View Full Version : The 11 worst fast food restaurants in America


simmytbone
07-23-2014, 02:34 PM
http://theweek.com/article/index/264656/the-11-worst-fast-food-restaurants-in-america

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The 11 worst fast food restaurants in America
Consumer Reports' most recent ranking of our nation’s fast food restaurants
By Marine Cole, The Fiscal Times | July 22, 2014

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 Consumer Reports' most recent ranking of our nation's fast food restaurants.

Consumer Reports surveyed more than 32,000 readers who ate more than 96,000 meals at 65 chains. The magazine found that the less ubiquitous fast food restaurants and the regional ones were the most popular with diners.

Those who were surveyed had to look at five criteria to rank each chain: food quality and freshness, value, politeness, speed of service, and cleanliness of the dining area. Based on these criteria, they then had to come up with a grade out of 100.

The top loser: Sbarro, which specializes in New York-style pizza. The chain has been doing so badly it closed more than 150 locations in North America in February and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a month later.

Other well-known names that made the list of the worst fast food restaurants include McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell.

11. Panda Express
Consumer Reports' Grade: 73/100
The only Asian fast food chain on this list, Panda Express allegedly offers gourmet Chinese cuisine, but the quality and freshness of its food is only so-so and its dishes are too pricey, according to the survey. Meanwhile, the quality of its service fared relatively well.

10. Taco Bell
Consumer Reports' Grade: 73/100
The best-known Mexican fast food chain in the country, Taco Bell also ranked as the worst Mexican fast food chain in America, receiving particularly bad grades for its mediocre food quality and freshness. It recently entered the breakfast market, going head to head with McDonald’s.

9. Little Caesars
Consumer Reports' Grade: 73/100
Pizza restaurant Little Caesars, which was started in Michigan more than 50 years ago, ranked especially low on the quality and freshness of its food, despite advertising its fresh-quality ingredients.

8. Domino's
Consumer Reports' Grade: 73/100
Another global pizza chain ended on the worst fast food restaurant list. Domino’s fared poorly on all criteria including the quality of the food, the value of its food, the speed of its service, and the cleanliness of its dining areas — but its wait staff received a relatively high mark for politeness.

7. Pizza Hut
Consumer Reports' Grade: 73/100
One of the most famous pizza chains in the world, Pizza Hut was started by two brothers more than 55 years ago in Kansas. Now part of Yum! Brands, it has about 6,000 restaurants in the U.S.

6. CiCi's Pizza
Consumer Reports' Grade: 72/100
CiCi’s Pizza, which launched in the 1980s in Plano, Texas, now has about 500 restaurants in 34 states. Although the chain received bad grades for the quality of its food and the cleanliness of its restaurants, it did okay with the speed of its service and politeness of its waiting staff.

5. Burger King
Consumer Reports' Grade: 71/100
Another burger giant chain fared poorly in the rankings, with mediocre food quality and freshness and bad value for its food. Burger King, which debuted a Gay Pride Whopper this week, has about 13,000 franchised restaurants.

4. McDonald's
Consumer Reports' Grade: 71/100
Every minute, McDonald’s sells Americans nearly 1,500 burgers, which it touts as being 100 percent USDA-inspected beef, free of preservatives, fillers, extenders, and so-called pink slime. But none of that prevented Consumer Reports’ readers from rating its food quality and freshness as one of the worst.

3. Church's Chicken
Consumer Reports' Grade: 71/100
Church’s Chicken, also established in the 1950s, sells fried chicken, fries, biscuits, and jalapenos. The chain, known as Texas Chicken outside the U.S., has more than 1,600 locations worldwide.

2. KFC
Consumer Reports' Grade: 69/100
KFC’s food quality and freshness, its value, and the cleanliness of its dining area all got bad reviews. The chain, which has famously sold its fried chicken in buckets since the 1950s, has restaurants throughout the country.

1. Sbarro
Consumer Reports' Grade: 65/100
Sbarro, which specializes in New York-style pizza, placed especially low in this year’s list because of its poor food quality and lack of freshness. The company filed for bankruptcy earlier this year — the second time it’s done so in about three years.

credit: The Fiscal Times

Vahan
07-23-2014, 02:45 PM
Good thing In-N-Out and The Habit aren't on there. Those are two of my favorites.

