The worst fast food chains in America

Fast food originated in the United States, and today it is hard to travel anywhere in the country without encountering a major food chain. But while this food might be quick and cheap, Americans have begun prioritizing quality and freshness, as well as service, when it comes to their favorite spots. This can all be summed up in the American Customer Satisfaction Index's ranking of our nation's fast food chains.

The ACSI survey, released on a regular basis, measures customer opinions to find out which is the highest ranked fast food chain — and which ones people aren't biting for. The survey ranks these chains on several metrics that are standard across the foodservice industry. This includes things like the accuracy of the food order and quality of mobile app — which are ranked the highest on the ACSI survey — as well as things like the variety of food and beverages, which are ranked the lowest. Other factors include the layout and cleanliness of the restaurant, the helpfulness of the staff and the speed of check out. Lastly, of course, there's the quality of the food itself. Based on these metrics, the restaurants are given a score between 1 and 100.

The worst-ranked restaurant, perhaps surprisingly, is the brand that encapsulates American fast food more than any other: the ever-popular McDonald's. The Golden Arches stands alone at the bottom of the list of 24 restaurants. A variety of other well-known brands, including Subway, Wendy's and Jack in the Box, also made the list.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

11. Dunkin'

Despite being one of the largest coffeehouse and donut chains in the country, people don't seem to be running too fondly on Dunkin'. The company was rated 77 out of 100 in 2024; while this was the same rating as 2023, it drops the chain into the eleventh spot on the list.

10. Panda Express

Panda Express is easily the most recognizable Asian fast food chain in the country, with dozens of copycat recipes online for its iconic orange chicken. Despite this, the restaurant chain doesn't seem to be thrilling people too much, being rated 77 out of 100, the same as 2023.

9. Sonic

Sonic is a reminder of a bygone era as one of the few remaining widespread drive-in chains. But even though this helps them stand out, customers don't seem to be thrilled with the food, as Sonic received a rating of 76 out of 100. However, the company can rejoice in the fact that this was a 6-point increase from 2023, representing the largest single jump on the entire list.

8. Wendy's

The girl with the red braids was in the headlines earlier this year over a controversial plan to implement a form of surge pricing. Despite this, Wendy's still received a 3-point boost from 2023, earning a rating of 76 out of 100.

7. Little Caesars

Little Caesars remains one of the most economical options for pie lovers, with their website currently offering a standard cheese pizza for $7.99. Despite this, the chain still received a low rating of 75 out of 100, though this was a 1-point increase from last year.

6. Dairy Queen

You may not think of Dairy Queen as a fast food chain, but in some southern states, the restaurant is one of the "essential rites of passage," said Texas Monthly. Based on its hot food menu, Dairy Queen was rated 74 out of 100, a 1-point drop from 2023.

5. Subway

Subway is one of the fastest-growing sandwich chains, and has even raised concerns from Congress about a potential "big sandwich" monopoly. The U.S.' largest sandwich restaurant was rated 74 out of 100, representing a 1-point decrease from 2023.

4. Taco Bell

Over the years, Taco Bell has tried everything from breakfast to crazy Dorito taco creations, and in 2023 saw a 2% to 3% in order volume, according to CNN. However, this doesn't necessarily mean people are fans of the food, as Taco Bell earned a rating of 73 out of 100; this is a positive swing for the chain, though, given that they were ranked the second-worst fast food restaurant last year.

3. Jack in the Box

Jack in the Box is also growing quickly, and in November 2023 signed an order to open 123 new restaurants in multiple new markets. However, fast food goers do not appear to be biting on the menu, as Jack in the Box earned a rating of 72 out of 100, marking a 1-point deficit from 2023.

2. Popeyes

Their slogan may assume that people "love that chicken from Popeyes," but the fried-chicken chain only received a rating of 72 out of 100. This was a three-point drop for a restaurant that saw a 4-point increase from 2022 to 2023, and earns Popeye's the ranking of the second-worst fast food chain in the country.

1. McDonald's

The fast food restaurant that started it all is also the worst one in the country, according to consumers. McDonald's received a rating of 71 out of 100. While this was a 3-point increase from 2023 (when McDonald's was the only restaurant on the list to score under 70), it still places the ubiquitous burger restaurant solely at the bottom of the pack. In comparison, the highest-rated burger chain on ACSI's list, Five Guys, was rated seven points higher than McDonald's.