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“Their Kitchen Is Comprised Entirely Of Microwaves”: 30 Of The Absolute Worst Chain Restaurants
Many of us enjoy a cheeky fast-food meal every now and then. But unless you’ve worked on the other side of the counter, very few people think about what it’s like being a chain restaurant employee. All the customers have to go on is the quality of the food and service. Though everyone makes mistakes, some businesses seem to be in the habit of making their errors a regular feature.
Redditor u/Eris3344 wanted to get to grips with the landscape of chain restaurants in the United States, so they asked people to explain which ones are the worst and why. We’ve collected some of the most insightful answers to share with you.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
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.
GoGoPDX 2 years ago (edited)
There are 3 times when Taco Bell is great. 1: you are 19, broke, and want something other than hamburgers. 2: you are high, and Taco Bell is suddenly gourmet. 3: you're drunk, your friends are drunk, and the bars are closed. Taco Bell is open. Then there is the weird extra time Taco Bell is good. Some random Tuesday night after a long work day and you just want Taco Bell.
RELATED:
#2
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.
GoGoPDX 2 years ago
I get sooooo sick every time I eat at Subway. I stopped eating there years ago because of this. Well, about a month ago, I was traveling a long road trip. I stopped to get gas, and was starting. All they had was a Subway. I took a chance hoping that something changed, or maybe it was a "crazy coincidence" when I got sick before. Well, nothing changed and it wasn't a coincidence. I go so sick that I missed work for 2days
#3
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.
Most customers are practical. So long as the food tastes great and is pretty affordable, and the staff treats them well, they’ll be happy. However, some of the most important things happen behind the scenes. Ideally, all businesses would operate ethically, treat their employees well, and have high quality and hygiene standards.
These factors also often have an effect on the quality of the food that comes out of the kitchen. Motivated, well-trained, fairly paid, disciplined staff members will provide an excellent customer experience. On the flip side, workers who don’t get paid well, have no clue what they’re doing, and are managed poorly are more likely to not care about their jobs. Caring about the way chain restaurants operate means enjoying a better customer experience.
#5
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?
Sue Denham 2 years ago
Is this everywhere or just some places? We have Domino's in NZ and it's pretty good.
#6
McDonald's, they treat their workers like s**t, 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 s**t, overpriced, and I'd rather eat my own s**t over mcs**t. 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.
Companies change their business practices to match their customers’ expectations. So if you feel that a certain chain of restaurants is getting super expensive, ladling slop on dirty trays, and treating everyone who walks through the doors poorly, vote with your feet. Boycott the restaurant and give the chain your honest feedback in writing.
Meanwhile, if you’ve seen hygiene standards slip and you’re honestly worried about your health, report the problems to your local organization responsible for ensuring food safety and standards. There’s nothing like a proper inspection to get restaurants in line.
#7
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...
#8
Panera is on the list too.
Nature_Goulet:Panera costs more than a regular sit down. Totally ridiculous.
#9
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!
While chain restaurant employees ought to be proud of their jobs and try to do the best they possibly could, the responsibility doesn’t rest just on their shoulders. It’s also essential that their managers and bosses motivate them properly. After all, if someone’s superiors don’t care about the customers, why should the employees?
This motivation could, for instance, mean rewarding the staff with monetary bonuses for excellent work, top-notch customer service, and good hygiene practices. That way, there’s a very practical incentive to be at the top of your game. Similarly, workers ought to be incentivized in the long term as well. They should know what kinds of training, raises, promotions, and other perks they can reasonably expect, and when. And that comes down to upper management that genuinely wants their staff to thrive, and is transparent about their goals and expectations.
#11
Burger King - awesome when I was a teenager, sucks now. I dunno, the food quality has gone too downhill for me.
#12
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.
Aisling Raye 2 years ago
Unlimited salad and breadsticks are sort of wonderful when you're broke tho lol.
#13
Chick-Fil-A. They cause horrific traffic jams. One just opened and it’s already making everyone around miserable.
It’s a damn sandwich.
Aisling Raye 2 years ago
Never been and never will, so I can't comment on quality of food. The WTF America part of it is how horrible they are as a company. I absolutely cannot support a business that is so overwhelmingly obsessed with homophobia and the desire to shove religion down the throats (literally and figuratively) of the masses.
