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From a burger paired perfectly with fries and a drink, to a pizza loaded with all of the best toppings, fast food is a go-to meal option for Americans because of its convenience – even though it isn’t the healthiest option.
A recent study from CashNetUSA identified the top-rated fast food chains in every state.
For California, In-N-Out Burger landed on top.
Researchers determined the rankings by identifying fast-food restaurants that served burgers, pizza, doughnuts, chicken or Mexican food in each state. They also analyzed the ratings they received on Google Maps, the website said.
Results were categorized by state and cuisine.
Chick-fil-A was ranked as the top fast-food restaurant in 34 U.S. states. The study found that Californians consider Chick-fil-A to be the best place to get chicken.
The study also found that in California, Krispy Kreme is the most popular spot for doughnuts, El Pollo Loco was top-rated for Mexican food and Marco’s Pizza was No. 1 for a slice of pizza.
3 California taco restaurants named best in the country
Papa John’s was the lowest-ranked fast-food chain in 16 states, but not California.
In the Golden State, Domino’s was the lowest-ranked pizza chain and Burger King was the lowest-ranked place to get burgers.
Despite their popularity, McDonald’s and Burger King were tied for being the lowest-ranked fast-food chains nationwide.
FAQs
A recent study from CashNetUSA identified the top-rated fast food chains in every state. For California, In-N-Out Burger landed on top.
What food chains are famous in California? ›
In fact, California has served as the birthplace for some of the world's most iconic drive-thru restaurants, including McDonald's, Taco Bell, and In-N-Out.
What is the #1 fast food chain in America? ›
What is the number one fast food chain the US? McDonalds is the number one fast food chain in the US. McDonald's is the number one restaurant chain in America based on both sales and number of locations, and it has over 36,000 restaurants in over 100 different countries.
Is In-N-Out Burger the best food chain in southern California? ›
In-N-Out voted most popular chain in California
Panda Express ranked second, followed by Carl's Jr., Burger King, and Taco Bell rounding out the top 5. LOS ANGELES - It's no secret that Southern California residents adore In-N-Out Burger.
Who is the top fast food chain? ›
Ranked: Fast Food Brands by 2022 Revenue
| Revenue Rank | Company | Change from Locations Rank |
|---|
| 1 | McDonald's | +2 |
| 2 | Starbucks* | 0 |
| 3 | Chick-fil-A* | +15 |
| 4 | Taco Bell | +1 |
46 more rowsNov 23, 2023
In-N-Out
This burger chain started in California and it was the number one burger place in 3 states: Arizona, California and Utah. In-N-Out is primarily located on the West Coast of the U.S. in only 7 states.
Which fast food has the best customer satisfaction? ›
Top five fast food restaurants for customer satisfaction in 2023
- Chick-fil-A with an 85 satisfaction score, up 2% from last year.
- Jimmy John's at 84, up 6% from 2022.
- KFC with an 81 customer satisfaction score, an increase of 4%.
- Papa John's with an 80 score, up 5% since last year.
The Oldest Fast Food Chains In The US
- Nathan's Famous: 1916. Nathan's Famous storefront sign - Boogich/Getty Images. ...
- A&W: 1919. A&W Root Beer sign - Jim Steinfeldt/Getty Images. ...
- White Castle: 1921. White Castle storefront - Drew Angerer/Getty Images. ...
- KFC: 1930. ...
- McDonald's: 1940. ...
- Dairy Queen: 1940. ...
- Chick-Fil-A: 1946. ...
- Dunkin': 1948.
Coming in on top as the healthiest fast food restaurant was Little Caesars.
- Little Caesars.
- Starbucks.
- Dairy Queen.
- McDonald's.
- Subway.
- Taco Bell.
- Arby's.
- Dunkin' Donuts.
In-N-Out Burgers, doing business as In-N-Out Burger, is an American regional chain of fast food restaurants with locations primarily in California and to a lesser extent the Southwest from Oregon to Texas.
As a lean-meat protein, Chick-Fil-A's nutrition profile can offer great choices for a healthy meal-all depending on the cooking method. Breading and deep frying both add unnecessary fats and calories to the meal, taking away from some of its nutritional value.
What is the best fast food restaurant to work at? ›
7 Fast Food Companies Worth Working For... And Why
- In-N-Out. Quality employees can taste, too. ...
- Starbucks. And you'll never worry that your office will run out of coffee. ...
- Chipotle. Another perk: you know you'll never be under-fed! ...
- Five Guys Burgers and Fries. ...
- Panda Express. ...
- Shake Shack. ...
- Chick-fil-A.
Subway is now officially the largest restaurant chain in the world. The company passed McDonald's in the United States in 2002 but it has now passed it worldwide.
What famous food is California known for? ›
11 Dishes and Drinks Invented in California
- Martini (Martinez)
- Mai Tai co*cktail (Emeryville) ...
- Popsicle (Oakland) ...
- Cioppino (San Francisco) ...
- Jack Cheese (Pacifica) ...
- Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (Santa Barbara)
- Cheeseburger (Pasadena) ...
- California Roll (Los Angeles)
Some of the most famous foods that come from California include fresh oysters, cioppino, avocado toast, French Dip sandwich, California roll, Mission-style burrito, and garlic ice cream.
What burger chain is based in California? ›
In-N-Out Burgers, doing business as In-N-Out Burger, is an American regional chain of fast food restaurants with locations primarily in California and to a lesser extent the Southwest from Oregon to Texas. It was founded in Baldwin Park, California, in 1948 by Harry (1913–1976) and Esther Snyder (1920–2006).
What food brands come from California? ›
Taco Bell, Carl's Jr., Baskin-Robbins, even McDonald's are all California natives, but there are plenty more, from a high-quality ice cream brand found in supermarket freezers across the nation to a coffee roaster so influential that it inspired even Starbucks. (These are America's favorite coffee brands.)
