In-N-Out, Wendy's, And 14 Other Fast Food Places That People Think Are Better Than The Rest

    Honestly, as a fast food lover, I'm a little surprised at how this list ended up.

    Andy Golder
    by Andy Golder

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Recently, in the Ask Reddit community, redditor u/the_idea_ asked a seemingly simple question: "What's the BEST fast food restaurant?"

    Steph Pappas / Via tenor.com

    I sorted the comments by the most upvotes to see which fast food joints these redditors generally agreed were the best. Here are their 16 top choices, ranked, with #1 having received the most upvotes:

    (Note: I only included places that are available in four or more states. Also, the ranking is based on the number of upvotes from when I read the comments, so it might have changed.)

    16. Steak 'n Shake

    Steak 'n shake meal
    Richard Levine / Alamy Stock Photo

    "Steak 'n Shake. Cheap, decent burgers and fries. Milkshakes are good, too."

    —u/Joamon123

    15. Chick-fil-A

    masoncarr2244 / Via tenor.com

    "It’s really hard to beat the customer service and condiment options."

    —u/earthscribe

    14. Panda Express

    Panda Express food
    Medianews Group / MediaNews Group via Getty Images

    "Panda Express 🐼. It tops anything, and I love In-N-Out."

    —u/JewishKidd

    13. Five Guys

    Five Guys burger and fries
    Paul J. Richards / AFP via Getty Images

    "Best fries. Burgers aren't always structurally sound, though. And pricey."

    —u/YNot1989

    12. McDonald's

    masoncarr2244 / Via tenor.com

    "To me, if we are judging by more then just food, it’s clearly McDonald’s.

    1. Their fries are the best, IMO, by a mile. Even if they aren’t someone’s favorite, they are usually their second or third favorite.

    2. They are usually the cheapest. Always good deals.

    3. They are consistent no matter the location.

    4. Their fountain sodas are insanely better then anywhere else.

    5. They have the best app and best rewards on the app.

    6. They are literally everywhere. Easy to find no matter where you are.

    If we were going by ONLY food, then it would be closer, but adding in everything makes McDonald’s easily the best."

    —u/elmatador12

    11. Sonic

    Sonic food
    Scott Olson / Getty Images

    "I worked at a wide variety of fast food restaurants about 15 years ago ... and honestly, Sonic was leagues ahead of the others. We used actual cream, not powdered dairy product in all ice cream/desserts. Onion rings were cut fresh in house, and there was a real dedication to cleanliness and food safety. To this day, Sonic is my go-to fast food."

    —u/Dendritic1

    10. Bojangles

    Bojangles restaurant
    Medianews Group / MediaNews Group via Getty Images

    "No further questions at this time."

    —u/OkActive448

    9. A&W

    masoncarr2244 / Via tenor.com

    "In Canada. A&W is the best."

    —u/KelBear25

    "Hard to beat a teen burger, onion rings, and root beer in a frosted mug."

    —u/jtbc

    8. Cook Out

    Cook Out restaurant
    Ridingmetaphor / Alamy Stock Photo

    "I think the pricing sets it apart ... knowing that I got a huge meal for less than $10 makes it taste better."

    —u/clout-trout

    7. Popeyes

    tenor.com

    "The sandwich is fantastic. Favorite fast food chicken sandwich by a mile."

    —u/rxsheepxr

    6. In-N-Out

    tenor.com

    "I looked up why In-N-Out never expanded. Apparently, they only have west coast beef farms. Refused to freeze and ship to expand. Also, they donate to all manners of nonprofits. In-N-Out for the win."

    —u/NorCal130

    5. Portillo's

    Portillo's
    Sopa Images / SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    "I looove Portillo's, and it's got something for everyone. The ones with the Italian noodles shop attached to it are the best, though, for strictly how many options it adds. Noodles, salads, burgers, Italian beef, hot dogs. Soo good."

    —u/shrimpthepimp

    4. Zaxby's

    OutlawsOW / Via tenor.com

    "I tried Zaxby's for the first time recently and loved it. The sauce is great, and I'm trying to find a dupe recipe, so I can make it at home."

    —u/Beans20202

    3. Culver's

    Culver's / Via tenor.com

    "It's Culver's, and it's not close."

    —u/parposbio

    "Burgers are actual restaurant quality, and they have a very good fish fry. Fries and cheese curds are meh, but besides that, I’ve never had anything that disappointed. Plus, their malts and custard are out of this world."

    —u/Tatertot729

    2. Wendy's

    Wendy's / Via tenor.com

    "Worked at Wendy’s, and the food quality was surprisingly fresh. Salads were made to order, and management was strict about food timers. All of the ground beef was delivered three to four times a week and never frozen. Would say their food quality makes them a favorite in my mind."

    —u/RoombaRUs

    1. Taco Bell

    Taco Bell food
    Rachel Murray / Getty Images for Taco Bell

    "Nobody going to Taco Bell goes there because the food is good, or even because they want Mexican food. They're going because they want Taco Bell, and there is no substitute. I do well enough avoiding fast food aside from the occasional CFA breakfast sandwich, but when I do have a craving, it's for Taco Bell every time."

    —u/duffman13jws

    Comments may have been edited for length or clarity.

    Do you agree or disagree? I gotta say, some of these I agreed with, and others I was like, "Nope." Let me know what you think in the comments!