Top 10 Best Fast Food Restaurants: America Dominates World’s Favorite Chains

Hungry for some comfort food? In today’s fast paced world there’s nothing better than getting food fast from one of the big chains. 

Let’s take a look at the 10 best fast food restaurants in the world, a list the United States absolutely dominates. 

10. Pizza Hut (USA)

Let America’s domination of our list of best fast food restaurants begin. When Pizza Hut first opened its doors in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas, nobody anticipated the explosive growth into almost 20,000 restaurants worldwide. 

Beyond the famous classic pepperoni pizza are fries, pasta, breadsticks and its “WingStreet” menu on offer. Pizza Hut’s innovations include the introduction of PizzaNet in 1994 for online internet for orders, and they were the first pizza chain to launch an iPhone app for ordering in 2009. 

9. Burger King (USA)

There’s no denying that Burger King’s signature Whopper is one of the best burgers in the world with its flame-grilled beef, mayo, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, pickles and onion on a sesame seed bun. Over 2 billion Whoppers are sold a year! 

Since opening in 1953 in Jacksonville, Florida, Burger King has continued to evolve long since the days when a Whopper was only 37 cents. The big question is whether a Whopper is better than a Big Mac? You be the judge.  

8. Domino’s Pizza (USA)

After humble beginnings with its first store opening in Michigan in 1963, Domino’s Pizza first expanded globally in 1983 and now has over 18,000 stores across the world.

Originally just a pizza shop, Domino’s also sell sandwiches, shakes, wings, pasta and more. Known for their innovation, they’ve also incorporated the world’s first pizza delivery drone, “DRU Drone”, and the “DOM Pizza Checker”, which smart scans every pizza for product quality and consistency. 

7. KFC (USA)

KFC is no doubt the undisputed king of fried chicken and one of the best fast food restaraunts, and it’s all thanks to Colonel Harland Sanders. He first started selling fried chicken in Corbin, Kentucky in 1930, and the first franchise opened in 1952 in Salt Lake City.

Colonel Sanders’ secret “11 herbs and spices” no doubt elevates Kentucky Fried Chicken above other fried chicken chains, with its buckets of chicken, mashed potatoes and coleslaw heads and shoulders above the rest with its “finger-lickin’ good taste”.

6. Subway (USA)

Subway revolutionized fast food in 1965 with the customizable sandwich. Opening up shop in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the franchise focuses on fresh toppings hence the “Eat Fresh” slogan and is the world’s largest fast food chain. 

The 6-inch or footlong sandwich on your choice of bread is one of the biggest drawcards for Subway. Its world renowned and “godlike” cookies are also another reason the sandwich giants have earned a cult following.  

5. Chipotle Mexican Grill (USA)

Chipotle revolutionizaed fast food when it opened its door for the first time at a store in Denver in 1993, and expanded globally beginning in 2008. Customers are obsessed with a simple menu of customizable bowls, tacos, and Mission burritos.

The healthy-ish options at Chipotle in addition to its freshness and quality ingredients has driven its global expansion and you can’t look past the warm, fresh and jam-packed Carnitas Burrito. 

4. McDonald’s (USA)

McDonald’s changed the game when it opened in 1940 with their hamburgers, cheeseburgers and french fries which has helped the franchise become one of the biggest cultural and iconic phenomenons.

Instantly recognizable is the Golden Arches logo and the classic Cheeseburger, Quarter Pounder and Big Mac are ageless and continue to resonate across generations. And don’t forget characters like Ronald McDonald, Hamburglar and Grimace who all keep us emotionally connected to McDonald’s.    

3. Five Guys (USA)

Five Guys first opened in Virginia in 1986 and started its global expansion outside North America in 2013. Mashed.com explains perfectly why Five Guys burgers are so good. 

Hotdogs, fries, shakes and burgers are on the menu but what sets Five Guys apart from other fast food restaurants is that there are 250,000 ways to customize each burger.

2. Shake Shack (USA)

From humble beginnings in Madison Square Garden, Shake Shack started out selling New York-style hot dogs in 2004 before adding hamburgers, fries, milkshakes and frozen custards to the menu. 

The famous ShackBurger with a perfectly soft potato bun, crispy buttery edges, all-beef patty and secret ShakeSauce all ratioed perfectly has expanded globally on a rapid scale.  

1. In-N-Out Burger (USA)

Is In-N-Out Burger overrated? No, they’re not and they’re the best fast food restaurant in the world with a loyal cult following since opening in California in 1948. 

Less is more, with a simple menu based around its world famous burgers, fresh-cut fries, milkshakes, and avoiding the franchise model to control quality. And according to lovefood.com the Double-Double Animal Style is the best burger of all time