Best Fast Food Chains To Try In The US?

[jolldan]

Greetings everyone as a I live outside of the US I have never tried a lot of the more famous US Fast Food chains will be going travelling soon and I usually do on a shoe string.

(And before any well cultured foodie jumps in telling me I must try the real culinary delights of the US you are wasting your time with me I have been to two different Michelin star restaurants and honestly it just all tasted much and such the same the experience is a very much wasted on me.)

These are the ones I have on my list so far.

• Panda Express
• Taco Bell
• Chick-fil-A
• Wendy's
• Dunkin Doughnuts
• Chipolte
• White Castle
• Popeye's
• Little Creaser's
• IHOP

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[Boom]

I'm quite partial to Arby's myself.

 

[jolldan]

I'm quite partial to Arby's myself.

Thanks will add it to the list.

 

[Boom]

Burgers
-Burger King
-Culver's
-Five Guys
-Jack in the Box
-McDonald's
-Sonic
-Wendy's
-White Castle

Fried Chicken
-Chick-fil-A
-KFC
-Popeyes
-Raising Canes

Mexican
-Chipotle
-Currito
-Hothead Burritos
-Qdoba
-Taco Bell

Pizza
-Little Caesar's
-Mod Pizza (I'm not sure if this is a national chain or not)

Sandwiches
-Arby's
-Jersey Mike's
-Penn Station
-Potbelly Sandwich Shop

 

[Immortalfire]

Chick fil A
Raising Cane’s
Mellow Mushroom
Firehouse Subs
Waffle House


Don’t be afraid to try local non-chain places for the best burgers.

 

[terry78]

This is going to be quite the experience.

 

[Drizzle]

It depends on where you’re going. Not all fast food restaurants are present in every region of the country. For example, In-N-Out Burger is only on the West Coast.

 

[jolldan]

It depends on where you’re going. Not all fast food restaurants are present in every region of the country. For example, In-N-Out Burger is only on the West Coast.

My bad, its east coast I will be visiting.

 

[Erzengel]

I live on the East Coast and maybe it's because I'm older now, I tend to stay away from "fast food" not that I don't indulge every now and then.

It's been told to me that the McDonalds in other countries are superior to the ones in the US. So I wouldn't get your hopes up for a delicious experience in the states.

Personally, in terms of the burger places I'd put Burger King, McDonalds & Wendys are essentially the same level. I always felt that White Castle was a good place to go after you had a few plus they are open 24 hours. Sonic is above all of them personally. Shake Shack is what I feel is the best fast food burger place in the NY/NJ area.

For pizza, if you are going to come to NYC, don't eat at Sbarro, Little Casears, Dominos, Pizza Hut. Any corner has a pizza place and I'm willing to bet the slices aren't too expensive and better than any of those chains.

In terms of "diners" such as iHop or even Dennys. Just go to any respectable diner. You're not missing out.

Mexican, is probably the only place I probably really do on a more consistent basis, but I'm more of a Qdoba than a Chipotle mainly because we still hear reports of some sort of issue with Chipotle. Taco Bell is more if you just want cheap tacos and that's fine.

There are going to be a lot of places in the City, where you can get cheap eats. There's also food trucks that are much better as well. You just have to put the time and effort into researching them.

 

[Drizzle]

What Erz said, but I’d also recommend Five Guys and Chick-Fil-A if you can find them.

 

[Lily Adler]

Chick fil A
Raising Cane’s
Mellow Mushroom
Firehouse Subs
Waffle House


Don’t be afraid to try local non-chain places for the best burgers.

It's a chicken sandwich that you eat that means you hate gay people. But it's so good.

 

[Texas Zombie]

Dairy Queen

 

[tzarinna]

Roy Rogers, not many around but good for burgers and fried chicken. Mostly North of DC.
&pizza, mostly in DC.
Qdoba Grill
Elevation Burger
Popeyes
KFC

Edit:
Panera Bread
La Madeleine
Au Bon Pain

I forgot about First Watch. V

 

[jignat]

I live in FL USA. I dont know which state specifically you're going to but these are my favorites in my area.