You may not have heard of these two, because they are based here in California. There are a handful of them outside of California, though (mainly in Arizona and Nevada).

isiahthomas
07-23-2014, 02:50 PM
I like Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Church's Chicken. I haven't eaten Church's Chicken in a very long time. Cleveland used to have Church's Chicken and it might still be there because i haven't lived in Cleveland in a long time. I haven't seen any Church's Chicken in Virginia and Maryland. Popeye's Chicken is good. I'm surprised Wendy's isn't on the list. I love Wendy's bacon cheeseburger, french fries and their chocolate and vanilla frosty.

Retro4Life
07-23-2014, 06:28 PM
I don't know...lists like this are useful, but it's fast food, what do you expect? It's not going to be very healthy, it's made quickly and cheaply and appeals to your taste buds, not your mind.

We only live once, I don't think an occasional bucket of chicken or Big Mac is going to kill anyone.

Mr. Television
07-23-2014, 06:30 PM
Don't be dissing Taco Bell and KFC. :rolleyes: :lol:

comedyfreak
07-24-2014, 04:42 AM
I haven't eaten Church's Chicken in a very long time. Cleveland used to have Church's Chicken and it might still be there because i haven't lived in Cleveland in a long time. I haven't seen any Church's Chicken in Virginia and Maryland. Popeye's Chicken is good. I'm surprised Wendy's isn't on the list. I love Wendy's bacon cheeseburger, french fries and their chocolate and vanilla frosty.
We use to have Church's Chicken in Northern California in the 80's and they all seemed to have closed here. They were gross the chicken was super greasy and the chicken tasted burnt. I don't miss them. On a side note, Popeye's Chicken wasn't mentioned so they must be good.

Regulus
07-24-2014, 10:05 AM
I'd like to see Taco Cabana open some restaurants in my home state of Florida (They are centered in Texas and have branched out in New Mexico and Oklahoma). They SMOKE Taco Bell!!! :bash:

tlc38tlc38
07-24-2014, 10:37 AM
I would rank SUBWAY at #1 worst.

EVERY time I've been to ANY Subway, the service is bad and terribly SLOW.

No wonder Jared lost all that weight from eating there, you stand in line for 15-30 minutes waiting on your turn.

MickeyMac
07-24-2014, 02:00 PM
Taco Bell deserves to be on that list


Total puke: puke: puke:

Not only that, fake phoney Mexican food


No thanks!!!

Mace Dolex
07-24-2014, 02:32 PM
McDonald's and In-N-Out are the two best in my opnion, occasionally I'll try Burger King but their fries are dried and stale.

Taco Bell and/or Pollo Loco depending on how long they've stored their food gives me the runs at times. :mad:

Church's Chicken I've only tried twice but dont' like the taste of the chicken.

ABlairican Pie
07-26-2014, 07:41 PM
I'm glad I just make my food at home. I hardly go to fast food places, except when I feel I have to eat something. I do like Taco Time in the Seattle area, which has fresh ingredients and quality foods. I'd recommend that one.

Tubehead
07-27-2014, 12:57 AM
11. Panda Expressi never carried for forging food
10. Taco Bell
Consumer Reports' Grade: 73/100
I like tacos some times I usual get two soft tacos and Nachos'

9. Little Caesars
Consumer Reports' Grade: 73/100
I usual not big pizza eater but I like little Caesar

8. Domino's
Consumer Reports' Grade: 73/100i only had them two or three times I never tried them to much my mom and dad usual get little caesars pizza
7. Pizza Hut
I like pizza hut a lot I been several times
.
6. CiCi's Pizza
don't like pizza . I don't like pizzas bar too many dirty hands touching the same pizza bar
Consumer Reports' Grade: 72/100
.

5. Burger King
Consumer Reports' Grade: 71/100 I auctlly like buger king better then McDonalds their bugers are better for you . .

