America's worst fast food chains

Fast food originated and was streamlined in the United States, and it remains a widespread and commonplace part of the country's restaurant environment. But even as this grub provides a quick meal at a low price, Americans are beginning to expect better quality from their favorite fast food joints, as depicted by the American Customer Satisfaction Index's fast food ranking.

The ACSI survey, most recently released in June 2024, 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 can be used to determine the quality of a fast food franchise. These metrics include the accuracy of the food order, reliability of the mobile app and friendliness of the staff. Other metrics are more based on the product itself, including the variety of food offerings and the quality of the beverages. Additional factors, such as the layout and cleanliness of the restaurant, are also taken into account. On this basis, the restaurants are given a score between 1 and 100. And based on the responses to the survey, it appears that the accuracy of the food order and quality of the mobile app are the things many patrons agree are good across most fast food restaurants — while the food variety is the aspect that needs the most work.

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.

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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 didn't seem to be thrilling people much in 2024, 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 aren't overly 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 to 2024, representing the largest single jump on the entire list.

8. Wendy's

The girl with the red braids was in the headlines in 2024 over a controversial plan to implement a form of surge pricing, even as Wendy's pushed back on claims that they would price their menu differently at different times of the day. Despite the controversy, Wendy's still received a 3-point boost from 2023 to 2024, earning a rating of 76 out of 100.

7. Little Caesars

Little Caesars remains one of the most economical options for pizza 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 2023 to 2024.

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 to 2024.

5. Subway

Subway is one of the fastest-growing sandwich chains, and has even raised concerns from Congress about a potential "big sandwich" monopoly. It is also one of the chains with the most locations globally, with over 35,000, and is the U.S.' largest sandwich restaurant. Subway was rated 74 out of 100 in 2024, 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 in 2024; this is a positive swing for the chain, though, given that they were ranked the second-worst fast food restaurant in 2023.

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 in 2024, marking a 1-point deficit from 2023.

2. Popeyes

Their slogan may imply that people "love that chicken from Popeyes," but the fried-chicken chain only received a rating of 72 out of 100 in 2024. This was a three-point drop for a restaurant that saw a 4-point increase from 2022 to 2023, and earns Popeyes 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 in 2024. 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, while the highest-rated chain overall, Chick-fil-A, was rated 12 points higher.