Five Guys Burgers

First Watch (Its not fast food, but its a breakfast chain that serves nice breakfast items. It's scattered through the east coast and south IIRC. It's a sit down place)

Chik Fil A (Closed Sundays)

Wendy's

 

[Immortalfire]

It's a chicken sandwich that you eat that means you hate gay people. But it's so good.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Live in Florida.

The places I go to most often (not counting standalones) are PDQ, Zaxby's, Popeye's, and Bojangles for chicken and Steak N Shake, Freddy's, Sonic, and Red Robin for burgers. The chicken places are my favorite chicken places, but with the burgers it is more out of convenience as the best ones are local standalones. For BBQ chains I like Sonny's, Dickey's, Woody's, and Southern Pig & Cattle Company. The only pizza chain I bother with is Cici's. For pizza, standalone is almost always much better. I don't like seafood at all.

I never got the Chick-fil-a love. It is better than bottom of the barrel stuff like McDonald's and Burger King, but there are way better chicken places. It is overrated.

 

[Spider-Fan]

I wouldn't consider a place like Red Robin fast food. I would say they're a tier above that. But for fast food places, I would say:

Burgers - Five Guys easily.
Chicken - Popeye's, though they're not prominent around me as much as KFC, so I end up at KFC more.
Pizza - Pizza Hut is fine to settle for, but local Pizzeria's are always better and cost about the same. Just try some near you and find your favorite there.
Mexican - Taco Bell, and I am not ashamed of it!
Subs - Subway. Yeah I am boring.
Asian.Chines - go local. Fast food versions, like pizza, costs the same as your local Asian/Chines establishment. Go local.

 

[Erzengel]

I didn't cover sandwiches, but again if you're in NY or NJ, just go to any deli or especially a jewish deli if you want a good pastrami sandwich.

I came to a realization years ago, why go to subway where (at least the one I went to), cut open a half a sub roll, then lay on top of it, three half slices and fold over and then two triangle half slices of cheese.

My sister lives in Florida, and she can't find a good place for a breakfast sandwich like we have up here.

 

[Spider-Fan]

I didn't cover sandwiches, but again if you're in NY or NJ, just go to any deli or especially a jewish deli if you want a good pastrami sandwich.

I came to a realization years ago, why go to subway where (at least the one I went to), cut open a half a sub roll, then lay on top of it, three half slices and fold over and then two triangle half slices of cheese.

My sister lives in Florida, and she can't find a good place for a breakfast sandwich like we have up here.

I lived in NY for a few years, and yes I would agree if you have delis like that, just go there. Out here where I live now, sadly sandwich selection is not quite as promising.

 

[Lily Adler]

It's a paraphrased quote from The Good Place.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

I wouldn't consider a place like Red Robin fast food. I would say they're a tier above that. But for fast food places, I would say:

I was iffy putting it down. Their Tavern Double specials, which is what I usually get, are a comparable price though.

 

[Flash525]

Burgers
-Burger King
-Culver's
-Five Guys
-Jack in the Box
-McDonald's
-Sonic
-Wendy's
-White Castle

I haven't had these myself, as I've never been to America, but I've seen the size (and price) of their burgers, and I struggle to imagine they'll be anything short of a disappointment.

It's been told to me that the McDonalds in other countries are superior to the ones in the US. So I wouldn't get your hopes up for a delicious experience in the states.

Heh, I don't know about other countries, but McDonalds is nothing to shout about in the UK, of that I can assure you.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

I've been to McDonald's in Canada and it is basically no.different from the American one.

 

[Hotwire]

What part of the east coast? Some of these places are regional. For example, you can get Whataburger in Florida, but not in Maryland. Meanwhile, White Castle is more prominent in Jersey. So, it just depends on where you are.

 

[Erzengel]

I haven't had these myself, as I've never been to America, but I've seen the size (and price) of their burgers, and I struggle to imagine they'll be anything short of a disappointment.

Heh, I don't know about other countries, but McDonalds is nothing to shout about in the UK, of that I can assure you.

I've been to McDonald's in Canada and it is basically no.different from the American one.

The McDonalds I was told about was in Italy.