Let’s ignore such places as Au Bon Pain, as that’s not really in the same league as what I think of as fast food. And Popeye’s. And White Castle. Those places have almost cult followings. So, what is the best among:
McDonald’s
Burger King
Wendy’s
Arby’s
Pizza Hut
Dominos
Taco Bell
Explain your answer.
I think it depends on the store sometimes.
I don’t think there’s a huge difference between McD’s BK and Wendy’s, pretty bland.
Pizza Hut and Domino’s, eh.
Taco Bell - Fills a niche. Not known for quality, but value.
Arby’s - eh.
Among those, I couldn’t give you a favorite, but if I had my druthers, I’d have:
A BK Double Whopper
McD’s fries
Wendy’s Frosty
in one meal. I could probably manage to achive that on one of those fast food exits on the interstate.
I’d have to say Wendy’s, on the average, has given me the best fast food. While I liek Taco Bell, I would have to say that if forced to eat a month’s worth of food from once place (a la Supersize Me) then I would choose Wendy’s…although I would be sorely lacking in breakfast choices.
In-N-Out!
Because they’re delicious.
They make their fries with fresh potatoes, their shakes with real ice creams, their salads with fresh produce and their beef is…I can’t remember what the deal is with their beef, but it’s probably from the Pasture Of Healthy, Never-Frozen, Painlessly Slaughtered Cattle.
Ah, bliss!
McDonald’s has the best fries, but you have to really emphasize your order if you want anything other than the standard ketchup-mustard-onions-pickles on your burger. (Mustard on burgers? I don’t know why.)
Burger King has decent burgers, but their fries leave much to be desired.
Wendy’s has the best of both worlds–good burgers, good fries. If I have a choice, I’ll go to Wendy’s every time.
I don’t know if I’ve ever been to an Arby’s.
Pizza Hut’s good, but their pan pizza is big on grease and small on nice, puffy crust.
Domino’s is great, but it’s not actually pizza. In my house, we actually say “Do you want Domino’s, or do you want pizza?”
I won’t even talk about Taco Hell. Even that frickin’ dog annoys me.
I’m backing Tracy Lord here. In-N-Out without a doubt.
Myself, I prefer to run for the border, although shortly thereafter I’d have to run for the restroom.
And I don’t like their supersize gorditas with soft chicken cheesy beano tortillas. Just give me a taco. Plain, ground beef (or whatever that is), no foo foo frills like sour cream. Drizzle on their hottest sauce, and yo quiero angioplasty.
If I had to eat any one fast food for a month, I’m not sure what it would be. Probably Taco Bell, but maybe McDonalds. At least they both have some faux-healthy options. Burger Rat would probably be my last choice.
I prefer Wendy’s because they have the best chicken sandwiches, and Frosties are also nice on occasion…their fries are the best when they’re good, but icky when they’re not. I don’t know what makes the change.
Out of the ones you listed, Arby’s is the best by far. Their meat actually resembles meat, and their curly fries have just the right amount of crunch. I really prefer sub and sandwich places, though, like Subway and Panera. However, the only fast food place I think is actually really good, as in better than stuff you could make at home or get in a restaurant, is KFC. I’ve been all but living off Snacker sandwiches. And what the hell are they putting in the gravy to make it taste so good?
Nothing beats a Wendy’s Frosty though. Except maybe a KFC parfait.
McD’s fries
Arby’s mocha shake
Not on the OP list:
Burger from Hardee’s. Their standard burger (Angus beef) fills the bun, and is juicy and crisp.
Also not on the OP list:
Onion chips from Dairy Queen
I’ve got to go with Wendy’s for one reason:
Spicy Chicken Sandwich, baby!
My favorite fast food isn’t on the list. No question, around here Bojangles is the best fast food. Spicy chicken biscuit, fries with lots of Cajun seasoning (they have to chain the shaker of seasoning to the counter so no one will steal it–it’s that good!), and sweet, sweet tea with real lemon. It’s greasy and nasty, and, oh, sooooo good. And don’t forget a cinnamon pecan twist for dessert.
I’m not sure if it’s okay to include local places, but I need to put in a good word for one of my favorite spots in Chapel Hill, because it’s kind of hard to find. The Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen (on Franklin Street, just past the Estes Drive intersection) has the best biscuits, and they’re unbelievably cheap. It’s a tiny little building that’s mostly drive-through–drive up, get your biscuits, sweet tea, and a gooey cinnamon roll, and enjoy! Just the thing for a lazy Saturday morning. 
We really need to include Hardees on the list of good fast food, just for their milkshakes. I’ll go to Hardees just for the shakes–Cookies and Cream, please! I haven’t been going to Arby’s much since they got rid of the onion petals. 
I’ll pick Wendy’s over Burger King, I don’t ever go to Taco Bell (we have much better Mexican food places, so there’s no point in going to TB), and I don’t eat a lot of pizza, so I rarely have Domino’s or Pizza Hut. We usually go with Papa John’s or Amante (a local pizza place). I can’t remember the last time I went to McDonald’s. I usually only go there when I’m traveling and I need a cup of coffee. Better than any other fast food coffee.
Out of your list, I’d choose Wendy’s for taste, though I often go to Burger King for Convenience.
My favorite is Bebop’s, though. With Sonic’s in a close second.
And I religiously make a weekly trip to Taco John’s.
Another vote for In-N-Out. Not only is their stuff well-made and genuine, but they actually treat their employees as human beings, not minimum-wage serfs. For some reason, knowing that makes the food go down better.
Though I admit I don’t go as often as I’d like, partially because I generally avoid fast food and because my family loves McNuggets…
Perhaps the mustard is regional? I know that of all the McDs I’ve been to locally, none have ever put mustard on my burger (thank god). However, the same can’t be said for the local Jack-in-the-Boxes (those jack-asses).
My favorites are Dairy Queen and Taco John’s.
Quiznos is by far my favorite. There’s a misconception that they are far more expensive than Subway but the last few times I’ve been to Subway I’ve paid about the same - plus the Subs at Quiznos are bigger and far tastier.
As for best fries? I’ve never understood the love for McDick’s fries. Bleech! I don’t really like fries and usually opt for the salad instead but the only ones I can stomach are Wendy’s.
Of your list, it’s Arby’s hands down.
The Super Roast Beef is my favorite, and their curly fries are the best potato concoction you’ll find in fast food.
For the ones not on your list, I’d say Frazolis (italian fast food). They have excellent tomato sauce, so I’m happy with their spaghetti, pasta, chicken parmesan, or lasagna.
Burger places, I’d go with Wendy’s because I love their chili. Burger King chili, isn’t nearly as good.
Well, you got the greasy and nasty part of Bojangles right at least ;). I got the worst ham biscuit EVAR from them once. I won’t be making that mistake again! I also don’t think they’ve changed their menu since the War of Northern Aggression.
As for the OP’s list, Wendy’s has been my overall favorite by far for many years. I do like the Pizza Hut hand-tossed and thin-crust pizzas, but they don’t deliver in my neighborhood (we just recently got a Papa John’s that does, and they are the only one), so I don’t eat it much anymore.
And I’d go to Taco Bell from time to time if only they hadn’t closed the only one I could go to without really going out of my way. The food is not really worth making a special effort to get to ;).
I think I’m permanently turned off of Wendy’s chili. All I’d be able to think of is a severed finger.