Do you have trouble choosing from those intimidating fast-food menus? If so,
we've got you covered with the most popular items these chains have to offer.
The most popular fast food restaurant in the world has several iconic items on its menu,
including the McGriddle, McNuggets, and even the baked apple pie. But surprisingly,
McDonald's most popular food offering is not its flagship item: the Big Mac.
The most ordered menu item by far at McDonald's is its crispy, delicious
french fries. The business sells around 9 million pounds of french fries every day,
which is more than 3 billion pounds every year.
McDonald's has been producing these addictive fries since 1949. They used to be cooked in beef
tallow, but that was switched out to vegetable oil. Nevertheless, McDonald's french fries still
remain the most popular menu item at one of the most beloved fast food chains in the world.
When one thinks of Burger King, the legendary Whopper is the first
thing that comes to mind. Ever since its introduction in 1957,
it has shot up in popularity, and today, it's the most ordered item on the menu.
The Whopper features a quarter-pound of beef that's flame-grilled and
added to a sesame seed bun with tomato, pickles, lettuce, mayonnaise, ketchup,
and sliced onion. Although it might not be as big of a hit as the Big Mac — which
was created 10 years after Burger King's iconic sandwich — the Whopper will always
have its place in the fast food scene as one of the original big burgers.
Even though 95 percent of Americans live within 10 minutes of a Subway restaurant,
the franchise was going through some major struggles in the 2010s. In response,
Subway implemented major transformations that rejuvenated the franchise in 2022, including
the new "Subway Series." This streamlined menu featured 12 of Subway's signature sandwiches,
which were broken into four different lineups: Clubs, cheesesteaks, Italianos, and chicken.
According to the franchise's Instagram, there was one clear winner that was ordered the
most in 2022: The All-American Club. It came in with a 24.7 percent order rate,
followed by the Subway Club at 21.4 percent and Supreme Meats at 12.3 percent. Subway's most
popular sandwich consists of hickory-smoked bacon, oven-roasted turkey breast, Black Forest ham,
lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, and American cheese, all laid out over Italian bread.
You probably won't be surprised to learn that the most popular item on
Arby's menu is the Classic Roast Beef Sandwich. It's a
simple sandwich with thinly sliced roast beef stacked upon a toasted sesame bun.
Founders Leroy and Forrest Raffel went with roast beef because they
wanted to mix it up while everyone else was opening burger joints.
"Arby's doesn't have a beef with burgers. However,
Arby's does have a beef with beef that hasn't been smoked for 13 hours over hickory."
Sure, they copied the fast-food system used by other franchises like McDonald's and Burger King,
but they wanted something that set them apart. According to Leroy Raffel, when Arby's opened,
a McDonad's hamburger was 15 cents while Arby's sandwich was 69 cents. Even though
you had to spend a bit more money, it seems like the founders made the right decision,
as the Classic Roast Beef Sandwich is still Arby's most popular item.
The classic Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich has been Chick-fil-A's
most popular entrée for two years in a row. This comes as a bit of a surprise,
considering its popular nuggets previously held that claim for several years.
The sandwich consists of a perfectly seasoned, pressure-cooked chicken breast on a toasted,
buttery bun along with dill pickle chips. Debuting in the early 1960s,
founder Truett Cathy tested hundreds of recipes before finally settling on this fan favorite.
As popular as it may be, the sandwich has competition within: Not only are the beloved
chicken nuggets close behind, but the franchise's waffle fries are incredibly popular as well.
Chipotle has surged as one of the most popular upcoming fast-food
franchises in America over the past decade. The company reported that its
total revenue increased by 14.4 percent to $8.6 billion in 2022.
So what are people actually ordering when they visit the fast-food chain? According to Inverse,
communications director Chris Arnold explains that while Chipotle doesn't really release its data,
we can get the information we need by simply looking at the service line and
finding out the most popular menu item at each point. Surprisingly, the most popular
vessel for Chipotle's fresh ingredients isn't the burrito, but the burrito bowl.
Going down the line, you'll find other popular ingredients include white rice,
black beans, chicken, mild tomato salsa, cheese,
and lettuce. Of course, seeing as how Chipotle is all about customization,
it can be hard to nail down the most popular orders, so this is as close as we can get.
