All articles tagged with #fast food
Chili’s roasted Burger King on social media after a photo showed BK’s Bacon King meal priced at $18.19 at a location, contrasting it with Chili’s value offer—3 for Me with fries, bottomless chips, and an unlimited drink for $10.99—driving viral engagement and largely positive reactions, while Burger King notes that prices vary by location.
USA TODAY reports that In-N-Out Burger plans six new restaurants in five states—California, Tennessee, Arizona, Utah and Idaho—with openings set for Commerce (CA), Madison (TN), San Tan Valley (AZ), St. George (UT), Stockton (CA) and Twin Falls (ID). The expansion comes as the chain continues to grow beyond California; CEO Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson has said the company won’t compromise on quality to grow and has previously dismissed East Coast expansion (and online ordering) in her lifetime.
Jersey Mike's filed for a NYSE IPO under the ticker JMKE after rapid growth, reporting 50% same-store sales growth from 2020–2025 and systemwide sales of about $4.3 billion in 2025. With roughly 3,300 US locations, the chain aims to add 7,500 more US stores and expand globally to about 15,000 stores, including 300 in Canada by 2034 and 300 in the UK/Ireland. Founder Peter Cancro will play a key overseas role, Blackstone has held a majority stake since 2024, and Jersey Mike's was named America’s top-rated quick-service restaurant by the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
With World Cup ticket and travel costs mounting, international fans are cutting expenses by opting for cheap, greasy American fare—from pizza to cheesesteaks—while visiting cities for matches, turning fast food into a budget-friendly way to sample U.S. culture.
A YouGov survey (Best Bites 2026) finds McDonald’s is the most-considered fast-food brand in America (39.6%), driven by value and discounts, even as it ranks lower for burger quality. Five Guys leads the burger rankings (15.5%), followed by Burger King (15%), In‑N‑Out (12.1%), Wendy’s (10.2%), and McDonald’s (8.7%). McDonald’s also dominates the fries category (39.2%), while Wendy’s leads on value. The study shows Americans evaluate brands across multiple attributes beyond burgers when deciding where to eat.
Regional burger chains like In-N-Out, Whataburger and Culver’s are driving growth in the US hamburger market, delivering quality, loyalty and customization that outpace bigger brands even as overall fast-food sales slow and prices rise; Whataburger is expanding with 60 new locations, In-N-Out posted about 10% domestic sales growth in 2025, and Culver’s emphasizes service and menu breadth to maintain momentum.
ACSI's 2026 study crowns Jersey Mike's as America's top-rated fast-food chain with an 84/100 score, citing freshness, variety and value, while Chick-fil-A remains the leader in the chicken category. The shift follows Jersey Mike's growth after its 2024 Blackstone acquisition, with CEO Charlie Morrison eyeing rapid expansion (238 new stores in 2025 and ~3,200 current stores, potentially doubling) and over $4 billion in sales, even as overall U.S. fast-food growth slowed to about 3% in 2025.
Jersey Mike's overtook Chick-fil-A to claim the top spot in the American Customer Satisfaction Index's fast-food rankings, ending Chick-fil-A's 11-year reign. Jersey Mike's was praised for freshness, variety, and value and expanded to 238 new locations in 2025, reaching $4.2 billion in systemwide sales. Chick-fil-A remains the leader in the chicken category, with other top chains including Jimmy John's, Subway, KFC, and Domino's also highly ranked. Analysts say rising costs and price-driven growth are shaping the current landscape, with new brands entering the top tier.
ACSI’s 2026 rankings crown Jersey Mike’s as the top quick-service restaurant, scoring 84 to Chick-fil-A’s 83 and ending Chick-fil-A’s 11-year reign. Jersey Mike’s growth (238 new locations, over $4.2B in sales) helped it edge out the leader as consumers seek consistency and value, with industry-wide gains in mobile app satisfaction amid a challenging 2025.
Yum! Brands is selling its Pizza Hut chain for $2.7 billion in two deals: LongRange Capital will acquire Pizza Hut outside mainland China for about $1.5 billion, while Yum China Holdings will buy the mainland China operations for about $1.2 billion. The transactions, expected to close in Q3 2026 pending regulatory approvals, will let Yum! streamline its portfolio and focus on core brands like KFC and Taco Bell, as Pizza Hut has struggled in the US amid fierce competition and the rise of delivery apps.
Jersey Mike's topped the American Customer Satisfaction Index quick-service rankings with a score of 84, narrowly beating Chick-fil-A's 83 and marking the first new leader in the QSR category in more than a decade, based on 16,464 surveys from April 2025 to March 2026. The Jersey Mike's chain, with over 4,000 locations, was credited for strong customer satisfaction amid rapid growth and a model favoring throughput and off‑premise convenience, including digital pickup. Chick-fil-A remains the top chicken chain but dropped to second overall. Jimmy John's and Panda Express tied for third at 81; KFC, Papa John's and Pizza Hut followed at 80, with other chains ranking below.
A Mashed taste-test ranked nine fast-food cheeseburgers and crowned Wayback Burger’s Classic patty the best, outpacing big-name rivals like McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and Wendy’s Dave’s Single; the Classic features two smash-style patties with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, mustard and ketchup, and can be customized with extras, while Wayback’s expansion has helped the chain gain visibility among burger fans.
National Hamburger Day on May 28 kicks off a wave of burger deals across dozens of chains, from BOGO offers at Arby’s and Checkers & Rally’s to free burgers with purchases at Burger King, Shake Shack, Whataburger, and more, plus discounts and special prices at Dairy Queen, Smashburger, Hard Rock Cafe, Krystal, and others. Many promos run through May 28–31 (or May 27–31) and often require rewards memberships or in-app orders.
National Burger Day 2026 brings freebies and discounts from Arby’s, Burger King, Shake Shack, Jack in the Box, Whataburger and more, including BOGO sandwiches, free burgers with certain purchases, and limited-time single-patty deals, with many offers running May 28–31 and some lasting all month.
Chipotle is test-marketing crispy breaded chicken as a new protein in California burritos and bowls at a higher price, with no nationwide rollout yet; social media reactions are mixed, ranging from excitement to skepticism and allergy concerns, and early reports say the crispy chicken performance varies.