Fast Food Chains America: 36.6 percent of American adults ate fast food on a given day between 2013 and 2016, according to a report on fast-food in America consumption by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Further, there’s no reason to think that the percentage of adults should have grown with the passing years.
We may claim that we are more health conscious with time but the fact is that we are not. Further, we are more leaned towards fast food items as the fact is that a lot of us find it pretty irresistible.
Most Visited Fast Food Chains In America
Eating fast food every day is not good for your health, however, eating it once or twice a month not going to affect you that much. So, an occasional cheeseburger or pizza, or bucket of fried chicken can be a good treat for the foodie within you.
So, ever wondered which are the most visited and popular fast-food chains in America? You might have visited your favorite place before as that’s a matter of personal taste but you should try out the other most iconic fast-food chains to find out whether they match your taste or not.
1. In-N-Out
In-N-Out Burger is an American regional chain of fast food restaurants with locations primarily in California and the Southwest. It was founded in Baldwin Park, California, in 1948 by Harry and Esther Snyder.
In-N-Out will only open stores where it can deliver its meat fresh from its distribution centers in California and Texas and in other fast-food chains in America, making all of its 328 stores on the West Coast. The company refuses to sell frozen patties to ensure that customers are only eating the highest-quality meat.
2. Subway
Subway is an American multinational fast-food restaurant franchise that specializes in submarine sandwiches (subs), wraps, salads, and drinks.
After several name changes in the beginning years, it was finally renamed Subway in 1972, and a franchise operation began in 1974 with a second restaurant in Wallingford, Connecticut. Since then, it has expanded to become a global franchise.
The prolific sub-shop boasts a whopping 25,908 locations across the nation, beating its closest competitor, Arby’s, by almost eightfold.
3. Jason’s Deli
Jason’s Deli is an American chain of fast-casual restaurants founded in 1976 in Oxford, Mississippi, by Joe Tortorice, Jr. There are currently over 240 locations in 27 states.
The menu includes sandwiches, wraps, baked potatoes, pasta, soups, salads, and desserts, as well as catering items such as boxed lunches at any of the 273 Jason’s Delis across the country.
4. McDonald’s
McDonald’s Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States.
McDonald’s is best known for its hamburgers, cheeseburgers and french fries, although their menus include other items like chicken, fish, fruit, and salads. Their most well-known licensed item on the menu would be their french fries with the Big Mac close behind.
5. Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world’s largest coffeehouse chain. As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 countries, 15,444 of which were located in the United States.
In addition to drinks and food, many stores carry Starbucks’ official merchandise, such as mugs, tumblers, scoops, and coffee presses. There are also several select “Starbucks Evenings” locations that offer beer, wine, and appetizers. Starbucks-brand coffee, ice cream, and bottled cold coffee drinks are sold at grocery stores in the United States and other countries.
6. Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney.
They serve their signature pan pizza and other dishes including pasta, breadsticks and dessert at dine-in, take-out and delivery chain locations. They also serve chicken wings on their WingStreet menu.
7. Burger King
Burger King (BK) is an American-based multinational chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida–based restaurant chain.
Burger King’s menu has expanded from a basic offering of burgers, French fries, sodas, and milkshakes to a larger and more diverse set of products. In 1957, the “Whopper” became the first major addition to the menu, and it has become Burger King’s signature product since.
8. Dunkin’ Donuts
Dunkin’ Donuts LLC also known as Dunkin’ is an American multinational coffee and doughnut company, as well as a quick service restaurant. It was founded by Bill Rosenberg (1916–2002) in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1950.
With approximately 12,900 locations in 42 countries, Dunkin’ is one of the largest coffee shop and donut shop chains in the world. Its products include donuts, bagels, coffee, and “Munchkins” donut holes.
9. Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American-based chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc.
The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired foods, including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, novelty and speciality items, and a variety of “value menu” items.
As of 2018, Taco Bell serves over two billion customers each year, at 7,072 restaurants, more than 93 percent of which are owned and operated by independent franchisees and licensees.
10. Wendy’s
Wendy’s is an American international fast-food restaurant chain founded by Dave Thomas (1932–2002) on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. As of December 31, 2018, there are a total of 6,711 Wendy’s outlets, including 353 that are company-owned and 6,358 that are franchised; 92% of all the locations are in North America.
The chain is known for its square hamburger patties served on circular buns, sea salt fries, and the Frosty, a form of soft-serve ice cream mixed with starches. Wendy’s menu consists primarily of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, French fries, and beverages such as the Frosty.
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11. Domino’s
Domino’s Pizza, Inc., trading as Domino’s, is a Michigan-based multinational pizza restaurant chain founded in 1960 and led by CEO Russell Weiner. As of 2018, Domino’s had approximately 15,000 stores, with 5,649 in the United States. Domino’s has stores in over 83 countries and 5,701 cities worldwide.
The Domino’s menu varies by region. The current Domino’s menu in the United States features a variety of Italian-American main and side dishes.
