pretty good, although I’m sure I could find just as good elsewhere. I do think they’ve spent too much effort branching out into new food concepts, such as their popcorn chicken or mashed potato bowl (again, which my wife loves. If I wanted powdered mashed potatoes, I would go to the soup kitchen downtown).
I definitely agree with you about Subway. I was briefly a fan during college when I wanted moderately healthy, but convenient fast food. Before long I realized that the portions were so small that even a low cost sandwich wasn’t worth the price. If they want to improve business, they should hide the little pre-measured trays holding what looks to be half an ounce of meat each.
I’d be interested to read your list of fast food places that are actually pretty decent.
Chick Fil Et Great service. Great sandwich. Awesome shakes.
What are you–a food Nazi? This is the kind of Social-Issues-For-Dummies thing that belongs at the Huffington Port.
Begone, Progressive moron!
Panda Express is the new Taco Bell. Get used to it.
Freebird’s is the new Subway, but better. A huge burrito, made Subway style, for a low price with enough left over to eat again later.
Arby’s has gone from great to pretty darn bad. Overpriced and low quality. Also hard to eat while driving.
You forgot In-N-Out. I’ve had it in California and now Texas. Soggy fries, ok at best burger…though the shake was pretty good and the price acceptable. I’ll take Good Times or Whataburger 1st.
Used to love Wendy’s fries’ potential but they never actually cooked the darn things. Aggressive thawing was about the best one could expect. Then they went to McD’s leftover fries, the ones they hadn’t skinned yet. Sayonara.
*Chicken* sandwich from Arby’s…Arby’s??? Roast Beef, curly fries and jamocha shake. There’s no other reason to go there. And even that has exceeded my acceptable price point.
When I was a kid (late ’60′s/early ’70′s) a bucket of chicken and trimmings from KFC was a treat and while you could expect a thin film of grease on your fingers it was part of the fried chicken experience. What we didn’t get back then was the puddle of grease still oozing off the bird bits and congealing at the bottom. Better options at regional outfits.
I still do an occasional Subway, almost always a footlong tuna. I’ve seen the triangular trench cut done elsewhere but the one I go to cuts flat.
The others mentioned in the article don’t exist in my area so no experience in that regard. In my region my fast food of choice would be Wattaburger and Braums. And they are both highly variable. Some stores are good, some suck on ice. Find a good one and stick with it.
Gotten ripped off too many times at highway McD’s and the size of their so-called meat patties has undergone some serious shrinkage.
I never saw the big deal with Subway. Stuff you could make yourself. The whole made to order thing is not compatible with a lunch rush, especially with an elderly asian lady left alone behind the counter. Thats why Jimmy Johns is creeping up on them.
I feel for you, #5, but if you had went to the Anacostia or Prince George County version of the same restaurant, you would still be waiting for your food at the same time the other guy finally left the ER. Makes me wonder if drive-through facilitated the illegal worker trend. Now McDonalds is using a fluent person physically take your order in the drive thru line.
Lighten up, for darn sake.
I get what I expect from fast food places as far as the food goes. The service at every place you have named is other-worldly in its ineptitude, slothfulness and contemptuousness for the customer. I have found a KFC unit near me that has a (“a”!) good counter man – when he quits I guess I’ll stop going there. Two others near me have closed for no apparent reason besides that the people around here gave up on the dreadful service. Both were on very busy highways. I must say that my experience with Subway has always been good – I don’t eat there often so maybe my number is up. Throwing a bag of chips in wouldn’t be a bad idea, though.
Other candidates: Hardee’s/Carl’s, Popeye’s and Taco Bell.
I echo the guy who said Five Guys and if there’s a Cheeburger Cheeburger near you I hope they’re as good as the one here in Annapolis.
Chipotle (I can’t even type that without the mental image of Jack’s mouth all wrinkled up) – Where else can I get a $5.67 (burrito & coke) lunch for $9.97?
Can’t resist sticking my $0.02 in this one! At my home, we don’t eat fast food too often, although son-in-law #1 frequents Taco Bell from time to time.