Glen Bell originally operated both a hamburger stand and a taco stand before opening the first
Taco Bell in 1962. Only five items were featured on the original menu: Frijoles,
tostadas, burritos, tacos, and chili burgers. Years later, Taco Bell started experimenting
with signature combinations, starting with the famous "enchirito," which was a cross
between an enchilada and a burrito. The item was widely popular in the 1970s.
Today, the most popular item on Taco Bell's menu is the Crunchwrap Supreme. This original
concoction contains your choice of protein layered in a warm toasted tortilla, along with
a crunchy tostada, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, lettuce, and tomato. It was first introduced as
a limited-time promotion in 2005, but it was so popular that it became a permanent part of Taco
Bell's menu. Although it might not be the most authentic Mexican cuisine, people sure do love it.
When you think of Wendy's, the first thing that probably comes to mind is its iconic
square patties on circular buns. You might even think of the legendary "Where's the
Beef?" commercial that was so popular it led to a 31 percent boost in Wendy's annual revenue.
"Boom baby! There's the beef!"
With this in mind, you'd likely suspect that the number-one item
is a burger. Surprisingly, this is not the case.
Wendy's hot 'n' crispy french fries are its most popular item, topping all other menu options,
including the Baconator and the spicy chicken nuggets. The chain makes its
naturally cut fries with 100 percent Russet potatoes, sprinkling them with the perfect
amount of sea salt. Fry lovers are sure to be pleased when they go to Wendy's!
If you're located in one of the 15 lucky states that have a Whataburger, this one should come
as no surprise. The Texas-born franchise's most popular menu item is the Whataburger,
which consists of a 100 percent beef patty topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles,
and the signature Whataburger mustard on a five-inch bun. When it was created back in 1950,
it cost only 25 cents but was significantly larger than the competition's burgers.
If you didn't know, the Whataburger got its name because founder Harmon Dobson wanted to serve a
burger so big and delicious that it took two hands to hold, causing customers to exclaim,
"What a burger!"
The truth is, although it might have been big back then, it's not so big by today's standards.
Luckily, if you need something larger, you can just grab a double-meat Whataburger.
Panda Express is defined by its flavorful Chinese dishes mixed with bold American flavors and may
very well be responsible for what the world sees as American-Chinese cuisine in general.
That fusion-style fare is often represented by one specific dish: Orange Chicken. This item is not
only the most popular dish at the franchise, but it's also the chain's claim to fame.
It was originally created in 1987 by Andy Kao, the company's executive chef. Back then,
Orange Chicken was made with the bone and skin still on, and it was much spicier. It
was inspired by a Sichuan tangerine peel beef appetizer called chen pi niu rou.
Today, the delicious orange chicken has evolved into boneless,
crispy chicken doused in a sweet-savory orange sauce.
If you're going to Smashburger, you get a Smashburger, and it seems like
most of the restaurant's customers agree. This big ol' burger is made
with 100 percent Certified Angus Beef that is pasture-fed and corn-finished. Additionally,
the beef is locally sourced, which helps support farms.
On top of that, the patty is never frozen,
always freshly made, and it's hand-smashed to order. It includes lettuce, tomatoes,
American cheese, red onions, pickles, and its signature Smash Sauce, all on top of a
toasted bun. The Smashburger goes perfectly with an Oreo cookies & cream milkshake, too.
Long before Detroit-based pizza shop Little Caesars became a national icon for fast pizza,
it began with a blind date between Marian Bayoff and Mike Ilitch in 1954. After they married,
the couple later invested their life savings into creating the first store in a suburb of
Detroit. Today, Little Caesars gives "fast food" a whole new meaning.
In 1997, the chain came up with the Hot-N-Ready menu. It's a genius idea in which a customer
could enter a store craving pizza and walk out with a hot one seconds later. Considering how
fast and convenient it is, it's not surprising that the Hot-N-Ready Pepperoni Pizza is Little
Caesars' most popular item on the menu. It also doesn't hurt that it's cheap and tasty.
If you had to choose a single menu item that represented Jack in the Box, you'd probably
have a pretty tough time. Would you choose one of its ultimate burgers? Its spicy chicken tenders?
Breakfast sandwiches? The franchise features foods from all over the fast food spectrum;
you can even get a jumbo egg roll or some stuffed jalapenos if you feel like it. But when it comes
to popularity, one menu item stands out above the rest: The classic two tacos.
"I grew up on your tacos." "Thanks. You know, right now,
you can get two tacos for just $.99."