4. McDonald's
Consumer Reports' Grade: 71/100food quality and freshness as one of the I love mcdonals I get big mac quarter pounder and chicken nuggets I also like their club house chicken & club house bacon hamburger I got it today

3. Church's Chicken
I don't like churchs much .

2. KFC
I like kfc I like their sanckers their good I like their poo corn chicken but they quite carrying it. but I usual get smackers or chicken strips

1. Sbarro
never heard of them I don't never been to new York so I never tried them before.

comedyfreak
07-27-2014, 03:03 AM
Sbarro's are usually inside Malls, I have eaten there the pizza is pretty good.

tlc38tlc38
07-27-2014, 09:40 AM
Sbarro's are usually inside Malls, I have eaten there the pizza is pretty good.
That's the only place I've seen a Sbarro is in a mall food court.

yankeesrj12
07-27-2014, 11:27 AM
I prefer Taco Bell to the other chain Mexican offerings of Moe's and Chipotle. The only thing I'd say is bad about Taco Bell is the slowness of service. Somehow I always end up waiting 10 minutes for my 'fast food'. Other than that, I love the food; cheap and it tastes good!

KurtfromPitts
07-30-2014, 10:55 AM
I've eaten at Taco Bell, Little Caesars, Pizza Hut, and McDonald's and I disagree with the writer's choices.

Tubehead
07-30-2014, 02:22 PM
if you want good hamburger I highly recommend five guys their hamburger area the best if your hungry don't get the regular hamburgers got two paddies on it if you get small hamburgers it just one bun also if you get fries don't got regular fries get the small fries.

Vahan
07-30-2014, 03:07 PM
if you want good hamburger I highly recommend five guys their hamburger area the best if your hungry don't get the regular hamburgers got two paddies on it if you get small hamburgers it just one bun also if you get fries don't got regular fries get the small fries.

Is it Tennessee-based? I don't live in Tennessee. I live in California, and I usually see In-N-Out and The Habit.

MrCleveland
07-31-2014, 03:20 PM
11-Panda Express...never been there (Not available in Cleveland).
10-Taco Bell...my opinion...should be #2, since it makes me go #2 after eating their food!
9-Little Caesar's...not bad, Giorgio's Pizza that replaced Little Caesars at one point is worse.
8-Domino's...they're better than Little Caesar's.
7-Pizza Hut...they're better than Domino's.
6-CiCi's Pizza...they're okay, but their pizza is like crackers and ketchup with processed cheese.
5-Burger King...my opinion...should be #1, I hate that aftertaste that I get from their burgers!
4-McDonald's...I'm STILL lovin' McDonald's, at least they try!
3-Church's...tried them once, they're okay.
2-KFC...I like their chicken, but maybe if they use free-range chickens...maybe the quality will be back again!
1-Sbarro's...never been there, but if I ask for spaghetti with marinara...will I get egg noodles and ketchup?

OH Nuts!
08-01-2014, 07:58 AM
I'm glad I just make my food at home. I hardly go to fast food places, except when I feel I have to eat something. I do like Taco Time in the Seattle area, which has fresh ingredients and quality foods. I'd recommend that one.

I'm with you. Most fast food serves food is so high in refined carbs, sugar, saturated fat and sodium - that I virtually just stay away. I eat 98% of my food at home. The last fast food place I was in was a McDonalds - nine months ago - just to get a coffee.

biffbronson
08-06-2014, 08:09 PM
5. Burger King
Consumer Reports' Grade: 71/100
Another burger giant chain fared poorly in the rankings, with mediocre food quality and freshness and bad value for its food. Burger King, which debuted a Gay Pride Whopper this week, has about 13,000 franchised restaurants.

"Bad value?" They have coupons out right now for 2 Whopper Jr.'s and 2 fries (4 items total) for $3.99. I agree that their fries aren't that good, but you won't find a better overall value anywhere when they have coupons running.

mets82
08-07-2014, 02:41 PM
Retro4Life is right. You only live once. And sometimes there are days, even weeks where you all you want is a Big Mac and dont feel like cooking.

Dude111
05-10-2024, 07:09 AM
From the list I have eaten here and like them

Taco Bell
Pizza hut
Burger King
Mcdonalds
KFC

I have eaten at Pizza Hut and KFC in the last few months :)