LizzieBoredom 2 years ago (edited)
Not a restaurant but Hobby Lobby is another religious zealot run business. The heiress to Publix supported Trump and gave $2-3 million in support of Jan. 6th rally.
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and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 2 years ago
Also they’re a terrible company that actively donates to hate groups.
WonderWoman 2 years ago
They are run by homophobic faux christians who want to shove their beliefs down everyones throats. Their chicken is just okay. Where they shine? Milk Shakes, but I will never buy from them.
Captain Awesome 2 years ago
I have found chic fila to at least be consistent between restaurants. I always know what I'm getting there and that it will look and taste the same. As someone with IBD knowing the food how you body responds is a big plus.
Patricia Steward 2 years ago
They said they were going to be better re: LGBTQ, but they haven't.
The Veil of Fire 2 years ago
I have eaten at Chick-fil-A several times. Always knew it was Christian based company however not once was I served a meal with a homophobic message or the company pushing their owners religion in my face. In fact I recognize that at various locations a wide variety of folks worked there including many LGBTQ folks. Various ethnic folks. Different ages. Etc. So, as long as the chicken is good, served in a friendly manor and I'm hungry I don't mind getting a meal there every once in a while. its better then many other places around here.
Curly Q 2 years ago
Ok I work at Chick-fil-a, and to be fair, we have multiple queer people in the business! One queer girl is a BOH team lead, and she's starting to be FOH lead as well. From my personal pov, there are a lot of Christians in the business, but we don't try to witness or push religion on people.
Justin Laflamme 2 years ago
I tried it once. WTF? It tasted like they fried the chicken in old motor oil.
80 Van 2 years ago
It is crazy how long the lines get, but this is more of a sign of the quality than any decline.
ConstantlyJon 2 years ago
CFA is incredibly polarizing. I submit that the beliefs of the "Administration" or the owner/current CEO is not reflective of the entire company or the individual experience of each franchise. Some restaurants are also homophobic, but both CFA's I've worked at (both in the south, mind you) have had multiple gay managers, all of which I was proud to work with as they were some of the hardest workers I've ever met. They were able to show their pride in the workplace and we were proud to have them apart of our team. It's a very diverse workplace, honestly. The people who eat there look and act entirely differently than the actual employees. I understand why people don't like it, but they also don't have the whole picture either. I do get why people don't like the traffic, but it's silly to hate on a business for being too successful. It's not just the sandwich, it's everything they sell. There's like 12 things that are my favorite thing on the menu. CFA is a very, very good restaurant.
Jane No Dough 2 years ago
I just think that not giving my money to companies that will use it to make crummy political donations is an easy way for me to make small changes for the better. Boycotts can work if enough people participate.
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CHRIS DOMRES 2 years ago
They have the best grilled chicken salads of all the fast food places though. The drive throughs are pretty efficient at getting people served. The reason they have traffic jams is because the food is actually the best of all the fast food places.
CookieGirl 2 years ago
Love them! Excellent chicken sandwich, grilled nuggets, Mac and cheese, friendly staff. Never saw scriptures on the cups, so don't know what the comment above is about.
JMP 2 years ago
Hell, the one that went to had scriptures and some make-you-feel-guilty s**t about "thou shall not steal" on the bin which contained their self-serve sauce packets.
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Brenda Pereira 2 years ago
I fail to see the appeal of this place, yet there is ALWAYS a line when I go by. They even opened a second drive thru! The rolls with the nuggets are great, but not worth the price and why anyone would go crazy over a plain chicken breast and a pickle slice on a bare bun is beyond me!
Jane No Dough 2 years ago
There's always a long line on Saturdays because they aren't open on Sundays.
Load More Replies... Never Snarky 2 years ago
Run by a bunch of mouthy right-wingers. I don't care what your politics are, but keep it to yourself.
mysterious(all pronouns) 2 years ago
Chicken is okay, company views are very questionable, but their barbeque sauce? It sucks. It tastes like sweetened ketchup for some reason, barbeque sauce should have some sort of spice or tang to it, even sweeter varities, but it's completely absent.
Shawn 2 years ago
Chic-Fil-A is the only fast food place doing it right. The operations management is textbook. Food is fine. Not a huge fan. But if im on the road i always know i can get good quality food served fast in a super clean restaurant. Youre right about the lines but even when wrapped around the block they move faster than the burger places with 2-3 cars in line.