Had a Wendy’s burger in Baltimore years ago; thing DRIPPED with grease, practically inedible!
A Weny’s opened up a few years ago in our general area, we decided to try it, got the order home…and it was RAW, UNCOOKED!
In baseball you get 3 strikes, with food 2 bad experiences are enough.
Do like that KFC extra crispy, workers there idiots sometimes…
Mrjobro
Why don’t you include McDonald’s where you get a free ass-whipping along with your meal? I’m willing to pay a little bit more if that means the riff-raff (including their managers) hang out some place else.
In-N-Out Burger.
There it is, I said it! The best, back to basics, freshest fast food available. I’m a big fan. Do yourself a favor and try a “double-double animal style.”
Hear, hear!
Too bad they don’t have them in Washington
Really disagree. Quality of the burgers is ok, but the taste is eh. Fries are awful, and the menu is limited. I have never understood why folks like that place.
in-n-out is tricky to peg
the trick is to visit an establishment that is over 20 years old
living in oc, the only in-n-outs that are any good is the one in fullerton and the one in hacienda heights– the rest are consistent with the negative reviews by the posters here but the service in most is usually solid
another thing about in-n-out is to indulge in the winter time; unless one has the metabolism of a hummingbird eating in summer is sure to lead to a gut-bomb
Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have THE BEST fast food chain in America! It’s called Burgerville…..and if you are out this way, you’ve got to try it. They use seasonal ingredients (the Walla Walla onion rings are epic, and are only around for 6 weeks or so), innovative tweaks on the expected fast food fare (sweet potato fries in the fall)…we love Burgerville! It a surefire cheap date or rocking treat for the family….
+10! Tillamook cheddar and pepper bacon!
Central PA is a wasteland as far as fast food goes.
Though every now and then I’m tempted to find an excuse to get down to either Frederick or Westminster MD so I can go to Roy Rogers…
Central PA is a wasteland for food, period
Central PA starts at the Delaware
I never eat at Subway. I don’t like lettuce or many other veggies. I don’t see the point of a little meat on a large piece of bread. Not my idea of a good meal.
I like Wendy’s. The ones around where I live are really good, and it’s about the only fast food place I go to anymore. Burger King has made me sick every time I go there, and McDonald’s is full of old grease.
I used to like the Pizza Hut near me when I was in Massachusetts. The food and service was good, so we went there maybe once every month or two when we hit the malls.
But after moving to Georgia, I can’t believe how hard it is to get good Pizza.
The first three years after we bought our house, we tried the local Pizza Hut, exactly… three times, once per year. The first two times we had it delivered, and they sent the wrong pizza.
After another year went by, we decided maybe it was just their delivery was screwed up. So we dropped into the shop itself. (I won’t call it a “restaurant” as it was just take out and delivery — no sit down).
Guess what? Even when we ordered in person, they ended up SENDING OUR PIZZA OUT TO SOMEONE ELSE!!! The only good thing about that is that in person, they offered to give us a discount on a new pizza and gave us a free Liter bottle of Soda.
Nevertheless, thats been a few years and I won’t be buying from Pizza Hut in Georgia in the future.
There’s a Jersey Mike’s Philly Cheesteak shop near us that actually makes surprisingly decent Cheesteaks. Unfortunately, as the local rednecks have no clue what a cheesteak is, they cut it into tiny little pieces. How disappointing when you unwrap a nice large hot pseudo-Philly Cheesteak only to find “finger food”!
I’ve heard 5 Guys makes good fresh handmade hamburgers, but its too far away for me to bother.
And when your wife is Chinese and can cook better Chinese food than at any local Chinese Buffet, why not just eat in?
What all of these restaurants have in common is Professional Management. Harlan Sanders died and the quality drifted. The same is true of Dave and Wendy’s. The reverse of this condition is absolutely rigid control which is McDonald’s strategy. I used to like new breads and different sauces in addition to catsup which they could try if the top of the company could say go ahead and try it. Some people who own franchises have not let their quality slip. There are KFCs that Harlan Sander would be proud of.
