Deviating a little from the fast food theme of the OP, but more in spirit than exactly following the wording: this is food, it’s fast, and it’s terrible ersatz nonsense upon which I could easily improve…when I want a Pot Noodle, I want a Pot Noodle. I don’t want decent quality ramen, I don’t want chow mein, I don’t even want more more interestingly flavoured instant packet noodles from an oriental shop. I love all those things, but when I want a Pot Noodle, that’s *all *I want.
OH MY GOD! Those are scraps! In an English chippy - specifically in the north - those can be requested along with your fish & chips (and are great mixed in with the mushy peas), but they’re like rocking-horse shit to find anywhere else! When I lived in Wales, I couldn’t get scraps. When I request them in Scottish chippies (despite Scotland’s famed enthusiasm for the consumption of deep-fried battered anything at all), I generally need to explain myself before being eyed derisively and informed that they just get thrown away.
Other than Five Guys, I haven’t been to a fast food place in probably 20 years. Can’t crave something I don’t remember the taste of. Once in a while, when I’m near the 5G place, I think I might want one, but there are better options around, as they are just not the same great place they were back when there were only two of them in existence.
Taco John’s taco burger. It’s the only burger I know of with a steamed bun.
Closely related, I imagine, to Terry Pratchett’s beloved “burnt crunchy bits.” 
I’ve got family in St Louis, so I often try to hit White Castle when I’m in town visiting.
There used to be one in the Kansas City area, off I-70 around Blue Springs, but I think that one is long gone.
But I have seen them in the freezer section at the grocery store, I just figured they would not be as good as hot off the grill.
I have a book about chili and the author actually goes into Cincinnati chili in some detail- apparently it derives from some kind of Greek meat stew (kima-something), and as part of its adaptation in the US, got a dose of chili powder. So it’s sort of a convergent evolution type product- like “real” chili, but derived from an entirely different culinary tradition.
As for me, the only real fast food craving I get is that once or twice a year, McDonald’s cheeseburgers just sound like an awesome thing, and I go get two or three, and I’m good for another six months to a year.
I’ve never been to a White Castle, but I have had the frozen supermarket version. They’re surprisingly good (and you only have to nuke them for a minute or less).
Also, I didn’t think White Castle burgers (the ones at the actual fast food place) were grilled. Aren’t they steamed or something?
They’re cooked on a flat-top griddle, on top of a bed of onions, which does apparently impart some steaming to the cooking process, but it’s probably not accurate to say that they are simply steamed.
A video showing the cooking process: https://youtu.be/xSYlFMylrWI?t=66
Yah, but my choice is Fritos dipped in blueberry yogurt. Surprisingly good.
The frozen version is actually a reasonable approximation of the real stuff due to how the restaurant White Castles are steam griddled. So nuking something like that does work out reasonably okay, as compared with microwaving pretty much any other type of hamburger.
I’ve always loved how the White Castle buns soak up the hot grease from the grill. :o
I still remember my first taco from Taco Bell in the 70’s. I thought it was the most perfect junk food ever invented. I still like them. The problem is that they go soggy WAY too quickly. If you live 10 minutes away it’s too late. You have to eat them as you get them from the drive through window. Pay in exact change so no time is wasted.
Well I gave into a craving today. My wife is fighting the flu so I was on my own so I ran to White Castles. I got 5 cheese burger sliders and fries. Four sliders for me and one to share between the dogs. I will probably really regret this tomorrow but right now the dogs and I are very happy.
LJS fried shrimp with tons of scraps–I hardly ever eat the fries because they suck but man, those shrimp are gooooood.
Carl’s Jr Western Bacon Cheeseburger–hold the sauce (it’s so full of sugar it makes my teeth hurt so I bring it home and put some Trader Joe’s ketchup on instead) and add raw onions to the onion rings. I don’t know what it is about these things but it kicks off a craving every once in a while that I can’t shake. A&W has a similar burger but they put those fried onion bits on top like you get on a green bean casserole and oh man, so good.
Those goddamned Gag in the Bag “tacos.” They’re awful and yet…sometimes they’re the only thing that’ll do. Gotta have the shitty taco sauce from there too, nothing else will taste right.
Taco Hell Cheesy Gordita Crunch and an empanada. It’s a carb nightmare but such awesome hangover food.
Carl’s Jr used to have a cheapo dollar menu chicken sammich with cheese and a big slab of pickled chili on it and some kind of spicy orange sauce and man, I loved those so much. Haven’t seen them for years though. Sigh.
I crave food that’s no longer available, like Roy Rogers roast beef, or even better, Arby’s roast beef the way they made it back in the late 1960’s.
Or Zantigo’s enchiladas.
Or Bill Knapp’s au gratin potatoes
For the longest time you could get a sausage biscuit and/or egg and cheese biscuit for $1 each. So for $2 I would get a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit with an extra biscuit.
McDonalds Snack Wrap