Gardener of Weeden 2 years ago
Personally I care more about their ethics than a stupid sandwich - but you do you.
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yellowphantom 2 years ago
There is usually at least one thing I like at each of these places. Waffle fries here. And making sure you vote will make more of a difference than avoiding businesses whose owners have beliefs you disagree with.
Robert Beveridge 2 years ago
I used to go back in the day... realized sometime in 1986 the closed-on-Sunday thing wasn't because of technical difficulties. Haven't been back since.
Willy Nilly 2 years ago
Hehehehe do you reside in upstate NY by chance because it’s happening here too. No way in hell I would wait in lines that long for fast food anything.
Máté Jancsek 2 years ago
But... then its just a proof of how good it is. (I dunno, where I live we don't have any)
Verena 2 years ago
TIL ... Chick-fil-a = chicken-filet, pronounced US american. This place is mentioned so often here, always wondered what it should be. Filled chicken? The chicken fills a ... ?
Dragons Exist 2 years ago
In Chick-fil-A, the "chick" means chicken, "fil" means it's filling and "A" is for grade A chicken. Source: several Chick-fil-A commercials
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athornedrose 2 years ago
a sandwich fried in oil difficult to digest that's know to develop irritable bowel syndrome or other digestive issues when consumed frequently. they also use preservatives on the list our doctor gave us as migraine triggers (for the form of migraines i have. not for everyone)
happyhippie 2 years ago
Imagine being this defensive of a f*****g overrated chicken sandwich.
Load More Replies... #14
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.
CanadianDimes 2 years ago
Of all the things the UK could import from the US, I will never understand why Papa John’s was chosen. It’s just so bad.
#15
Long John Silver, it has to be a cover for the mob or something.
draggarJust something about fast seafood doesn't sit right with me.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
I like Captain D's. People seem to like one or the other, but never both.
#16
Food? Mcdonald’s. Being able to make the food? Popeyes. Being able to CONSISTENTLY f**k up? Jack in the box. Somehow getting people to order online? Chipotle. Longest wait? Sonic. Closing every store? Burger king. Trying so damn hard to no avail? Arby’s. Please support independent restaurants yall. Same price or cheaper, way better food, doesn’t take 30 minutes just to get fries, and your money isn’t going to some corporation.
D-m Keilman 2 years ago
Every Christmas I buy immediate family gift cards to local family owned restaurants. Found some really great places that way.
#17
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.
troufaki13 2 years ago
TGIFriday's is pretty good in Greece though. Maybe it's something regional?
#18
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?” 🤦🏻♂️
#19
Waffle House
EDIT: I Googled "Waffle House shooting [hometown]" to support my point, but I then had to specify which one.
ConfusedCub 2 years ago
A shooting has absolutely WHAT to do with food chain quality? I myself have never tasted their food but I really can't imagine it being any better or worse than ihop.
#20
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?
David 2 years ago
Denny's is like McDonalds in that when you are traveling they both give you consistent mediocrity when dining in a strange town. You know they will be more or less c**p but you are familiar with that particular c**p and the prices so you eat there and then drive away asking yourself why.
#21
iHop Just go to a local diner. Much cheaper, better food, better service by far.
Brocken Blue 2 years ago (edited)
That assuming there *is* a local diner. Sometimes IHOP is the best/only game in town (and it’s always better than Denny’s)
#22
My wife and kids LOVE this place, but I'm just gonna say it; Fazoli's.
It's literally just microwaved Italian Lean Cuisines (and if it's not I will be VERY surprised). It's not that it's gross, but I don't see the need to go out and pay a premium for it when I can hit up my local grocery store and nuke it at home.
#23
Sonic. Which sucks because I remember when the food there used to be good.
#24
Chili’s has gone so far downhill that it’s sad. 15-20 years ago it was the top family restaurant in my eyes. Food was excellent, service was good and the atmosphere was fun. Now, the food is bland, it seems every chili’s is woefully understaffed and every time I go, it feels miserable there. It was one of my favorite places to catch a bite to eat and now I don’t even bother anymore.
#25
Cheese Cake Factory. One of the worst meals I've ever had from a restaurant is from them, and I can happily eat at Applebee's or wherever. Not only that but you pay a premium for their s**t food.
