Re-ranking USA Today’s Top 10 regional fast food chains
By Kareem Gantt
USA Today recently released its 10 best regional fast food chains, and let’s just say it is in need of a re-ranking.
USA Today’s 10 Best website has released the Reader’s Choice ranking for the Best Regional Fast Food chains in America. We took a look, and let’s just say, this list is in desperate need of a re-ranking.
Look, I have zero problems with the restaurants that are on the list (somebody educate me on Pal’s Sudden Service, as I’ve never heard of it before), but let’s be real, there were other, worthy chains that could have taken the place of some of these fast food joints.
Let’s begin by checking out the list USA Today gave us:
- Habit Burger
- Pal’s Sudden Service
- Whataburger
- Sheetz
- In-N-Out Burger
- Quaker Steak & Lube
- Cook Out
- Krystal
- Culver’s
- Biscuitville
For starters, Sheetz, while it does serve quick-service food, is not, nor will it ever be known as a fast food chain. It’s a gas station that happens to have a large space for eating. Second, Quaker Steak & Lube is more of a sit-down chain than one that specializes in fast food. I think they mixed fast casual with fast food with that one.
More from Fast Food
- Sloppy Joe Sliders return to White Castle
- Take Taco Bell to bed with new SOS kit for college students
- Burger King offering 31 Days of Deals in December
- The Maple BBQ and Bacon Quarter Pounder is back at McDonald’s
- Donna Kelce is headed to Raising Cane’s on Nov. 20th
Same goes for Habit Burger, which obtained the number one spot on this list. Listen, I don’t have beef with Habit Burger, as they do serve some nice burgers. However, just like Quaker Steak & Lube, it’s more of a “fast casual” spot, and since we’re talking about “fast food” here, Habit Burger seems out-of-place on this list.
So, having said my peace, let’s re-rank USA Today’s Top 10 to something that makes more sense to actual consumers:
- Whataburger
- In-N-Out
- White Castle (replacing Sheetz)
- Culvers
- Polo Tropical (replacing Quaker Steak & Lube)
- Cook Out
- Krystal
- Pal’s Sudden Service
- Biscuitville
- Bojangles
Boom! (mic drop)
Some may disagree with me adding White Castle, Polo Tropical, and Bojangles on this list, and me putting Whataburger at number one, but the former three have long been regional staples, and Whataburger is better than In-N-Out (more on that in a later story). I’m just saying!
Next. 5-year-old boy orders McDonald’s through 911. dark
So, do you agree with USA Today’s list or my re-ranking? Or, are we both wrong? Let us know in the comments below!