Best Fast Food

[Stadler]

Love the variety of Sonic (especially the Chicago and chili dogs and shakes).  Arby's and Taco Bell do the trick when I want a change of pace.  Still like to have a Whopper a few times a year.  And, I'll admit, we do McD's when we travel.  An Egga Muffin and potato cake and coffee for me, oatmeal and coffee for the wife are treats, and far less expensive than diner fare (especially NYC).  Fillaye o fish and fries works for a quick stop when driving.

I LOVE Filet-o-Fish's.  It's not fish*, and it's not a filet; I've spackled walls with the tartar sauce in the past; the cheese is like linoleum.... but I love them. 

I'm weird with fast food; I'll eat that ^  but I stay away from Burger King (even though they're tasty) because I did Weight Watchers with the ex one time and ONE Whopper was more points by itself than I was allowed for the entire day, and that stuck with me.


* It is, actually; it's pollock in the States. 

[cramx3]

Love the variety of Sonic (especially the Chicago and chili dogs and shakes).  Arby's and Taco Bell do the trick when I want a change of pace.  Still like to have a Whopper a few times a year.  And, I'll admit, we do McD's when we travel.  An Egga Muffin and potato cake and coffee for me, oatmeal and coffee for the wife are treats, and far less expensive than diner fare (especially NYC).  Fillaye o fish and fries works for a quick stop when driving.

My buddy says the fillet o fish is the best thing at McDonalds.  I just can't even work up the courage to try it  I'm sure it's tasty, but fish from McDonalds just seems like something I should avoid.  My go to these days is 2 cheeseburgers with big mac sauce added and fries.

[jingle.boy]

Love the variety of Sonic (especially the Chicago and chili dogs and shakes).  Arby's and Taco Bell do the trick when I want a change of pace.  Still like to have a Whopper a few times a year.  And, I'll admit, we do McD's when we travel.  An Egga Muffin and potato cake and coffee for me, oatmeal and coffee for the wife are treats, and far less expensive than diner fare (especially NYC).  Fillaye o fish and fries works for a quick stop when driving.

My buddy says the fillet o fish is the best thing at McDonalds.  I just can't even work up the courage to try it  I'm sure it's tasty, but fish from McDonalds just seems like something I should avoid.  My go to these days is 2 cheeseburgers with big mac sauce added and fries.

The only part about FoF that I liked back in the day was that it was the only McSammich that steamed the bun (rather than toasting them).

[hunnus2000]

Okay - how about Jack in the Box - tacos? 

Yes they're greasy, yes they are made of dog food but I used to love them back in the day and will occasionally get one, even though it's been prolly 5 years. 

[Dublagent66]

Smashburger (which is probably better than all the burger joints in the list combined)
Chipotle

[cramx3]

I ate Jack in the Box once and felt so shitty afterwards.  It wasn't good enough to try again for me.

I haven't seen this fast food spot talked about, but they even made movies about it!   

White Castle anyone?  I know they are more reginal so I don't expect most to have tried it.  Really greasy but delicious sliders. Everything else including the fries are pretty meh, but the sliders with cheese... I could eat 30 of them. 

Definitely have one of my favorite fast food stories from going to one as well.  A bunch of friends near the end of high school all got stoned and our one sober friend offered to drive us all to White Castle (nearest one is about 20 minutes away) and when we got there which was like 1am, the entire lobby was filled with Santas    There was also the time when we spent $120 at a white castle not really realizing how much food we ordered for the 6 of us... none of us questioned why we pitched in 20 each for fast food.

[El Barto]

Okay - how about Jack in the Box - tacos? 

Yes they're greasy, yes they are made of dog food but I used to love them back in the day and will occasionally get one, even though it's been prolly 5 years. 

When Stadler was describing how awful but lovable the Filet O' Fish was, this was the first thing I thought of. They're not tacos. They're not really any sort of food that I can think of. But no late night JitB meal is complete with them. I haven't had one in years, but I noticed not too long ago a giant decal on the window proclaiming "Now only $2 for 2!" like this was a good thing. Double the price and then taut it as a bargain. Yeah, capitalism! 

[Stadler]

For what they are, I like White Castle.  Not somewhere I'll go if I'm aching for a good burger, but on the way home after a concert? I'm in.