#27
Chipotle. The one time I attempted to eat there, I waited 20 minutes in line, the place was filthy, and then while my burrito was being made, the girl at the guacamole station LITERALLY VOMITED IN HER MOUTH AND RAN OFF THE LINE. The manager just called someone else up to take her place. I walked out. This was AFTER the whole "Chipotle is making people sick" thing, where they figured out it was sick workers and bad hygiene that was infecting customers with norovirus. That place is gross. I'll take Salsa Fresca over them any day.
#28
Never met a Red Robin that didn't give me food poisoning.
#29
Tim Hortons. DeliciousPangolin:I hate their phony, mass-produced nationalist pandering. Especially from a foreign-owned company that does everything in its power to avoid employing Canadians. No one outside Ontario gave a s**t about TH until they started spamming TV with ads depicting themselves as a cherished Canadian institution. Where did they get the money to do that? By selling themselves to Wendy's.
Krystle Deschene 2 years ago (edited)
It's not a coffee shop anymore. They try to push to many products, and "refocus on dinner menus" I managed one (shamefully, for 20 years) and the changes they made are atrocious.... focus on coffee donuts and bagels. Fix the coffee machines. Fox the drive thru set up amd youll have happier customers again. And 100% this post is correct. They get a government grant to support foreign workers which is fine, no problem there. Problem is the owners pay for one house, stick 10 -20 foreign workers in it. Screw them over in every way possible. Yet we couldn't hold onto our long term locals because the owners didn't give a s**t about them
#30
Arby's is just reconstituted diarrhea on a soggy bun.
Stephen Andrews 2 years ago
Logged in just to comment on this. About once a year I get overwhelmed by how good the food looks in the commercials and stop in. This is followed by a case of food poisoning that night/next day. This is about 10 years running now (apparently my brain has reset and wants to try again every 12 months). Hopefully, I’ve learned my lesson now.
#31
Whataburger. I’ll never understand why someone would prepare a burger that way or why so many would pretend to like it.
#32
National chains only? On the east coast we have Friendly's and that has got to be one of the worst chain restaurants I've ever seen I used to work in one, and the menu was the dumbest s**t. It's worse than regular fast food, served in a fast-casual sit down setting for some reason. I feel so bad for the waitstaff when the customers probably spend like $10-20 total for their meals which is comparable quality to like Tyson chicken nuggets it makes Applebee's look like fine dining. Just stick to ice cream!
Stephanie A Mutti 2 years ago
Friendly's used to be the best back in the 80's-90's. Then things started to slide. It was probably my favorite place as a kiddo.
#33
I don't think there has been a single time where i haven't felt like vomiting after eating Carls Jr. Bacchus_71I just had a Carl's JR burger for the first time a couple weeks ago. I was in my bosses car, so out of respect I waited until I got home to shove my f*****g finger down my throat and puke that abomination up.
#35
There's a regional chain called Runza. I guess Nebraskans like it. But I'd rather eat at Sonics, and I hate Sonics.
#36
In my experience Buffalo Wild Wings but it could just be the one that is close to me. I went 2 times like 7-8 years ago. Never been back since. Sticking with hooters for the win.
#37
Shoney's. Come for the terrible music and bleak decor, stay for the buffet that's been sitting under heat lamps for, oh, let's just say "a while."
WonderWoman 2 years ago
Never ever ever going to partake in a buffet again. A petri dish of hellish proportions.
#38
Bob Evans.
Andy Williams 2 years ago
One thing is clear for all fast food. When you stop smoking weed, its not good anymore
#39
Hard to choose, so many! Applebee's, Chili's, Panera, but Texas Roadhouse is my personal worst. Their steaks are only tender because apparently they soak them in a salt solution, super loud, hate the line dancing thing! (The other 3 just have crappy, old, overpriced food).
Shawn 2 years ago
Its called brining and is a legitimate way to prepare steak. I think Texas Roadhouse is one of the best cheap steak houses. Great quality and incredibly consistent. The one by me was always 1-2 hours out for seating no matter the day of the week and the same experience every-time over 10+ years. And the butter? OMG!
What do you think ?
Christos Arvanitis 2 years ago
So fast food and fast casual chains aren't at the top of the culinary experience? Who knew?
