Could you expand on this? I was surprised to even see Chipotle on a list with common fast food chains. I’m genuinely curious to know what you find offensive about it.
My choice from the list is Long John Silver. We go there every few years to remind us to never go there.
Arby’s “roast” “beef” loses in every respect. Overly salty, with the consistency and look of ham, and probably as artificial as a truck tire. Their deli sandwiches also look disgusting.
There’s a Burger King across the street from me, and Burger Kings at nearly every highway rest stop. It would be so convenient for me to like their food, but their food tastes like nothing but salt and/or sugar.
I wonder if McDonald’s would have gotten as many votes if it weren’t so widespread. I think McDonald’s gets a bad reputation just because when you say fast food (nearly synonymous with unhealthy and lackluster food), McDonald’s is the first restaurant to come to mind. But as far as fast food goes, I find McDonald’s to be better (healthwise and tastewise) than your average fast food joint.
Chipotle.
There is one down the street and I’ve never been there. I was taken there once in college and haven’t gone back. No real reason aside from if I want mexican I will go to Taco Bell or a sit down restaurant.
Taco Bell, without a doubt. I will only eat there if there is absolutely no other possible choice. Arby’s would get my second vote, were I allotted one, with Subway third. Arby’s has the blandest, most devoid of beef flavor “roast beef” sandwiches I have ever encountered. And, no, “horsey sauce” is not reason enough to go there. Subway just smells terrible and the bread sucks.
However, two of my favorite fast food places: McDonald’s and LJS, are currently leading the poll. I actually won’t defend McDonald’s, but I’m somewhat surprised at the hate for LJS. The descriptions in this thread are nothing like the LJS that I know, although it has been about five years since I last stepped in one, because they tend to only exist in outer suburbia around here these days. The LJS I’m thinking of had a crisp, perfectly fried tempura-thin layer of crust around whitefish. Fresh and hot out of the frier, I don’t recall them being particularly greasy. At least no greasier (I’d say less) than pub-style fish and chips. Hushpuppies were excellent. And I loved muching on those little leftover flakes of fried batter they’d put in your box. Plus, good fried chicken planks. My only complaint about LJS is that it runs a little salty, but, otherwise, I love that place.
Was all set to vote Burger King (It’s the smell. It smells like old grease) until I got to the very last poll option.
Maybe it’s because I grew up in California and didn’t try White Castle until I was 20, but I found their “burgers” to be just about the worst thing imaginable.
I think White Castle is very much tied to your childhood experiences with their hamburgers. I grew up in Chicago, where there’s White Castles every couple miles, and I can totally understand not getting the appeal of these things. But, god damn, if I don’t get cravings for them once a month or two. They make me fart something fierce, but sometimes all I want is four White Castle jalapeno cheeseburgers and I’m a happy boy.
KFC. I keep forgetting how nasty it is until I have it. Overly sweet coleslaw, nasty powdered mashed potatoes, chicken loaded with MSG…gah. The biscuits used to be good, but now they taste overwhelmingly of margarine.
I picked Quiznos because every time I’ve eaten there, I have ended up with a case of the runs. I’m not familiar with some of these places (Steak n’ Shake, 5 Guys) so I can’t comment on those. BTW Hardees and Carl’s Jr. are owned by the same company, and as far as I can tell are basically the same, but cannot say for sure as I have never visited a Hardees.
If I were able to choose a second place, it would be Arby’s. The sandwiches are incredibly bland, and I just feel like a sandwich that is basically cold cuts slapped in a bun is a sandwich only in the most technical sense of the word, No condiments, no lettuce, not even a goddamn pickle slice, which at least they add in McDonalds.
I’ve only seen one Qdoba, but refuse to eat there solely on the basis of the stupid-ass name that isn’t even a real word, and how the hell do you pronounce it anyway? It just seems, on first appearance, like some corporate asshole’s idea of an efficiently created “Mexican” restaurant. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Had to go with BK, only because I learned years ago that every time I eat there it causes… gastro-intestinal distress. So no more BK for me.
I could have tossed my hat in the ring for Panda Express because their food really is bad.
But I picked illness over flavour.
Same here. Fortunately, precisely 200 yards from the local Taco Hell is a Moe’s-Mexican food Heaven by comparison, never upsets my stomach. If T.H. didn’t exist, I would have pulled the trigger for KFC tho; for those who are old enough to recall, hasn’t their “secret recipe” gone straight to hell over the years? Esp. since the Colonel died?
Too many calories for too poor food. Not at all fond of the offerings. Besides, it falls right into the gap between “fast-food Mexican” and “real food at a Mexican restaurant.” They never even register with me as an option any more.
There is literally nothing on the Taco Bell menu that I find appealing. I don’t even like the sodas they carry. I can’t understand all the love it gets. . .
Arby’s is so gross and I have no idea how they stay in business.
Also, I find all of this Chipotle hate baffling.
I picked Chipotle because all their food is far too hot. I literally can’t eat anything there, it hurts my fact to do so.
Panda Express would have been first if not for chipotle. I ordered their black pepper chicken once and then spent a minute or two picked out the huge chunks of limp celery in it. I found that black pepper chicken was about 60 percent huge chunks of limp celery by volume. If they had called it “huge chunks of limp celery chicken” I wouldn’t complain. As is … never again!
Yeah, I’m surprised. I find Chipotle terribly bland and I avoid it for that reason, but the food itself is of pretty good quality. It’s not offensive by any stretch.
Wow, I didn’t realize there was such hate for KFC. I hardly ever eat there, but I think it’s delicious. Greasy, and bad for you, but maybe it’s my childhood memories that make me so fond of KFC.
Now, I don’t know why Chick-fil-A isn’t on the list. When I was in Florida, I wanted to find out what the fuss was all about. I don’t know if I got a bad sandwich, but a dried out piece of chicken breast on a hamburger bun was one of the shittiest fast food meals I’ve ever had.
I had it on the list I wrote out but skipped over it accidentally when typing up the poll. Oops.
Sonic by a mile. I’m not sure what they use to fry stuff in, but everything there has a weird taste. Hate that place - husband loves it - thanks to DQ he can get his coneys somewhere else so I don’t have to gag over their garbage.
I’m surprised at all the hatred for Long John Silver’s. I mean, it’s just standard fish and chips.
Are y’all really that shocked to find that deep-fried fish is greasy?
On the other hand I will say that of the fish-and-chips chains, I prefer Captain D’s. Better hushpuppies.
My own choice is McDonald’s. It would take some pretty desperate circumstances to get me to eat there. KFC is pretty bad, too.