Last time I got Jack In The Box was in Bart's neck of the woods.  I had been down dropping off my daughter, and spent an inordinate amount of time with my ex.   Some of the parents met up at one of the hotel bars after the school stuff, and I met a couple from Philly.  They knew me from being a Mummer (it's a big thing in Philly), and so I drank, largely, for free.  I get to my hotel some time around 1:00 or so (I'm guessing, don't hold me to this) and was hungry.  Too drunk to drive, I got the bright idea to go walking.  I found a JitB, but the lobby was closed, only drive through.   I walked up and knocked and the girl was like "I can't serve you".   I told her where I walked from and asked what else was open and she just looked at me. Next thing I know I'm walking back to my hotel with a burger, bag of fries and a pop. 

[T-ski]

I guess the common go to mall food for me otherwise is Sbarros.  They seem to be in like every mall and while not anything special, I do enjoy the ziti and garlic bread.

After looking up the Quizno's catastrophe I went down the YT rabbit hole of failed restaurant chains, and Sbarro was included. What made them so popular was that everybody who's ever been in a mall knows who and what they are. It was free advertising. It was also a big part of their undoing. They took on a ridiculous amount of debt expanding just as the economy was beginning to crater, and more importantly, when malls were becoming a thing of the past. A mostly mall based chain is not a good thing to be right now. For my part, the only time I've ever eaten Sbarro's was at NHV, waiting for a train. Typical fast food pizza. Not terrible, and not something I'd order if I really wanted pizza.

This is what I think of now when I hear or read Sbarro...

https://youtu.be/TRgEeDR98X8

I don't even have to click the link, do I?    "My meeting isn't until 3, but I like to come early...."

That predictable, eh? 😄

As far as fish sandwiches, I loved the Hardee’s fish sandwich way back in the day. Do they even make them anymore? Haven’t been to Hardee’s in forever.

[Stadler]

No!  That CLASSIC! 

[Ben_Jamin]

I have a soft spot for Jack In The Box chicken strips. I just liked that crunchy with the juicy soft. And when you'd get those big thick ones...But then the trade-off is when you'd get the fast food treatment and get a box full of nothing but crunchy hard ones, and that is very disappointing.

Actually, I like Fast Food Chicken products. My favorite is Dairy Queen Chicken Tender Basket. They are the perfect blend of Chicken Strip and Fry combo. Next is Whataburger, then Sonic (Although, not as much anymore as their food has gone down hill).

I like McDonalds Nuggets. And Also, Wendy's had the best Nugget and Fry combo, ever. Back when it was the yellow Wendy's. Burger King also had good nuggets, my brother was the one who got upset when they changed them.

Wasn't all that when Fast Food was starting to get backlash cause it wasn't healthy, yet those health nuts were complaining about it not being healthy so they changed their recipes to reflect they're more healthier now. As if Fast Food was ever healthy to begin with. Those health nuts just wanted to eat McDonalds, because their addiction to it overwhelmed their healthiness...And around the time SuperSize me came out. He ruined the bucket of Fries dammit.

[El Barto]

Actually, I like Fast Food Chicken products. My favorite is Dairy Queen Chicken Tender Basket. They are the perfect blend of Chicken Strip and Fry combo. Next is Whataburger, then Sonic (Although, not as much anymore as their food has gone down hill).

The Dairy Queen chicken tender basket was pretty good. Which was kind of odd, since the steak finger baskets were so terrible. Even odder, though, is that Dairy Queen used to serve some of the best [crunchy] tacos you could find. They were better than what most Tex-Mex restaurants used to crank out. I don't think all locations had them, though, and I doubt any still do. Big loss.

[hunnus2000]

Okay - how about Jack in the Box - tacos? 

Yes they're greasy, yes they are made of dog food but I used to love them back in the day and will occasionally get one, even though it's been prolly 5 years. 

When Stadler was describing how awful but lovable the Filet O' Fish was, this was the first thing I thought of. They're not tacos. They're not really any sort of food that I can think of. But no late night JitB meal is complete with them. I haven't had one in years, but I noticed not too long ago a giant decal on the window proclaiming "Now only $2 for 2!" like this was a good thing. Double the price and then taut it as a bargain. Yeah, capitalism! 

2 for 2?  Bastards! 

We paid something like five for 2 and they went down great after a bout of late night partying! But I am not exaggerating, the last one I had tasted EXACTLY the same as it did many moons ago! 