Ace 2 years ago
This isn't so much about food quality but people's changing tastes. In reality, fast food has been seen as getting worse consistently since it first came on the scene, each generations remembering how good it seemed when they were growing up and how much worse it tasted later, completely ignoring how their own tastes have changed over time. It's mainly nostalgia, of the "things were better when I was a kid" kind.
Brocken Blue 2 years ago
100% agreed … maybe folks should consider that childhood memories aren’t the most reliable? And people are pickier when they are the adults who have to pay the bill? IDK but I often have slight suspicion for “it was better when I was younger” arguments
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Agfox 2 years ago
Outback Steakhouse - any thoughts, anyone? I've eaten there in several Asian Countries & thought it wasn't too bad although, as an Australian, I thought that naming convention was cringeworthy
Brocken Blue 2 years ago
Oh the naming is definitely cringeworthy but their food is pretty reliable
Load More Replies... Holy Shimmering Sheeps541t 2 years ago
What about Red Lobster? I've never eaten there, I sat at a table for 15 minutes once, eventually gave up trying to get our waitresses attention and left.
Marleina Hershberg 2 years ago
Some of these don't reflect the chain, it is just of 1 location, the places have really good food at other locations.
Chewie Baron 2 years ago
So basically this is a thread of Americans bashing their fast food joints that are somehow better outside the US than they are in the US? Ok.
marcelo D. 2 years ago
well, usually, outside the US you have a lot of rules and regulations about what restaurants can and can't do, both with their staff and with the food they serve
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Sapna Sarfare 2 years ago
Come over to India to see a different version of all your fast food joints... also our street fast food can give them a run for the money. These days, lot of local joints are coming out with better versions of any junk food
third molar 2 years ago
The list basically sounds like my dad who has atleast one compliant abt any food he eats.
Type-- 2 years ago
Lots of pretentious karens complaining, US having no standards,but also having so much redundance and "choice" for going to a fast food. In the uk there is not nearly even a fifth of the total restsurant chains there are in the US... bruh
Brocken Blue 2 years ago (edited)
Yeah… there is a lot of Karen energy in this thread. Don’t like a place? Maybe don’t eat there? But if it’s a successful chain, probably lots of other folks enjoy it just fine. As a person with sensory processing issues, I like a lot of supposedly boring and bland food. No need to start preaching about it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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StrangeOne 2 years ago
Not sure if this is in the USA, in Canada I'd have to say Pony Corral. Terrible food, terrible dining room furniture. You feel like you're sitting in a box car at a kid's table. They have something called a seafood loaf. Sometimes it's good. Other times it's the worst, f****d up concoction of bits deemed ocean creatures blanketed in plastic "cheese" slices, all on top of a nearly dissolved, unknown type of bread.
Julia French 2 years ago
the " it tasted better when I was a kid" thing is real - we grow up & our tastes change. Many of these places are intentionally a convience for families with kids
Howl's sleeping castle 2 years ago
I am surprised nobody mentioned Popeyes. Everything tastes burnt.
Woman Warrior 7 months ago
I didn't read all of the comments, but some of the ones I read weren't about the food, they had to do with ideology! Man!!! We can't even keep politics out of the "food court"! We are really a sick country. Maybe we eat to much fast food...
Lyone Fein 2 years ago
I agree with the other comments here. But in addition, I think there is a general deterioration in management quality. This probably accounts for most of the variation in customer experiences from one location to another regarding food quality. Bad management creates dissatisfied employees, bad food safety training, and high turnover.
Mike Fitzpatrick 2 years ago
I remember in the 70's-80's most of the places (bar fast food) were fairly good. We knew what was best at which place and went out that way.
Julia French 2 years ago
Marie Calendars should be on this list. they just microwave the same stuff they sell in hte frozen food aisle at the grocery
kansasmagic 2 years ago
This list could also be called "People name American restaurant chains".
sofacushionfort 2 years ago (edited)
Our expectations were always low, but their corporate analysts still succeeded in disappointing us. Just shows how Americans can accomplish anything they set our minds on! 🇺🇸
Daniel Atkins 2 years ago
Dairy Queen they have great ice cream but they ruin everything else.
