Top 25 Restaurant Chains

[Andy M.]

The Top 25 Restaurant Chains in America by Sales | Food & Wine

 

[CraigC]

Once in a great while I'll get something from Wendy's, Papa Johns or BK Steak House.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

A perfect example of the lack of taste, literally, of the typical American consumer. Most of these can't even be considered restaurants!

 

[ixamnis]

The "Top 25 by sales" list corresponds fairly closely to the number of locations each chain has. On another forum that I frequent, there was a recent discussion of the best local pizza chains. Everyone on the forum was in agreement that Pizza Hut was near the bottom of the list in quality, with several posters wondering how they even made any money. Yet, when you travel across long distances, you see Pizza Huts at nearly every Interstate offramp (just like McDonald's, Taco Bell, et al). Nobody thinks these are gourmet dining establishments, but people know what to expect and they understand that they are buying convenience food.

I despise most of these places, yet it is not uncommon for me to relent to my grandkids and find myself in a McDonald's a couple of times a year. And while Taco Bell represents the worst of "Mexican Fast food," it is about the only place in my community to get this type of food in a "fast" environment. So I have been known to stop in, on occasion.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

O my. I have been to all but three of these. Jack in the Box ( we don't have any).Little Caesar and Chick Fil A.

 

[Steve Kroll]

A perfect example of the lack of taste, literally, of the typical American consumer. Most of these can't even be considered restaurants!

I very much agree with this.

I remember a few years ago a new restaurant opening up close to where I lived. It was a nice little place run by a family of Ukrainian immigrants. The food was to die for and featured ethnic comfort food type items: handmade pelmeni, fresh borscht, stroganoff, etc. My wife and I tried to frequent it as much as possible, as well as tell everyone we knew about it.

Sadly, though, every time we ate there, we were pretty much the only people in the entire restaurant. The problem is this little mom & pop place was surrounded by a lot of the restaurants mentioned in the link Andy posted. You could sit and look out the window, and see how these other restaurants were constantly doing a brisk business. On one such occasion, one of the owners (the "mom", I think) came over to our table and noticed what we were looking at.

She said, "It's very hard for us to compete with McDonald's and Wendy's." They advertise on television, which we can't afford. People know what they are going to eat before they walk in the door."

They lasted for less than six months. Unfortunate considering how wonderful the food was. A huge step above what those chain restaurants were offering.

 

[Merlot]

O my. I have been to all but three of these. Jack in the Box ( we don't have any).Little Caesar and Chick Fil A.

Right there with ya I haven't been to 3 of them. (Jack in the Box, we don't have one, Sonic, we had one but they tore it down and I never tried it, and Buffalo Wild Wings, just haven't been). I hate eating out unless I'm having Mexican (and yes, I even like Taco Bell) but a lot of these are places I went as a child, a teen and through my 30's when my friends and I would go out together. In my 20's I was dating a chef so that was fun! I also have a child... who prefers McD's over almost anything I cook

 

[caseydog]

I have had such good food from the little hole-in-the-wall food "joints" here in Brooklyn, NY, that I am going to hate going back the the burbs of Dallas.

CD

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

We have been to VERY few of these chains.
Either they are now where near us but more so
because we chose not to go to such establishments,
even Starbucks.
We were reading an article recently about some employees
at various Starbucks locations "messing with" guests that
have any sort of "Trump" shirts, hats, bumpersticks, etc.
What I mean by that is that they are doing unmentionable
things to the drinks as well as food.

 

[GotGarlic]

We have been to VERY few of these chains.
Either they are now where near us but more so
because we chose not to go to such establishments,
even Starbucks.
We were reading an article recently about some employees
at various Starbucks locations "messing with" guests that
have any sort of "Trump" shirts, hats, bumpersticks, etc.
What I mean by that is that they are doing unmentionable
things to the drinks as well as food.

That's fake news

 

[caseydog]

O my. I have been to all but three of these. Jack in the Box ( we don't have any).Little Caesar and Chick Fil A.

Jack-in-the-Box is the fat content champ -- probably why it tastes good.

Little Ceasar's makes a pretty good pie. Pick-up only. I have one half-a-mile from home, and I'm too lazy to go get it.

Chick-Fil-A, ummmm, a small chunk of greasy chicken on a bun with a couple of pickles -- that's their famous chicken sandwich, and for under four bucks (barely). Don't forget ketchup for the Waffle Fries, because on their own, they have zero flavor. None.

CD

 

[CraigC]

Growing up, without having my grandmother living with us at the time, BK, Mc Crap, Wendy's and Wuv's were what my mom usually "cooked" for dinner.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Hmmmm...I've never been to 9 of these establishments.

 

[jennyema]

I've been to all of them but the Wild Wing place but would only willingly return to a few of them. A couple are too ghastly to even consider eating at ever again.

 

[Andy M.]

I have not been to eight of them. Primarily because they aren't nearby.

 

[bakechef]

There are two that I haven't been to, Jack in the Box (none in this part of NC), and Buffalo Wild Wings, I'm not big on wings.

 

[Caslon]

Burger King and Carl's Jr. have flamed broil patties. A nice smoke taste.

McDonald's has never had a good beefy burger. Their fries are the best tho.

 

[skilletlicker]

Mentioned in another thread today that I'm kind of proud of having never been in a Starbucks. There are only five I've never been in.

The only one I've been in the last 2 years is a Subway.

 

[Caslon]

Hmmmm...I've never been to 9 of these establishments.

Jack in the Box does one thing right. Onion Rings. All others are onion mush formed into a ring with breading on it, then fried.

 

[Saul]

I like McDonalds for fries. I also go to Chipotle, Taco Bell, and Dunkin Donuts.