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For a lot of people, ordering fast food is such a habit, they just pull into the drive-thru and order without even glancing at the menu. While everyone has their go-to spots, YouGov’s Best Bites 2026 report has just come out to tell us America’s fast food favorites.
According to their study, based on survey responses from over 40-thousand people nationwide, 70% of Americans get food or drinks at fast food restaurants at least once a month, and 30% have it at least once a week.
- About half (51%) of the weekly fast food diners are under age 45 and fall into middle-income households (49%).
- All those trips to the drive-thru can add up, with 61% spending up to $100 a month, 19% spending between $100 and $200, and 11% spending over $300 a month on fast food.
- Value and a discount menu are the top things that make diners more likely to go to a fast food spot, followed by a clean dining area, and being able to easily customize orders.
- McDonald’s tops the list of fast food brands people would consider going to for fast food and drinks, with Chick-fil-A coming in second, followed by Wendy’s.
- But when it comes to specific foods people want, the list changes. For burgers, Five Guys is number one (15.5%), Burger King is next (15%), and In-N-Out Burger is third (12.1%).
- For Deli sandwiches, the top spot is Subway (22.9%), Jersey Mikes is second (19.3%), and Firehouse Subs is number three (9.9%).
- Taco and burrito cravings send hungry diners to Taco Bell (30.3%), with Chipotle at number two (20.6%), followed by Moe’s (5.6%).
- For chicken, Chick-fil-A is number one (25.3%), followed by KFC (17.9%), and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (16.2%).
- Pizza Hut is the preferred place for pizza (19.1%), with Domino’s at number two (17.1%), and Papa John’s is third (11.4%).
- McDonald’s is the overall favorite for fries (39.2%), Five Guys is a distant second (9%), followed by Chick-fil-A (7.1%)
- Overall, Chick-fil-A tops the list for quality, while Wendy’s is first for value.
Source: YouGov⠀