The crunchy tacos come with seasoned beef, shredded lettuce, American cheese,
and Jack in the Box's signature taco sauce. Are they popular because they're good? Or
because you can get two for 99 cents? Try some and find out for yourself.
Someone usually brings up the Texas-based Church's Chicken in the never-ending argument about which
fried-chicken fast-food joint reigns supreme. Born in San Antonio in 1952 — right across the
street from the Alamo — this regional restaurant offers the incredibly unique flavor of Texas.
Although there are those who swear it has some of the best fried chicken in the nation,
you might be surprised to find the most popular item on its menu is its creamy
mashed potatoes topped with rich, savory gravy. With perfect mashed potatoes,
you're bound to have a great meal at Church's Chicken
From humble beginnings as an ice cream parlor in the Philippines, Jollibee has now become a
ubiquitous franchise with around 1500 locations around the world. Although it has several
interesting and popular items on its menu, like the Jolly Spaghetti with banana ketchup, the
Cheesy Deluxe Yumburger, and the peach mango pie, there's a clear number one: The Chickenjoy Bucket.
Jollibee's signature chicken features an incredibly crunchy skin with tender and
juicy meat inside. It also comes with a big hot cup of gravy for an extra blast of savoriness.
You can't take a bite of this chicken without having a huge smile on your face.
In 1939, a man named Harland Sanders created a blend of 11 unique herbs and spices for his
chicken, and the rest is history. Today, KFC has more than 25,000 restaurants around the
world serving up the Colonel's irresistible fried chicken and sides. Despite the popularity of so
many of its different menu items, nothing comes close to the Original Recipe Chicken Bucket.
Since the Bucket's inception in 1957, KFC's fried chicken has been served with
the same secret recipe. When you order a bucket, you can choose anything from
an 8-piece to a 16-piece of arguably the best fast-food fried chicken you can get.
Seafood lovers know all about the Kentucky-born restaurant Long John Silver's. Even if you
don't fall under that category, you've likely seen the eye-catching blue roofs
on the Cape Cod-style buildings. The chain offers lots of foods from beneath the sea,
including popcorn shrimp, grilled salmon, and crispy fish sandwiches. However,
the most-ordered item on its menu is the fish & shrimp platter.
This combo meal comes with two pieces of hand-battered Alaska Pollock and fried shrimp,
all resting on tiny crunchy bits of batter called Crumblies. You also get two sides,
but most people opt for the French fries and coleslaw. Lastly, top that off with
two of Long John Silver's signature hush puppies, and you got one popular platter.
The Raising Cane's menu is not very big at all — and for good reason. There's basically
one decision you need to make, and that's the size of your meal. You can get orders of three,
four, or six in the form of the "3 Finger," the "box," and the "Caniac," respectively. And, if
you're having a party, you can buy a tailgate box, which comes with 25, 50, 75, or even 100 fingers.
The box combo is the most popular option here. You get four of Raising Cane's
hand-breaded chicken fingers, a side of crinkle-cut fries,
a big piece of Texas Toast, coleslaw, one of Raising Cane's signature sauces,
and a regular-sized drink. Who needs a big menu when you have the best chicken fingers around?
Firehouse Subs is a sandwich shop founded by two firefighter brothers. Enter through the
doors and you'll see tons of cool firehouse memorabilia lining the walls. Even the
restaurant's most popular item is a reference to a type of firetruck: the Hook & Ladder Sub.
This sandwich features smoked turkey breast, melted Monterey Jack, Virginia honey ham,
and is served Fully Involved. What is Fully Involved, you ask? It means the sandwich is
loaded with lettuce, onion, tomato, mayo, and deli mustard, complete with a kosher dill pickle on the
side. And if you're not feeling a hot sandwich, all of the subs are available cold as well!
Boston Market is a fast-casual restaurant that was created to
make wonderful rotisserie platters. So it should come as no surprise that
the chain's most popular item is the half-rotisserie chicken meal.
This offering comes with half of an all-natural roasted rotisserie chicken and two sides,
such as garlic dill potatoes, cilantro lime rice, mac and cheese, or mashed potatoes. Finish it
with a tasty piece of cornbread, and you've got a homey, American comfort meal. It's a lot of food,
but it's also the meal that gives you the most bang for your buck.