Tumbah 2 years ago
Fast food and chains are c**p because they don't pay their staff diddley. The staff gets yelled at by customers and management, and are pressured to be fast, fast, fast. Which means food is pre-cooked, frozen and then microwaved to get to you fast. $$ is the priority, which means cheap a*s, filler filled sodium and sugar bombs. In what world is the food going to be good?
Wintermute 2 years ago
The reason your fast food sucks worse than ever is the same reason you can't afford rent, buy a car, afford healthcare etc. They're not service industries anymore, they're quarterly profit generators for Wall Street. And when they fail, your favorite politician buys them, sells off assets, brand names, and fires half the staff to reopen it at a lower operational cost to gut out any last stock value. Eventually you'll be buying the memory of decent food from a malfunctioning robot in a dirty stall for $10x markup while listening to advertisements for the next Hollywood flop, and you won't have a choice, cuz it'll still be cheaper than groceries.
Jared Robinson 2 years ago
Folks, there is nothing left. Which is correct. People are gross. Make your own food.
CG 2 years ago
Not a restaurant chain, but there was this terrible Irish Pub I ordered from once through Uber Eats prior to the pandemic, and I'm never ordering from. I got their "Irish Mac" burger, and some poutine from them. Not only was the food cold (no thanks to the Uber Eats driver not sending a message saying the food has arrived), but there was a hair in the burger. And the poutine? Despite ordering a large poutine, I got a medium sized poutine (at best), and it was bland. The nail in the coffin? The owner doesn't treat his staff well, and had anti-Semitic comments on his social media.
White Sauce Hot Sauce 2 years ago
If you put fine dining expectations towards fast food, you'll always be disappointed.
Anony Mouse 2 years ago
No discussion of how Wendy's went from one of the best to one of the worst fast food restaurants in the last 20 years?
CG 2 years ago
This is probably just me, or maybe my city's Wendy's don't have this issue, but I've never really noticed a dip in quality for Wendy's. Maybe the service is a tad bit slower, but the food is still as good as I remember it to be.
Load More Replies... Quantum Zyzyx 2 years ago
Wendy's burger gave both me and my poor dog food poisoning. I thought poor Lucy would die. Honestly, the salt and fat are just too much anymore. They're all terrible and the source of rampant food addiction leading to the obesity crisis. But what are overworked, time-starved people supposed to do to get by.
Rick 2 years ago (edited)
I have been to every restaurant identified above and I agree with the captions for all of them. Makes one wonder why they even exist. Most if all, why do they always have long lines at the drive thru and customers inside? I stopped eating at these places years ago.
Brocken Blue 2 years ago
Because there are people who *do* like eating at there places. Taste and preference is not universal ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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HelluvaHedgehogAlien 2 years ago
Imma stay at home and eat a piece of regular bread, thank you very much
Talitha Jansen 2 years ago
I'm really surprised about the many food chains USA has. Most of the ones we have here come from there. And many on this list I don't know
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
I'm surprised White Castle didn't make the list. Heartburn city.
Brocken Blue 2 years ago
Oh stop making me even hungrier… I’ll just bring some Tums and it’ll all be fine…
Load More Replies... Donkeywheel 2 years ago
The very concept of chain restaurants is unsettling. Restaurants are not supposed to be standard, they are supposed to be places where you enjoy tasting a meal devised by a chef. That’s not a surprise that there is very few chains from countries with good food.
ConstantlyJon 2 years ago
Got through the entire list, even the extra ones, with no one mentioning Little Caesars, and that's because it's the best pizza place in America. So happy to see every other national chain on here while the Emperor of Pizza remains on top.
Christos Arvanitis 2 years ago
So fast food and fast casual chains aren't at the top of the culinary experience? Who knew?
Ace 2 years ago
This isn't so much about food quality but people's changing tastes. In reality, fast food has been seen as getting worse consistently since it first came on the scene, each generations remembering how good it seemed when they were growing up and how much worse it tasted later, completely ignoring how their own tastes have changed over time. It's mainly nostalgia, of the "things were better when I was a kid" kind.