The big problem is just the costs of operating a business in America today I calculated the cost of McDonalds hamburger and fries in the fifties in today’s dollars. A fifteen cent hamburger then is just over three dollars of value today. Ten cent Fries is over two dollars. Little wonder that Wendy’s is trying to cut out the few cents it adds to peel their potatoes to make fries. Americans are just poorer than they were forty years ago and cannot afford the same quality of food.
The best fast food deal isn’t at a fast food joint. It’s at the Costco snack bar where you can get a huge quarter pound hot dog or a kelbasa and a 20 oz soda for $1.50.
Taco Hell should be number one. Awful, toilet inducing food!!
What do you expect? It’s fast food, ie crap.
I realize this will be taken as heresy but when I’m on the road McDonald’s isn’t bad for breakfast. Their coffee is uniformly good wherever I stop and the sausage and egg McMuffin, providing you don’t get one that’s been cooked twice, is decent. I’ll even go in for a quarter pounder with cheese later in the day if I’m strapped for time. Not great but decent.
Seconded. I have a Sausage McMuffin nearly every day for breakfast.
I don’t understand the McDonald’s hate. I’ve eaten there since I was a kid and I’ve never had a problem with their food. There’s a reason why they’re so successful.
fast food is for when you’re hungry and you want something fast to stop the hungry. It’s not supposed to be gourmet, just filling and fast. Double cheesburgers are my weapon of choice. Whether they come from McD’s or BK, that’s good enough for me.
If anyone happens to be in Oklahoma City, the First Nat’l Bank Building right in the center of downtown has a chinese restaurant on the first floor that is worth the trip. Believe it’s called the Golden Dragon. The cognitive dissonance involved in ordering a freshly made sausage/egg/cheese bagel at a chinese restaurant while listening to C&W on the restaurant radio could only happen in okc. Cheaper than McD’s, tastier and the help actually appreciates your presence.
Oh yeah, the ‘help’ is all family. I suspect that that matters.
I’ve got to agree with most all of these, but from the perspective of a guy living in China, I’ve got to say that I would kill to have most of these available.
And if you think KFC is bad in the U.S., you should try it here. It is everywhere, by far the most popular fast food import, and it is absolutely, unbelievably terrible.
What? No Olive Garden on this list?
I don’t think the Olive Garden counts as fast food.
Lots of you were right on target. My spouse is Chinese so he either cooks at home or we go to a local buffet. I get sandwiches from Publix (supermarket) as opposed to Subway. The bread is 10 times better and all the other ingredients are fresher too. For burgers and fries, Checkers. But as I tell my husband, we can make burgers and fries at home and it’s much healthier. For one thing we bake the fries.
The main purpose of Subway (in west central Florida, anyway) is as a target for late-night robberies.
The one Wendy’s in our area is terrible. They only have one cashier, and it’s usually Shaniqua from the ‘hood. Slow as molasses in January. And if you get behind someone ordering for the whole office or crew, you’ll wait forever since there’s only one cashier. KFC charges way too much for chicken. Publix or Sweetbay which is another grocery store, again, for rotisserie or fried chicken.
I don’t even know anyone that eats at the one remaining Arby’s in our area.
I SURE wish they’d open a Pollo Tropicale in my area though! That and Checkers are about all I need for fast food.
Downtown Disney did well by replacing McDonalds with Pollo Campero. You can actually get in a full meal while waiting to be admitted into the TREX cafe. The KFC in Clearwater by the high school was a pleasant surprise, safe for a dinner away from the beach.
Great overview article.
I haven’t eaten McDonald’s beef since 1995. At the time I couldn’t get enough of their 1/4lb burgers, but one day I just came to realize they were kind of disgusting. Now whenever I go there with the family I order a grilled chicken sandwich, which is surprisingly good. It is an actual piece of chicken, not the recombined stuff like you get in most FF joints. I never order anything else.
I don’t mind Arby’s, but their Roast Beef is just so-so in my book. They do however have a great sliced roast chicken sandwich, and their fries are decent. Do NOT get any chicken that is a patty. Those are pathetic.