[pg1067]

Okay - how about Jack in the Box - tacos? 

Yes they're greasy, yes they are made of dog food but I used to love them back in the day and will occasionally get one, even though it's been prolly 5 years. 

One of my favorite stories from my late teens/early 20s was when a couple of my friends drove through at a Jack in the Box while very intoxicated.  One of them placed an order and, at the very end, the other one leaned over and yelled, "AND A FUCKING TACO!!!"  Probably only funny to me, but Jack was the first place to stay open past midnight back then.

Also, isn't the Jack in the Box taco basically frozen  and then deep fried in its entirety (lettuce and cheese included)?

Interesting that it hasn't gotten a single vote in the poll.  Their curly fries and onion rings are excellent.  The burgers not so much.  The recent "late night muchie meal" was about a half step away from "FOOD FOR STONERS!"

Next thing I know I'm walking back to my hotel with a burger, bag of fries and a pop. 

Pop?!  That's geographically inappropriate coming from you!   

[bosk1]

Smashburger (which is probably better than all the burger joints in the list combined)

"other" with "other" being regional burger franchise Habit or Smashburger. 

White Castle anyone? 

Oh, wow.  Haven't thought about them in AGES.  And haven't had one since the '90s.  Amazing callback.

[Anguyen92]

Okay - how about Jack in the Box - tacos? 

Yes they're greasy, yes they are made of dog food but I used to love them back in the day and will occasionally get one, even though it's been prolly 5 years. 

I do like those tacos.  Cheap and greasy, but it works if I'm not in the mood for either Del Taco or Taco Bell or and not want something more "authentic" when it comes to tacos. 

I used to like McDonald's Filet O' Fish when I was younger.  Don't know why I stopped liking them.  I think, during high school, I had a conversation with a friend that was hating all over it when he got one during the Lent season when we had our 6th period break during senior year.  Then I had one during college, and I was like "meh."  It also didn't help that I realize that I can make my own fish sandwiches at home for a fraction of the price (this was back during the period after I graduated college and before I got a job where I was really frugal and was 25 pounds lighter than I am now).

[El Barto]

Okay - how about Jack in the Box - tacos? 

Yes they're greasy, yes they are made of dog food but I used to love them back in the day and will occasionally get one, even though it's been prolly 5 years. 

One of my favorite stories from my late teens/early 20s was when a couple of my friends drove through at a Jack in the Box while very intoxicated.  One of them placed an order and, at the very end, the other one leaned over and yelled, "AND A FUCKING TACO!!!"  Probably only funny to me, but Jack was the first place to stay open past midnight back then.

Also, isn't the Jack in the Box taco basically frozen  and then deep fried in its entirety (lettuce and cheese included)?

Interesting that it hasn't gotten a single vote in the poll.  Their curly fries and onion rings are excellent.  The burgers not so much.  The recent "late night muchie meal" was about a half step away from "FOOD FOR STONERS!"

They're frozen and then deep fried, but I think they cram lettuce and cheese in afterward.

And it wasn't a step away. I think the commercials were pretty honest about what they were going for.

[King Postwhore]

I had a Jack in a Box 2 blocks away where I I was a child in Lawrence,  Massachusetts.   I can't remember if the food was good or not.

[Grappler]

Given that I'm from the Chicago area, the only answer to this question/thread is:   PORTILLOS.   

[Stadler]

Okay, so next question:  best commercials.

I find the old guy mumbling "ba-da-BA-ba!" in the McDonald's commercials are weird, and the Burger King "King" is creepy AF. 

I liked the Taco Bell commercials with Josh Duhamel.

I suppose you have to like the Carl's Jr. commercials, though I think they're overrated.

I LOVE the KFC shtick of changing out the Colonel with celebrities.

I like the Subway commercials with the Watts.  I hated Jared even before we confirmed he was a creepster. 

The Sonic commercials are oddly entertaining. 

[splent]

I picked other and chipotle. My favorite fast food burger is Steak ‘n Shake. And I prefer Moe’s to Chipotle.

[splent]

Given that I'm from the Chicago area, the only answer to this question/thread is:   PORTILLOS.

Dammit I forgot about Portillo’s! Although, I prefer Buona for Italian beef over Portillos.

[T-ski]

Okay, so next question:  best commercials.

