OT: Americans' Favorite Fast Food Chains

[Connorpozlee]

Very disappointed to read people down on Jersey Mike's. I grew up on them in Jersey. So much better than any of the other chain sub shops.
That said, the best subs I have ever had were from Vinnies Pizza on 35 in Wall, NJ. Particularly the cheesesteak. Phenomenal.

 

[sluggo72]

Agree but the poster I was replying to was in NYC...

>>I was in NYC once in my life, for about two days, and I wanted to see as much as I could so when it came time to eat I just wanted to eat. I didn't care about nice restaurants, I just wanted to get it done with (which resulted in my a few times just getting a hot dog off a street vendor). But anyway, one time I went to eat at McDonald's...in NYC. And the line was so long I went elsewhere.<<

well whenever we go to the 'Big City' the last thing we want to do is go to a chain. Hard Rock café? please. We were in the Cayman islands and somebody says, 'ooo they have a Hard Rock', not me. I want to go someplace else, and if English is their first language then it better be broken! The best conch I've ever had was in Cozumel, in a shack on the beach, and you could see the guy in the back with a claw hammer 'tenderizing' it!! Fantastic!!.

 

[loosey goosey]

I like GrabbaGreen,Jamba Juice and Tokyo Joes.

 

[WDLion]

Very disappointed to read people down on Jersey Mike's. I grew up on them in Jersey. So much better than any of the other chain sub shops.
That said, the best subs I have ever had were from Vinnies Pizza on 35 in Wall, NJ. Particularly the cheesesteak. Phenomenal.

I can get a better sub at the local Short Stop at half the price.

 

[CF LION]

Another oldie, Carrols. I think it merged into Burger King but not sure.

Burger Chef as acquired by he Hardees chain.

 

[PSUSignore]

A couple of important distinctions: When we talk about Fast Food, there are different definitions usually defined by entree price points.

The lower tier Fast Food chains are defined by average quality and a fairly low cost menu. These include McD's, BK, Wendys, Arby's... average main entrée item cost < $ 4.00 per item.

The next tier is what the industry terms: Fast Casual https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_casual_restaurant

This is the realm of Chipolte, Shake Shack, Five Guys, etc. Different price point: $5 - $ 10 for main "entrée" item..

As you can see by this discussion, we are comparing apples/oranges. Interesting fact - the $0.99 Cheeseburger on a Dollar value menu costs the restaurant $0.94! The margin on this item is $0.05... this is why the beverage programs (soft drinks / coffee etc) are so important. Interesting fact #2 - typical fast food/c-store coffee... < $0.21 cost of goods (12 oz) - coffee / cup / lid....

I completely agree that there are categories to compare.
1. Low cost: P Terrys (local chain), Culver's, Wendy's, Chick Fil A
2. Mid range: Cloudy for me, I like many in the category. Most seem to make decent quality stuff.
3. High cost: Hopdoddy's (local)

Sig, agree with you re: P Terry's. Good breakfast sandwiches, good shakes, very reasonably priced too. Whenever I'm in Austin visiting my brother I hit there and hit Rudy's for BBQ. Know there are loads of upscale places for BBQ but Rudy's is fast and good enough that it satisfies my cravings.

Also a Culver's fan, their pot roast sandwich is pretty awesome. And still can't resist BK's original flame-grilled Whopper. Throw in Wendy's frosties too.

Rudy's is OK for a quick fix, although lately the one in Round Rock has been disappointing. One thing I've liked about them is consistency, but Round Rock's brisket has been lacking on my last 2-3 visits when compared to their 183 location in N. Austin. But their quality doesn't compare to the likes of Franklin, La BBQ, Mueller's, etc.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

I completely agree that there are categories to compare.
1. Low cost: P Terrys (local chain), Culver's, Wendy's, Chick Fil A
2. Mid range: Cloudy for me, I like many in the category. Most seem to make decent quality stuff.
3. High cost: Hopdoddy's (local)


Rudy's is OK for a quick fix, although lately the one in Round Rock has been disappointing. One thing I've liked about them is consistency, but Round Rock's brisket has been lacking on my last 2-3 visits when compared to their 183 location in N. Austin. But their quality doesn't compare to the likes of Franklin, La BBQ, Mueller's, etc.

My brother lives out off of Bee Cave near the Barton Creek golf courses and Querencia (where my Mom is). My trips to Austin are usually pretty quick and pretty busy and I don't get a chance to hit the higher-end places like the ones you mentioned.....hopefully someday! The local P Terry's and Rudy's are both about 5-6 minutes from his place, thus my habit of hitting them frequently when I'm in town.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

I think Starbucks is everywhere, and Dunkin Donuts nearly everywhere. I'm wondering if you have Peet's Coffee Stores back East. Peets started in Berkeley, and they have some pretty serious ownage of the high end coffee market here in the Bay Area, and in the LA area as well, I believe. I love Peet's Coffee. Not sure they are operating outside California, though.

LB we had a very limited presence in Pittsburgh of a Minneapolis chain called Caribou Coffee. I liked them a lot. But they retrenched their locations and my local spot was dark for a while, then reopened as a Peets. They went out too, just as I was getting used to them. Unfortunate because I got to like them a lot. Something different from Starbucks.

Dunkin Donuts is my go-to now.

The best coffee of all is Community Coffee out of New Orleans. I always bring home a bag on my infrequent trips to the Big Easy. They also have drive-throughs but only in Louisiana.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

Had that at the airport yesterday. Surprisingly good for airport food. And they make if fresh there too.