Something about Subway has changed over the years. It used to be you could get a good sandwich that if nothing else seemed fresh and tasty. Now I’m not a fan. And why does their Mountain Dew formula always taste different than anywhere else on the planet? In fact, the dirtiest restaurant I’ve ever been in was a Subway in Monticello Utah. I won’t get into the details other than to say the coup de grace was a big poop someone left ON the toilet seat in the men’s room. The women’s restroom was out of order…and we opted to eat somewhere else.
But I think an even more over-hyped sub place is Jimmy Johns. Went there for the first time a few weeks ago and found it to be uninspired at best. Certainly no better than Subway, though I admit there seemed to be more meat on the bun.
KFC is the one place I can go and be certain I’ll have diarrhea afterwards. I wish I was joking because it does taste pretty good (minus the glop they pass as mashed potatoes and their freakishly dry buns).
Actually, if you ever want to try a fun experiment, give up FF for a whole month and then go somewhere you normally go and get what you normally get. Your stomach will rebel. That is why you have to beat it down with even more FF to get it back into line LOL.
You have to try Dovies Hamburgers in Tompkinsville KY
They actually toss the patties into a deep fryer with 8″ of hot oil
The burger floats on top of the fat until it’s cooked then the server asks if you want it squeezed or not squeezed. Surprisingly good.
I wanted to make a point really quick to say that I am by no means opposed to fast food. Truthfully, I’m kind of a fan. I’m just a fan of fast food restaurants where I feel like I’m getting a little more actual bang for my buck. Chick Fil A is a wonderful example of this. I also like fast food places that may not necessarily be “good” but are up front about what they are and don’t try to sugar coat it. White Castle anyone?
Hmmm.
My issue with Arby’s is that when I buy a damn roast beef sandwich I do not want to pay extra for some lettuce, onion and a slice of tomato!
WTF!?
Two years ago, my boyfriend and I went to Subway every so often because it had a tie-in with the TV show, Chuck. I frickin’ love that show…but oh, boy, I have NEVER had a good Subway sandwich. Ever. Never. And we went to different Subways, too. In my experience, the bread was never fresh, and it got soggy way too quickly.
That’s a shame. The Subway my wife and I frequent always seems to be baking fresh bread (or cookies!), and I can (and just did, last night) put one of their sandwiches in the fridge for the next day, and the bread be just fine when I eat it. =’[.]‘=
“The neighborhood take-out joint will have food that is fresher (made to order instead of sitting on a steam table), more flavorful, and definitely cheaper.”
Where do you live?
How can In-N-Out, White Castle, and Steak ‘n’ Shake not be on this list?
Just as you expected, I’m going to have to chime in on the Chipotle/Qdoba comment. I have never had an item at Qdoba that I would consider to be higher quality than Chipotle. I will agree that Qdoba offers a much wider selection of items, but their rice is never cooked properly, the quality of the meat varies greatly, and the overall execution is worse (in the Indianapolis area at least.)I have never had a sub-par burrito at Chipotle. I have, however, had several meals at Qdoba that made me want to wretch. Soggy carnitas (to the point where the entire burrito collapsed and fell apart), stomach-churningly greasy chorizo, and those “taqueria style” tacos were a complete JOKE. Chipotle definitely spends more time hyping their product, but I could never concede that Qdoba does anything better than Chipotle… accept maybe soup.
your next essay should be on MSG and the people who put this toxin in almost all food products.
Surprised to see Chipotle’s; no, I’ve never been there, but there is one in Boston. That smarmy sign was all I needed to see, get stuffed. If you are in Boston, a better bet is probably Bolocco’s (stupid name) that also does burritos, along with wraps and the same stuff in a bowl. I think they’re pretty dang good, prices are reasonable , esp. for Boston. And the’yre right next door to the offices I’m in right now, which is prob. why I’ve put on about ten pounds since June.
I love Taco Bell. Every single item on the menu tastes EXACTLY the same as every other item on the menu. Talk about consistentcy….
