30 Fast Food Restaurants You Should Try Your Best To Avoid

Tim - 22. August 2022
Yes, we know that fast food is not healthy. But unfortunately, it’s also just as tasty. In our list today, however, you’ll find not the best but the 30 worst fast-food restaurants, at least if you follow Consumer Reports.

Need some motivation to cook? Then read below.
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30. Pizza Hut
Although Pizza Hut has been around for ages and is one of the best-known chains in the world, it only received an overall rating of 73%. There’s definitely room for improvement there.
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29. Domino's
Do you love Domino’s Pizza? Many people do, but in comparison, the chain scored just as poorly as its fellow Pizza Hut. Consumer Reports criticized, among other things, the atmosphere in the restaurants, the slow service, and, last but not least, the poor quality of the dishes.
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28. Little Caesars
Little Caesars scored 73% because the ingredients were not freshly processed, and the overall quality of the food was poor.
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27. Church's Chicken
Just last year, Church’s Chicken celebrated its 70th anniversary and got a Consumer Reports rating to go with it. Customers love the biscuits, the fries, and of course, the chicken, yet the nationally known chain only received a 72% rating.
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26. Taco Bell
Tacos are delicious, and we could eat them every day, but unfortunately, not Taco Bell’s. Sadly, they also use very few fresh ingredients, which of course, affects the quality of the food. Consumer Reports, therefore, gave them a score of 73%. It’s probably better to make the tacos yourself. And it tastes better too.
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25. Panda Express
Everyone knows the fast food chain with the cute panda in its logo. However, Panda Express could only convince Consumer Reports to a limited extent. It received 73% in its rating on the basis that the ingredients are of poor quality and are not freshly prepared. The price-performance ratio was not right overall.
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24. CiCi's Pizza
With several hundred restaurants in the United States, CiCi’s Pizza is now widespread, but the chain doesn’t seem to take its hygiene too seriously. On the other hand, Consumer Reports praised the fast and helpful service in the restaurant.
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23. Burger King
With 13,000 branches, Burger King is probably one of the biggest fast food chains around, but it seems that this is not because of the good quality. Consumer Reports criticized them for not matching the quality with the price.
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22. KFC
Pizza Hut only scored a 73% overall rating despite being one of the most well-known brands in the world and having a long history. Undoubtedly, there is room for development.
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21. Sbarro
One of the last places is Sbarro, which received a poor rating from Consumer Reports because of its low-quality and use of non-fresh ingredients.
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20. Taco John's
Granted, Taco Hon’s Potato Oles are good, but when you think about it, other restaurants are a lot more appealing. That’s why this chain also ranks lower, with a rating of 41%.
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19. Long John Silver's
Likewise, 41% of Long John Silver’s customers are loyal customers who probably just love the fish and chips. However, we can say that there are definitely better options out there, especially when you think about your health and figure.
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18. Hardee's
Even fewer people regularly go to the fast food chain Hardee’s. They probably score points for their burger slider, which seems almost healthy, with 220 calories and 11 grams of protein.
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17. Jimmy John's
While the slogan of Jimmy John’s is “Freaky Fast, Freaky Fresh,” the restaurant doesn’t seem to take it quite as seriously. They scored 34% on Consumer Reports, which could also be due to the calorie count of the sandwiches.
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16. Carl's Jr.
With only 33%, Carl’s Jr. is even further down in surveys. Among other things, customers state that the calorie count of the food is relatively high and that a visit is therefore not worth it.
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15. Arby's
Arby’s proudly claims to have “the meat”. But somehow, the chain’s marketing strategy doesn’t quite work because roast beef isn’t as popular as they thought. What’s worse for the company is that recipes for the meat are circulating that could ruin it.
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14. Bojangles'
While Bojangles’ is particularly known for its chicken and its condiments, they desperately need to revise their service. Although Thom Tillis, Senator from North Carolina, had defended Bojangles’, Consumer Reports still only awarded it a 43% rating.
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13. Subway
Everyone knows and loves Subway, right? Definitely not. Only 42% said in a survey that they liked going to Subway, especially because of the old salad and the meat quality. The drop was also shown earlier in 2018 when 1,000 Subway shops closed.
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12. Krystal
Never heard of Krystal before? No problem, we’ll explain. It’s just like White Castle, only poorer quality. That’s probably why the chain only has a few hundred branches in the US and can’t convince many with its burger. The bread just doesn’t taste like anything and is far too much in contrast to the meat.
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11. Del Taco
Can’t you say that Del Taco means anything to you? Don’t worry; it’s just like Taco Bell, only worse. The waiting times are long, and the tacos are unfortunately not worth the time because they taste dull. At least, that’s what many visitors to the Mexican chain have stated.
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10. White Castle
White Castle’s burgers in the film Harold & Kumar GO TO White Castle are really delicious, and the chain received a lot of success. As a result, expectations are set too high here. Unfortunately, most people are disappointed with the burgers because they are too small and the quality is mediocre.
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9. Wendy's
Wendy’s is especially popular on social media platforms like Twitter, but unfortunately, that doesn’t help them with their food. Just a few years ago, Wendy’s had to deal with a hygiene scandal when a video surfaced of a mouse in the kitchen. We can only hope that the video wasn’t real. Still, only 38% of Consumer Reports testers are willing to order from the restaurant again.
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8. Checkers
For nearly 40 years, Checkers has been serving hot dogs, burgers, and milkshakes and is very popular. However, this is fast proving to be the chain’s downfall, as while only 36% said they would visit Checkers again in a survey, one of the biggest problems was the long queue.
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7. Sonic
Sonic is a real pioneer in the fast food world and was part of it very early on. The chain mainly sells on the side of the road or in parking lots, which attracts a lot of customers. However, buying from Sonic was a one-time thing for most because the quality just wasn’t right.
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6. Einstein Bros. Bagels
At Einstein Bros Bagels, it’s even in the name that they specialize in bagels. Unfortunately, the pastries are bland, and only 40% of the customers say they would get a bagel from the restaurant again. Most likely, this is not only because of the bagels but also because of the ingredients, which are prepared even without being fresh.
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5. Quiznos
We are not surprised that the number of Quiznos branches has dropped from 5,000 to 800 in the last 15 years. While the sandwiches weren’t bad, the price just wasn’t right for a fast food chain.
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4. Jack In The Box
Everyone knows Jack in the Box, which has become particularly famous for its mascots. The burger chain also prepares fajitas, tacos, and various breakfast meals. However, they convince very few customers, and, in combination with the poor service, the chain lands on one of the last places.
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3. A&W
A&W is particularly famous for its burgers and root beer, but unfortunately, that doesn’t make for a good restaurant. The fries are often said to be too soft and virtually dripping with grease.
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2. Auntie Anne's
Originally a small pretzel shop in Pennsylvania, the founder of Auntie Anne’s probably never imagined that the name would become one of the most famous in the country. The shop’s pretzels are supposed to be great. It’s just the service that lowers the rating.
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1. McDonald's
While McDonald’s is one of the biggest fast-food restaurants in the world (they sell almost 1,500 burgers a minute, and that’s just in the US!), many customers aren’t so keen on the quality. That’s why the chain is in one of the last places, partly because of the freshness of the ingredients.
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