I find the old guy mumbling "ba-da-BA-ba!" in the McDonald's commercials are weird, and the Burger King "King" is creepy AF. 

I liked the Taco Bell commercials with Josh Duhamel.

I suppose you have to like the Carl's Jr. commercials, though I think they're overrated.

I LOVE the KFC shtick of changing out the Colonel with celebrities.

I like the Subway commercials with the Watts.  I hated Jared even before we confirmed he was a creepster. 

The Sonic commercials are oddly entertaining.

Again, I’m going with Arby’s....WE HAVE THE MEATS!

The Sonic spots were great until they got rid of the two guys.

KFC’s multiple Colonels were good, but it’s grown tiresome.

[TAC]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doh5JI_MOKc

[ReaperKK]

One place I don't think I've seen mentioned here is Checkers/Rallys. I think it's a southeast thing I love Checkers, the best fast food fries.

[hefdaddy42]

I remember Checkers being pretty good, but I haven't been there in years.

Still disappointed that Sonic (around here, anyway) stopped serving the Chicago dog.

I also love the McD Filet o Fish.  And I remember with fondness the fish sandwich that Hardee's served in the 80s.

[pg1067]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doh5JI_MOKc

That's...just...I don't even know....   

One place I don't think I've seen mentioned here is Checkers/Rallys. I think it's a southeast thing I love Checkers, the best fast food fries.

They have a handful around here (southern California), but there's never been one close enough, so I've only been there maybe 5 times in 20 years.  Their fries are excellent, but I don't remember anything about the burgers.  In fact, they recently started selling their fries in the frozen food section of the grocery store.

[cramx3]

One place I don't think I've seen mentioned here is Checkers/Rallys. I think it's a southeast thing I love Checkers, the best fast food fries.

They have a handful around here (southern California), but there's never been one close enough, so I've only been there maybe 5 times in 20 years.  Their fries are excellent, but I don't remember anything about the burgers.  In fact, they recently started selling their fries in the frozen food section of the grocery store.

I've eaten at Checkers a few times in Florida but not in the last 15 years so I really don't remember to comment but it didn't leave a bad taste, I would probably remember that.

[ReaperKK]

I remember Checkers being pretty good, but I haven't been there in years.

There is one in Concord, lets do a meetup there (post-covid)

[Stadler]

I think I need to give Sonic another try.  I ate it once in Duluth, GA and was disappointed, but that was 20 years ago now, and I think it's time.

[Ben_Jamin]

Actually, I like Fast Food Chicken products. My favorite is Dairy Queen Chicken Tender Basket. They are the perfect blend of Chicken Strip and Fry combo. Next is Whataburger, then Sonic (Although, not as much anymore as their food has gone down hill).

The Dairy Queen chicken tender basket was pretty good. Which was kind of odd, since the steak finger baskets were so terrible. Even odder, though, is that Dairy Queen used to serve some of the best [crunchy] tacos you could find. They were better than what most Tex-Mex restaurants used to crank out. I don't think all locations had them, though, and I doubt any still do. Big loss.

I never went to Dairy Queen much when I was young, mainly due to it being an Ice Cream shop with a Grill, and we didn't have many Grill Dairy Queens. I could check here, but I also doubt they do. May have been a limited promotional deal and maybe it's only at a certain location that did extremely well.

[jingle.boy]

I don’t think I’ve ever had anything other than a Blizzard from DQ.

[El Barto]

I think I need to give Sonic another try.  I ate it once in Duluth, GA and was disappointed, but that was 20 years ago now, and I think it's time.

It's still disappointing. If you want some variety of soda/shake/frozen thing it's great. The food is pretty lousy. The one exception is a breakfast burrito with tater tots in it.

[bosk1]

I picked other and chipotle. My favorite fast food burger is Steak ‘n Shake. And I prefer Moe’s to Chipotle.

I have heard that Steak 'n Shake is great, but I have not tried them.  Haven't seen them here.  Not sure where the closest one is.

[cramx3]

I think I need to give Sonic another try.  I ate it once in Duluth, GA and was disappointed, but that was 20 years ago now, and I think it's time.

It's still disappointing. If you want some variety of soda/shake/frozen thing it's great. The food is pretty lousy. The one exception is a breakfast burrito with tater tots in it.

Other than the tots, not a fan of sonic