Actually, we have a family concern of Subway franchises, locally, all run by the same folks. The one we frequent most (closest to home) is a model of friendly efficiency and quality, given the ingredients they work with, even though it is a training location.
Used to like Long John Silvers. Still not too bad, for fish and chips, and the service at our local joint is very good, but the prices! Used to be some of the most affordable fast food around. Not so, anymore.
Really like Chick-Fil-A, and it’s a shame it’s a regional enterprise, mostly limited to the East Coast. I have always held that the batter on those delicious chicken breasts contains some narcotic substance, ’cause I’m addicted. The waffle-cut fries are wonderful, and their lemonade is fresh and tart. And the hiring process must be like getting a job with the CIA, because I can’t imagine getting the people behind the counter to be so uniformly competent AND friendly without doing some serious interviewing and vetting.
Nertz! Now I’m hungry! =^[.]^=
Got to agree with the 7 on the list…
I will say that the best alternates are
7) 5 Guys (of course, they win most any fast food choice except my #1)
6) Hole in the wall Chinese restaurants (Forget fast food chinese!)
5) Italian food should never be fast food to start with! But if i had to name one it’d be “Noodles & Co.”
4) Qdoba obviously (albeit they’ve gone up harsh in price lately)
3) Stake and Shake gets the advantage over Hardees (whom i like for their burgers.. their Red Burrito stuff.. Not at all!
2) Popeye’s .. KFC is horrible ever since I was a wee toddler! (even before the death of the Colonel)
and my all time favorite:
1) Lenny’s Subs. (anyone who says Jimmy John’s needs to have their tastebuds just chopped out!) Meat heavy every sandwich and toppings heavy as well… you sometimes need a fork to eat a great Lenny’s sub.
The bottom line on fast food is it ain’t cheap, it ain’t very good and most times it ain’t really that fast. I eat at fast food places only when I’m traveling on the interstate.
Mazel Tov to PJ Lifestyles!! The article is a hit, funny, conservative, yet on point.
Query however: how many muslims are employed making kafir food? and do we really know what’s in it?
You can get great falafel and tikka at a few small places in Houston. Good stuff. They’ll take your cash or credit card, probably no checks. Say “shukran,” and they might throw in an extra bit of lamb. Act like an ass and risk an upset stomach.
This book has the best hole-in-the-walls:
http://www.amazon.com/Houston-Dining-Cheap-Inexpensive-Restaurants/dp/0971404011
I’m in the South and we recently got a Five Guys — best ‘premium fast food chain’ (oxymoron?) burger around here. The fries are a bit different, but when done well are quite good — if you understand what malt vinegar is for. They are actually a different style of fry.
Whataburger has held up quite well.
I’ve thought Subway was barely tolerable crap for years — its exactly like you said — pile on enough lettuce and you’re supposed to not notice the thin amount of poor quality meat and cheese. The baked-in-store ‘fresh bread’ — which you almost *never* get fresh — is glorified hot dog buns.
Jimmy John’s actually has very good in-store bread. The ingredients are all good (though fewer choices — a worthy tradeoff) but I wish to hell they’d use a steamer or toaster if you wanted. When the inside of the sandwich still feels chilled, you lose a lot of flavor.
Absolutely agree Popeye’s is better than KFC.
Hardee’s absolutely has the best breakfast biscuits.
It used to be a long time ago that all these places were pretty good. Remember when KFC had the slogan – “Finger Licking Good?” Yeah, those days are gone. Same is true for Pizza Hut. Given it’s not in the fast food category but the way they make Pizzas sure could be considered. I used to tell my Italian friends in Germany that their pizzas were better than the ones they made at their own restaurant. Wrong! Many times I eat better pizzas whenever visiting Germany. And the nice thing – a Pizzeria how many are called have white table clothes and in the evening even cloth napkins. When you order fish, they fillet it at the table for you. Those are eating places with class and the Euro 12 for a Pizza is not much worse than the small pizza price you have to pay here. Pan pizza isn’t everything. You end up getting more bread than what’s actually on it.
(I tried posting the following comment, but it didn’t appear for some reason. I’ll try it again without the links. I apologize in advance if it shows up twice.)
