The worst fast food restaurants in America

Whether they like pizza, hamburgers, chicken or sandwiches, Americans want more than just cheap meals when they eat out at fast food restaurants. The quality and freshness of the food, as well as the quality of the service, have become top priorities when choosing a spot to grab a quick bite, as shown by the American Customer Satisfaction Index's most recent ranking of our nation's fast food restaurants.

The ACSI survey, published in June 2023, polled 16,250 random customers across the U.S. to find out which fast food restaurants were the king of the industry, and which sat firmly at the bottom. The survey tracked satisfaction with fast food restaurants from April 2022 to March 2023 and asked respondents to rank chains based on a variety of factors. This includes the accuracy of their food order, the quality and reliability of the chain's mobile app, the quality of the food and food options, the cleanliness of the restaurant's dining room and more. The restaurants were then given an overall satisfaction rating between 1 and 100. 

The worst-ranked restaurant, perhaps surprisingly, was the brand that encapsulates American fast food more than any other: McDonald's. The Golden Arches stood alone at the bottom of the list of 24 restaurants, and was the only fast food company to receive a satisfaction rating below 70. 

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A variety of other well-known brands, including Subway, Wendy's and Jack in the Box, also made the list. 

11. Panera Bread

The Missouri-based fast bakery company was rated 76 out of 100, a 1-point drop from 2022. Panera has seen its share of recent headaches and is facing lawsuits over its caffeine-filled "charged lemonades," which the company recently announced it was discontinuing. 

10. Chipotle

Though typically viewed as one of the higher-quality Mexican fast food chains, Chipotle was toward the bottom of ACSI's list with a rating of 75 out of 100, a 3-point drop from 2022. The restaurant has faced several food safety mishaps and paid a $25 million fine in 2020 for violating federal food safety guidelines. 

9. 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 75 out of 100, a 1-point increase from 2022. 

8. 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 75 out of 100, with no change from 2022. 

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 $7.49. Despite this, the chain still received a low rating of 74 out of 100, a 1-point drop from 2022. 

6. Popeyes

Their slogan may assume that people "love that chicken from Popeyes," but the fried-chicken chain only received a rating of 74 out of 100. However, this was a 4-point increase from 2022, which ranks among the highest boosts on ACSI's list. 

5. Wendy's

The girl with the red braids was in the headlines recently over a controversial plan to implement a form of surge pricing. Despite this, Wendy's still received a 1-point boost from 2022, earning a rating of 74 out of 100. 

4. 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 73 out of 100, though this was a 1-point jump from 2022. 

3. 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 72 out of 100, a 3-point dip from 2022. 

2. 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 was ranked the second-worst fast-food restaurant in the U.S. with a rating of 71 out of 100. This was a 1-point drop from 2022. 

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 69 out of 100. While this was a 1-point increase from 2022, 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 nine points higher than McDonald's.