My niece works at Moe's in the Cleveland area, but I have not been yet. I'll agree with others about Culvers. And no one has mentioned Tim Horton's yet. It's pretty good food--the only trouble I have run into was inconsistent service. I suspect that's common across the fast food spectrum (excepting Chik-fil-a). They are a sponsor of the Braves' AAA club near my brother. The foul pole has been renamed the Fowl Pole there with a cow climbing it....

Tim's coffee is excellent.

 

[4INSBU]

The Wendy's in my neighborhood is awful. It is dirty and disgusting and they always get your order wrong. My kids, who will eat just about any fast food, refuse to go into any Wendy's because of their experience with our local Wendy's.

I once ordered a chicken sandwich at Wendy's in the drive-thru. Pulled away, opened the sandwich to find no chicken. LOL

 

[Osprey Lion]

I will never ever go to Popeye's again. Maybe its a "city" thing but all of them around here have attitudes out the wazoo, plus the one time I went to the one on the way home from work they said they were out of Chicken. Not its in the fryer or it will be up in a minute but that they didn't have any. WTF its what you do.

Out of chicken? That's classic.

 

[Osprey Lion]

well whenever we go to the 'Big City' the last thing we want to do is go to a chain. Hard Rock café? please. We were in the Cayman islands and somebody says, 'ooo they have a Hard Rock', not me. I want to go someplace else, and if English is their first language then it better be broken! The best conch I've ever had was in Cozumel, in a shack on the beach, and you could see the guy in the back with a claw hammer 'tenderizing' it!! Fantastic!!.

I too have never had conch as sweet and tender as that in Cozumel. The locals really know how to do it.

 

[Connorpozlee]

I can get a better sub at the local Short Stop at half the price.

That hurts my soul. And I don't know what Short Stop is.

 

[MtNittany]

Nothing wrong w/ Jersey Mike's (and I was raised on Cellini's) when that's all that's available. We have a good sub shop by the beach here that is my go to. Also Publix has better subs without question, but if you're on the run, out and about, JM is as good as it gets for a national sub chain imo.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

That hurts my soul. And I don't know what Short Stop is.

Fast food burger chain, not sure how widespread, been to several over the years in the Austin (TX) area. (Drive through only, no interior service.)

 

[MtNittany]

Checkers/Rallys pretty much sucks, but they DID have Rap Cat:

Rap Cat became a celebrity (at least in FL). They printed bags w/ directions how to cut out arm holes for your cat to be Rap Cat.

Animal rights activists threw a fit. Rappers threw a fit. Checkers just doubled down w/ a Rap Cat video:



I would have liked to work in that marketing department.

 

[PSUSignore]

Checkers/Rallys pretty much sucks, but they DID have Rap Cat:

View embedded media

Rap Cat became a celebrity (at least in FL). They printed bags w/ directions how to cut out arm holes for your cat to be Rap Cat.

Animal rights activists threw a fit. Rappers threw a fit. Checkers just doubled down w/ a Rap Cat video:

View embedded media

I would have liked to work in that marketing department.

I forgot all about this, good stuff. I haven't seen a Rally's since living in Columbus. They had good curly fries.

 

[AWS1022]

My first memory of a fast food restaurant......

Wasn't this the place that put their burgers in plastic bags? Then they got soggy and wet.

 

[PSUTENN1]

I would like to read others opinions about this;

I heard good things about "5 Guys" burgers, so on a recent road trip I tried it out with my bride. I thought they were good, but not $37 worth of good. $$ Ridiculous !!

I also recently tried "Red Robin" for the first time, again it was good, but not the knock your socks off burger I heard about from friends.

A real good burger is hard to find.

 

[CF LION]

Wasn't this the place that put their burgers in plastic bags? Then they got soggy and wet.

I don't remember that.

 

[AWS1022]

I don't remember that.

Maybe someone from Edinboro would remember, because it was a burger place in Edinboro that did it and I thought it was a Burger Chef.

 

[MtNittany]

Maybe someone from Edinboro would remember, because it was a burger place in Edinboro that did it and I thought it was a Burger Chef.

You are correct.

It was duplicated by Schroeder's (an old Burger Chef):

 

[AWS1022]

You are correct.

It was duplicated by Schroeder's (an old Burger Chef):

Yes, thank you. That was nasty. Even as a kid I wondered about the intelligence of doing that.

 

[hagberg]

IMO, chain fast food is mostly dependent on the franchise. I've been lucky; there was an awesome Firehouse Subs in Sarasota that made great subs. Not a fast food place, but my Publix supermarket also did a fine job.

Here in Maryland there was a Fuddruckers that made great burgers (bison, ostrich, etc., if you didn't want standard beef). They also had great shakes. Unfortunately they closed. Must be not enough people agreed! Now we hit Five Guys for the best burgers in town.

When it comes to coffee, as a decaf drinker (I know.....i can feel your scorn and derision from here!) the only place I'll buy coffee is McDonald's. Light years better than Starbucks and Tim Horton's, and DD isn't even in the competition.

 

[Option Bob]

Wasn't this the place that put their burgers in plastic bags? Then they got soggy and wet.

Could you be thinking about "Whopper Burger"? This place kept Burger King out of San Antonio for decades because of the name. BK set up in nearby San Marcos, but not within SA city limits. After a few years, BK finally bought the chain and moved all over San Antonio. However, service at local BK's might be the worst of all chains.

 

[Thus Spake Mainer]

I knew a girl at McDonald's that could make a BigMac in two minutes and make Mac big in one minute.

 

[psuro]

Nathan's. Coney. Island. Dogs.

*drops mic*