People Wonder How These 20 Popular American Fast Food Chains Are Still Around - 1

People Wonder How These 20 Popular American Fast Food Chains Are Still Around

No matter how many times we hear that fast food isn’t healthy or some such trope, it doesn’t seem to deter us from gracing the halls of these establishments. Worse is that there are a few particularly popular franchises that keep drawing us in again and again despite their decline in food quality and quantity amongst so many other factors.

Indeed, there is no pleasing everyone, but these particular food chains have made a habit of making their errors a regularity to the point that it’s almost a common running joke. Redditor u/Eris3344 got curious about what chain restaurants in the United States fall into this category and asked folks to share their opinions on the topic, from which we’ve shared the most popular responses received, in the gallery below.

#1

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Subway. Still lost about how they stay in business. The quality keeps dropping, the prices keep rising, the deals are shrinking, and their market share is being cannibalized over the last decade or so by places that offer a superior offering at less or just slightly more. I can walk in and get a Jersey Mikes sub for 10 bucks and it’s miles better than anything subway can spit out.

#2

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Panera is on the list too.

Nature_Goulet:

Panera costs more than a regular sit down. Totally ridiculous.

#3

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Burger King – awesome when I was a teenager, sucks now. I dunno, the food quality has gone too downhill for me.

#4

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I’m definitely going to get hate for this but Panda Express.

The food is mediocre at best but I will give them the benefit that you can’t find a larger portion of food for ~$10 anywhere else. However the real reason I say it is the worst is because due to how popular and widespread they are, it’s given a lot of people in less culturally diverse sectors the idea that all Chinese food is a cheap and greasy struggle meal. I am of East Asian descent and I’ve learned to stop suggesting Chinese food as a first date when meeting a non-Asian girl because I usually get hit with something like “What like Panda Express? Can we go somewhere better?” ??‍♂️

#5

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I was excited to try Taco Bell when they launched in the UK a couple of years ago. What the hell America, it’s literally warm lettuce in an unflavoured Dorito.

#6

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They all suck, but Pizza Hut has to be the one that fell the farthest.

lemming_follower:

I’ve always believed there is money to be made on nostalgia. Pizza Hut executives are letting this demographic slip away. You think they’d offer a once-a-year special to satisfy us old-timers.

Of course, in addition to my 80’s pizza, I’d want a few games sitting down at a cocktail arcade machine…

#7

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Hate me if you want, but I can’t stand Olive Garden. Their menu is just too limited and their food has no inspiration.

DenL4242:

Why would anyone hate you for stating straight-up facts? Olive Garden can’t even cook pasta correctly.

#8

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TGIFriday’s. Between TGIF, Applebee’s, and Chili’s (all essentially the same place) TGIF is the absolute worst. I doubt they even have fryers or ovens/grills in the kitchen – wouldn’t be surprised to just see 10 microwaves lined up.

#9

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I’m convinced Applebee’s isn’t a real restaurant. Just a front for repurposed takeout from neighboring restaurants.

ShawshankException:

I’m convinced their kitchen is comprised entirely of microwaves.

#10

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McDonald’s, they treat their workers like st, they get paid to be abused by coworkers, customers, owners, and truck drivers. Get injured? too bad! That’s a you problem! Get back to work!! You can’t even make enough to SURVIVE food is st, overpriced, and I’d rather eat my own st over mcst. You have a family member dying? Oh well we need you to come in cus our best Boi Mc. Never does anything wrong needs a month off cus he “earned it” aka siting on his a*s doing nothing while you cook, clean, fry, assemble, and so on! Tldr: McDonald’s is a hellhole and far worse than any fast food joint.

#11

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Chick-Fil-A. They cause horrific traffic jams. One just opened and it’s already making everyone around miserable.

It’s a damn sandwich.

#13

Denny’s. EVERY time I eat there (desperate times call for desperate measures) It sucks. Only 24/7 place open by my airport. How can you screw up food that bad and stay open?

#14

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Golden Corral is an abomination.

GNOIZ1C:

Quantity, Not Quality™️

#15

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Sbarro. It takes a lot of work to ruin pizza.

#16

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Papa John’s went from the top to the absolute bottom in a very short time. We refuse to order it anymore. It was never great but it has become inedible in the last 5 years or so. We actually threw it out last time we ordered it and made something else.

#17

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Long John Silver, it has to be a cover for the mob or something.

draggar

Just something about fast seafood doesn’t sit right with me.

#18

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I fail to understand how Dominoes is still in business. It’s the cr*ppiest pizza out there. Like cardboard with red melted crayon for sauce. It’s pathetic. With all the far superior places to get a pizza from…….why the hell do people still prefer Dominoes?

#19

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KFC. How can a chicken place be out of chicken so often? And bring back the corn on the cob as well as the tater wedges you fools.

TheGramdWaZoo:

It doesn’t even taste like chicken anymore… It’s just battered grease.

alwaysmyfault:

Bring back the buffet!

#20

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Waffle House

EDIT: I Googled “Waffle House shooting [hometown]” to support my point, but I then had to specify which one.

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Shanilou Perera

Shanilou has always loved reading and learning about the world we live in. While she enjoys fictional books and stories just as much, since childhood she was especially fascinated by encyclopaedias and strangely enough, self-help books. As a kid, she spent most of her time consuming as much knowledge as she could get her hands on and could always be found at the library. Now, she still enjoys finding out about all the amazing things that surround us in our day-to-day lives and is blessed to be able to write about them to share with the whole world as a profession.