Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
USA TODAY
From breakfast to burgers, these are the best fast food restaurants in the US
By 10Best Editors,
9 hours ago
Grabbing a quick and affordable bite to eat certainly has its appeal, especially when you're traveling. And given that fast food restaurants are usually easy to find, convenient to access, and offer a variety of options for different tastes and dietary preferences, they're a natural fit for groups on the go. Not to mention, some fast food chains offer regional specialties, allowing you to try new dishes and cuisines.
To find the best restaurants, USA TODAY 10Best editors and a panel of fast food aficionados made their top picks for fast food and quick-service restaurants across 10 categories. Then, our readers decided the winners by casting votes for their favorites.
Click on each category below to see the full winners list:
Best Fast Casual Restaurant: QDOBA Mexican Eats
Readers crown QDOBA Mexican Eats as the Best Fast Casual Restaurant for sixth year in a row QDOBA Mexican Eats
Just about everything on the menu at QDOBA, from the guacamole to the flame-grilled steak, is prepared in-house. Diners build their own Mexican masterpieces in the form of tacos, burritos, grilled quesadillas, bowls, salads, or nachos.
Who doesn't love a delectable biscuit-based breakfast? With locations in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, Biscuitville's fresh-baked biscuits can be enjoyed a number of ways, from simple bacon, egg, and cheese or fried chicken biscuits to more elaborate breakfast sandwiches like their Spicy Chicken & Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Biscuit.
With breakfast platters and sides of grits, hash browns, or country gravy, plus indulgent sweet treats like their blueberry muffin, it's no wonder folks return again and again.
Best Fast Food Burger: Double Char - The Habit Burger Grill
The Double Char at The Habit Burger Grill takes the top spot for Best Fast Food Burger The Habit Burger Grill
Charring burgers over an open flame since 1969, The Habit Burger Grill started in Santa Barbara, California, and has grown to some 350 restaurants. Order the Double Char from the California-inspired menu and get ready for two freshly chargrilled beef patties, caramelized onions, fresh lettuce and tomato, pickles, and mayo on a toasted bun. You can also add cheese.
Our readers love the fried chicken at Jollibee Jollibee Foods Corporation
With 100 stores in North America, and more than 1,500 stores internationally, Jollibee is the largest and fastest-growing Asian restaurant company in the world. They're best known for Chickenjoy, the signature juicy, flavorful fried chicken. Order it in buckets or accompanied by sides — and don't forget to dip it in their silky gravy.
The fries at Del Taco can't be beat, according to our readers Del Taco
Known for its Mexican-inspired menu, Del Taco racks up plenty of fans for its crinkle cut fries. The shape holds salt and crispiness which really helps if you order them covered in chili, queso, or carne asada.
Del Taco wins Best Fast Food Restaurant for 2024 Del Taco
This popular taco stop, which serves all kinds of satisfying Mexican fare including burritos, quesadillas, and nachos, also offers burgers and fries. In addition, Del Taco has a dedicated breakfast menu, as well as a vegan and vegetarian menu.
Best Fast Food Sides: Tempura green beans - The Habit Burger Grill
Don't miss out on the tempura green beans at The Habit Burger Grill The Habit Burger Grill
The tempura green beans at The Habit Burger Grill are a popular complement to the beloved chargrilled burgers at this bicoastal fast-food chain. Made by dipping fresh green beans in a tempura batter and then deep-frying them, this unique side combines the crispiness of tempura with the fresh flavor of green beans and is served with ranch dipping sauce.
This chain of Cincinnati-style chili eateries started up in Ohio 75 years ago but has spread over time to a few neighboring areas (and the not-so-neighboring Florida).
While you'll certainly find its namesake on the menu — a meat-based sauce served over a plate of spaghetti topped with tons of cheddar cheese — they also serve hot dogs, salads, wraps, burritos, and chili bowls. They even have a few vegetarian-specific menu items.
Best Restaurant for Quick, Healthy Food: El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco takes the top spot for quick, healthy food El Pollo Loco
This mostly West coast chicken chain is known for its fire-grilled chicken, already making it healthier than any fried chicken option. El Pollo Loco also offers bowls, salads, and a selection of healthy sides.
PrimoHoagies is tops when it comes to sandwiches PrimoHoagies
If Italian specialty sandwiches are your jam, PrimoHoagies is definitely the place for you. Their menu has 10 sandwich categories to choose from, including Italian Classics (like their Sharp Italian), Philly Cheesesteaks (including a Pizza Steak), Schwartzies (think corned beef and roast beef), and even Meatless (like the Nonna's Veggies with eggplant and broccoli rabe).
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Most Popular
Comments / 0