Before Dairy Queen became what it is today, it had humble beginnings in a small building known
as "The Homemade Ice Cream Company." In 1938, a father-son duo came up with an early soft-serve
ice cream formula, and two years later Dairy Queen was born. It turned into a soft-serve
empire that began to expand its menu with hot foods like hot dogs and burgers. But it wasn't
until 1985 that Dairy Queen's most wildly popular item was invented: The Blizzard.
A soft-serve ice cream that came with several mix-in toppings,
DQ sold over 175 million in its first year alone. And today,
Dairy Queen's Oreo Blizzard is still its most popular item on the menu. Every bite comes
with satisfying chunks of Oreo cookie pieces mixed into its classic vanilla soft serve.
In-N-Out started as California's first humble drive-thru hamburger stand,
and it has turned into one of the most renowned chains in the world. During its beginnings in
1948, founder Harry Snyder would visit the markets to pick out the freshest ingredients
every day before dawn, then he'd prepare everything by hand for the burger shop.
"Those are good burgers, Walter." "Shut the f— up Donnie."
Today, In-N-Out's menu is famously small and simple, with a not-so-secret secret
menu to go along with it. It's pretty much just a selection of hamburger or cheeseburger sizes,
french fries, drinks, and milkshakes. So it's no surprise In-N-Out's most ordered
item is the classic Double-Double. It consists of two beef patties,
two slices of American cheese, onions, tomato, lettuce, and In-N-Out's famous spread.
In 2019, Popeyes launched a chicken sandwich to compete with Chick-Fil-A. To say people went crazy
for it is an understatement: Lines formed and locations sold out of this hot item. But what
was jokingly dubbed the "Chicken Sandwich Wars" got even more serious as fights broke
out at Popeyes locations. What was it about this sandwich that caused such a commotion?
This classic chicken sandwich consists of a seasoned breast fillet that's battered
in buttermilk and fried. The fillet is sandwiched between two brioche buns,
along with pickle slices and classic mayo. Maybe that is worth waiting in line for...
Today, Shake Shack is one of the most renowned burger joints in the world. But it started out
as a hot dog stand in Madison Square Park. As the business grew in popularity, founder Danny Meyer
expanded the menu to include hamburgers, milkshakes, and crinkle-cut french fries.
Although the chain now offers gourmet sandwiches like the white truffle burger, the 'shroom burger,
and the famous Chicken Shack, one menu item still remains the most popular: The ShackBurger.
The classic that brought Shake Shack to fame features Angus beef, cheese, tomato, lettuce, and
its patented ShackSauce, all on a toasted potato bun. Fortunately, with more than 400 locations
globally, you won't have to wait in line at the stand in Madison Square Park to get your fix.
White Castle was created with one idea in mind: To make a small,
square hamburger that was easy to eat and could be sold for 5 cents. The idea worked;
according to PR Newswire, the franchise had sold more than 28 billion burgers as of April 2022.
"I want 30 sliders, five french fries, and four large cherry cokes."
"I want the same except make mine diet cokes."
Although many people argue over which slider is best, from the chicken and waffles slider
to the bacon cheese slider, White Castle's original slider is the one that takes the
cake. It's made with 100 percent beef that's steam grilled on onions and then topped with pickles.
Wingstop was founded in 1994 in Dallas when pizza shop owner Antonio Swad noticed one
thing about pizza shops: There were too many. He decided that making a restaurant
dedicated to wings was a good choice, and it's now in the top 50 chains in the country.
Wingstop has several flavors that could be crowned as the "best" on the menu,
like its spicy Korean Q, lemon pepper, mango habanero, or garlic parmesan. But the classic
original hot wings are still the company's most ordered item. It might not be the most
out-there flavor, but these wings hit the spot every time with a spicy, tangy kick.
Driving into a Sonic is one of the most unique fast-food experiences a person can get in the
modern age. Ever since the business built its first Sonic Drive-In in Oklahoma in 1953,
it has stayed true to the formula, allowing people to enjoy their meals right in their cars.
Sonic serves a wide variety of American classics, like burgers,
hot dogs, popcorn chicken, grilled cheese, and breakfast burritos. But you might be
surprised to find its most in-demand item isn't even food: It's the cherry limeade.
This refreshing classic brings together the flavors of sweet
cherry and tangy lime. Sonic must be doing something right with this limeade;
apparently, it sells the equivalent of 15 Olympic-sized swimming pools every year.