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They also won for best French fries.
If you find yourself in the drive-thru or opting for a fast-food shortcut more than usual these days, you’re not alone. In fact, according to the CDC, around a third of Americans get fast food on any given day. But with so many quick and convenient options to choose from, not to mention a good number of those with roots in down-home Southern cooking, which burgers, tacos, chicken sandwiches, breakfast bites, and fries (the list goes on) deserve your dollar?
USA Today just released their annual Reader’s Choice Awards for 2026, and the winner takes home the trophy for their third year in a row as the Best Fast Food Restaurant in the U.S. Any guesses? Well, let’s start with the top 10.
Arby’s and their signature roast beef sandwiches round out the group at number ten, with Zaxby’s at ninth, New Orleans-born Popeye’s at eighth, and, surprisingly, fast-food giant McDonald’s at seventh. Taco Bell—a late-night Mexican-inspired favorite—took sixth, Raising Cane’s and their Texas toast came in fifth, and Wendy’s came in fourth.
The bronze medal goes to Georgia’s beloved Chick-fil-A, which frequently competes for the top spot in customer satisfaction rankings thanks to their consistency and intentional service model. Add that to their seasonal favorites (hello, peach milkshake!) and nostalgic Southern recipes, and you’ve got the ingredients for a fan-favorite chain. They’re doing fine, even in third place.
The second-best fast food restaurant in the country, as voted upon by USA Today readers, is none other than A&W. Surprised? This international fast-food chain offers a wide range of menu items at fairly good prices plus a nostalgic root beer float. It’s hard to beat that late-night treat of our childhoods, especially in a warm Southern summer. They’ve also got a robust rewards program in their app.
In first place on the Best Fast Food Restaurant list is the reigning champion, Del Taco. If you’re not familiar, Del Taco is a popular budget-friendly taco spot with loaded burritos, quesadillas, nachos, and even burgers. They have a delicious breakfast menu and, for those with special dietary restrictions, a vegetarian and vegan menu. In addition to winning Best Fast Food Restaurant, in the national survey, Del Taco’s crinkle-cut fries took first place over all other chains. That’s some serious clout, y’all.
USA Today readers also ranked chains in several other categories. Jollibee came in first place for Best Fast Food Fried Chicken; Southern-based Biscuitville—locations in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina—came in first for Best Fast Food Breakfast; and Church’s Texas Chicken took the lead for Best Fast Food Side with their out-of-this-world Honey-Butter Biscuit. Alabama-born Chicken Salad Chick (the nation’s only fast casual chicken salad restaurant concept) won Best Sandwich or Sub Shop, and also just launched Quick Chicks: pre-packed chicken salad scoops to take home and make weekday lunches simpler.
I’m handing out an honorable mention to several other Southern fast-food items that certainly would have made this list if USA Today readers had tasted them. We’re assuming they haven’t, or these items would be in the top ten: a Patty Melt from Whataburger; Bojangles Bo-Rounds, Cajun Filet Biscuit, or Bo-Berry Biscuits; Shipley’s kolaches; an original Krystal burger; a Double Gravy Biscuit from Jack’s; a hot-from-the-machine Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnut; and any drink combination (shoutout Cherry Limeade) from SONIC.
We’ll catch y’all in the drive-thru.
Read the original article on Southern Living