Pizza is the primary focus, with traditional, specialty, and custom pizzas available in a variety of crust styles and toppings. Additional entrees include pasta, bread bowls, and oven-baked sandwiches. The menu offers chicken and bread sides, as well as beverages and desserts.
12. KFC
KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is an American fast-food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in fried chicken. The chain is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, a restaurant company that also owns the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell chains.
KFC’s original product is pressure-fried chicken pieces, seasoned with Sanders’ signature recipe of “11 herbs and spices”. Since the early 1990s, KFC has expanded its menu to offer other chicken products such as chicken fillet sandwiches and wraps, as well as salads and side dishes such as French fries and coleslaw, desserts and soft drinks; the latter often supplied by PepsiCo.
13. Little Caesars
Little Caesar Enterprises Inc. (doing business as Little Caesars) is an American multi-national pizza chain. Based on 2020 statistics, Little Caesars is the third-largest pizza chain by total sales in the United States, behind Pizza Hut and Domino’s Pizza.
Little Caesars produces a variety of pizzas. Several core menu items are part of the HOT-N-READY menu, designed to make popular items available for immediate carry-out, while others are considered either specialty pizzas or custom pizzas. In 2013, they added the Deep! Deep! Dish Pizza, a Detroit-style pizza, to the menu.
Additional entrée options include flavored Caesar Wings and bread, such as Crazy Bread and Italian Cheese Bread.
14. Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen (DQ) is an American chain of soft-serve ice cream and fast food restaurants owned by International Dairy Queen, Inc. which also owns Orange Julius, and formerly owned Karmelkorn and Golden Skillet Fried Chicken.
The first DQ restaurant was in Joliet, Illinois, a suburb in Chicago. It was operated by Sherb Noble and opened on June 22, 1940. It served a variety of frozen products, including soft-serve ice cream.
15. Arby’s
Arby’s is an American fast-food sandwich restaurant chain with more than 3,300 restaurants system wide and third in terms of revenue. In October 2017, Food & Wine called Arby’s “America’s second largest sandwich chain (after Subway)”.
In addition to its classic Roast Beef and Beef ‘n Cheddar sandwiches, Arby’s products also include a deli-style Market Fresh line of sandwiches, Greek gyros, Curly Fries and Jamocha Shakes. There are locations in five countries outside the United States: Canada, Mexico, Turkey, Egypt and South Korea.
16. Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Corporation, founded as Sonic Drive-In and more commonly known as Sonic, or “The Drive-In,” is an American drive-in fast food restaurant chain owned by Inspire Brands, the parent company of Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings.
Originally, a walk-up root beer stand outside a log cabin steakhouse selling soda, hamburgers, and hotdogs; Sonic, currently has 3,544 locations in the United States.
The company’s core products include the “Chili Cheese Coney”, “Sonic Cheeseburger Combo”, “Sonic Blasts”, “Master Shakes”, and “Wacky Pack Kids Meals.” The company also has a breakfast menu.
17. Papa John’s
Papa John’s International Inc., Papa Johns is an American pizza restaurant chain. It is the fourth largest pizza delivery restaurant chain in the United States, with headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky and Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan areas.
Papa John’s global presence has reached over 5,500 locations in 49 countries and territories and is currently the world’s third-largest pizza delivery company.
18. Baskin-Robbins
Baskin-Robbins is an American multinational chain of ice cream and cake speciality shops owned by Inspire Brands. It is the world’s largest chain of ice cream speciality stores, with more than 8,000 locations, including nearly 2,500 shops in the United States and over 5,000 in other countries. Baskin-Robbins has stores in nearly 50 countries.
19. Jimmy John’s
Jimmy John’s is an American sandwich chain headquartered in Champaign, Illinois. The business was founded by Jimmy John Liautaud in 1983.
The Jimmy John’s franchise has over 2700 locations, with 98% of them being franchises. Jimmy John’s has three bread options: French, thick-sliced Wheat, and the six-inch “Lil’ John” (smaller version of French bread), as well as a lettuce wrap option known as the Unwich.
Jimmy John’s has 17 different numbered sandwiches plus a B.L.T., called the J.J.B.L.T, and the Gargantuan, a combination of all the meats. The 17 sandwiches may have ham, roast beef, tuna, turkey, salami, capicola, bacon, or provolone cheese or combine two or more meats and cheese.
Jimmy John’s has five flavors of chips, including Regular, BBQ, Jalapeño, Salt and Vinegar, and Thinny). The menu also includes kosher dill pickles as well as “triple chunk” chocolate and oatmeal raisin cookies.
20. Chipotle
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. often known simply as Chipotle, is an American chain of fast-casual restaurants specializing in bowls, tacos and Mission burritos made to order in front of the customer.
With more than 2,000 locations, Chipotle had a net income of US$475.6 million and a staff of more than 45,000 employees in 2015. Chipotle’s menu consists of five items: burritos, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and salads.