Well, I guess I’m sort of a fast food aficionado, considering how often I eat it.
(And no, I’m not obese. I’m 53, and I think beer is mostly responsible for my slight paunch.)
I haven’t heard of some of the places in this article, like Panda Express, Fazoli’s, and Chipotle. I’ve eaten at all of the others.
I’ve eaten at Wendy’s a lot, and I’ve always liked them. But I used to eat there more often than now, because there was one near the place I worked back then, and also because I had a serious crush on one of the girls that worked there.
I used to like Arby’s and Roy Rogers, but they don’t seem to be in my area any more. I haven’t eaten at those places in years.
I remember eating at KFC back in the 60s and 70s. It was called Kentucky Fried Chicken in those days. It was awesome.
I never got into the habit of eating at Subway, but I’ve been satisfied the few times I have. I live in the Philadelphia suburbs, and there is no shortage of hole-in-the-wall pizza, hoagie, and cheesesteak places around here. I’m kind of spoiled in that respect. I had a Subway hoagie about a month ago at a rest stop on the turnpike, and it was fine. I was quite happy with it.
I have breakfast at McDonald’s almost daily, usually a Sausage McMuffin. It’s right on my way to work, so it’s convenient. And I’ve never had a problem with McDonald’s food. It’s perfectly serviceable. I think most of the McD haters are fast food snobs.
I’ve never had an In-and-Out or a Whataburger. They aren’t in my area, but it’s clear that they have a near cult-like following among their fans. Sounds yummy!
I’d like to put in a good word for Jake’s Wayback Burgers. It’s a small northeastern chain, and I never see them mentioned in “best burgers” discussions. One recently opened near me, and so did Five Guys. So far I’ve eaten at Jake’s twice and Five Guys once, and I like Jake’s better.
I was born in the Cincinnati area, and I ate at Frisch’s Big Boy when I was a kid in the early 60s. I don’t believe the term “fast food” existed yet back then. It was called a hamburger restaurant or something like that. They’re only in the Ohio and Kentucky area. My family moved away when I was eight years old. About twenty years later I had occasion to drive through Ohio, and I made a point of stopping there. It was just as good as I remembered it. But that was more than twenty years ago, so I can’t vouch for their quality today.
I think in all cases, the individual location makes all the difference. Some franchise owners and managers are serious and competent and run a tight ship; others less so.
I just noticed that I used “I” in that comment almost as much as Obama does. Ack. Sorry.
Here in Auckland, New Zealand the Subways and McDonald’s are mostly owned by Indians and Chinese – they like to skimp on ingredients as they feel this saves them money, so for example at the Subway they’ll try to pile only a lot of lettuce into your sandwich or salad, then if you ask for cucumber they’ll put two slices on your sandwich, if you ask for more they might give you ONE other slice. They also don’t like to give you more than one napkin. At the McDonald’s the hot fudge sundae just has a teeny-tiny dollop of chocolate sauce, if you ask for more, they give you a dirty look.
No wonder white people are leaving here by droves.
Wally, I hear the Wendy’s in New Zealand are really well operated. If this true?
Wally, take a surreptitious video of these practices and send it to corporate headquarters with the address of the store, along with vague threats of a class-action suit (if such a thing exists in New Zealand). It’s quite possible for franchisees to get their franchise revoked and if the central office is made aware of a franchiser engaging in commercial fraud, they might do just that. Franchisers do things like this simply because it saves them money and they don’t think they will ever get caught. If customers stop tolerating such behavior then it might cease.
I HATE sites that make lists like this, 7 lists, numerous pages, this list should be on one page, sorry after Wendys I left.
Arby’s has a great dollar menu.
Fazoli’s is horrible.
I don’t like Wendy’s that much, especially their new fries, but there is one down the street from my office that cooks their fries perfectly. Fries from the dollar menu and a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger is a decent, cheap, lunch.
Subway flat bread sandwiches are okay, though I prefer Quiznos (especially with a permanent coupon I have at the location next to my office.)
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