Brocken Blue 2 years ago
100% agreed … maybe folks should consider that childhood memories aren’t the most reliable? And people are pickier when they are the adults who have to pay the bill? IDK but I often have slight suspicion for “it was better when I was younger” arguments
Load More Replies... Agfox 2 years ago
Outback Steakhouse - any thoughts, anyone? I've eaten there in several Asian Countries & thought it wasn't too bad although, as an Australian, I thought that naming convention was cringeworthy
Brocken Blue 2 years ago
Oh the naming is definitely cringeworthy but their food is pretty reliable
Load More Replies... Holy Shimmering Sheeps541t 2 years ago
What about Red Lobster? I've never eaten there, I sat at a table for 15 minutes once, eventually gave up trying to get our waitresses attention and left.
Marleina Hershberg 2 years ago
Some of these don't reflect the chain, it is just of 1 location, the places have really good food at other locations.
Chewie Baron 2 years ago
So basically this is a thread of Americans bashing their fast food joints that are somehow better outside the US than they are in the US? Ok.
marcelo D. 2 years ago
well, usually, outside the US you have a lot of rules and regulations about what restaurants can and can't do, both with their staff and with the food they serve
Load More Replies... Sapna Sarfare 2 years ago
Come over to India to see a different version of all your fast food joints... also our street fast food can give them a run for the money. These days, lot of local joints are coming out with better versions of any junk food
third molar 2 years ago
The list basically sounds like my dad who has atleast one compliant abt any food he eats.
Type-- 2 years ago
Lots of pretentious karens complaining, US having no standards,but also having so much redundance and "choice" for going to a fast food. In the uk there is not nearly even a fifth of the total restsurant chains there are in the US... bruh
Brocken Blue 2 years ago (edited)
Yeah… there is a lot of Karen energy in this thread. Don’t like a place? Maybe don’t eat there? But if it’s a successful chain, probably lots of other folks enjoy it just fine. As a person with sensory processing issues, I like a lot of supposedly boring and bland food. No need to start preaching about it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Load More Replies... StrangeOne 2 years ago
Not sure if this is in the USA, in Canada I'd have to say Pony Corral. Terrible food, terrible dining room furniture. You feel like you're sitting in a box car at a kid's table. They have something called a seafood loaf. Sometimes it's good. Other times it's the worst, f****d up concoction of bits deemed ocean creatures blanketed in plastic "cheese" slices, all on top of a nearly dissolved, unknown type of bread.
Julia French 2 years ago
the " it tasted better when I was a kid" thing is real - we grow up & our tastes change. Many of these places are intentionally a convience for families with kids
Howl's sleeping castle 2 years ago
I am surprised nobody mentioned Popeyes. Everything tastes burnt.
Woman Warrior 7 months ago
I didn't read all of the comments, but some of the ones I read weren't about the food, they had to do with ideology! Man!!! We can't even keep politics out of the "food court"! We are really a sick country. Maybe we eat to much fast food...
Lyone Fein 2 years ago
I agree with the other comments here. But in addition, I think there is a general deterioration in management quality. This probably accounts for most of the variation in customer experiences from one location to another regarding food quality. Bad management creates dissatisfied employees, bad food safety training, and high turnover.
Mike Fitzpatrick 2 years ago
I remember in the 70's-80's most of the places (bar fast food) were fairly good. We knew what was best at which place and went out that way.
Julia French 2 years ago
Marie Calendars should be on this list. they just microwave the same stuff they sell in hte frozen food aisle at the grocery
kansasmagic 2 years ago
This list could also be called "People name American restaurant chains".
sofacushionfort 2 years ago (edited)
Our expectations were always low, but their corporate analysts still succeeded in disappointing us. Just shows how Americans can accomplish anything they set our minds on! 🇺🇸
Daniel Atkins 2 years ago
Dairy Queen they have great ice cream but they ruin everything else.
Tumbah 2 years ago
Fast food and chains are c**p because they don't pay their staff diddley. The staff gets yelled at by customers and management, and are pressured to be fast, fast, fast. Which means food is pre-cooked, frozen and then microwaved to get to you fast. $$ is the priority, which means cheap a*s, filler filled sodium and sugar bombs. In what world is the food going to be good?
Wintermute 2 years ago
The reason your fast food sucks worse than ever is the same reason you can't afford rent, buy a car, afford healthcare etc. They're not service industries anymore, they're quarterly profit generators for Wall Street. And when they fail, your favorite politician buys them, sells off assets, brand names, and fires half the staff to reopen it at a lower operational cost to gut out any last stock value. Eventually you'll be buying the memory of decent food from a malfunctioning robot in a dirty stall for $10x markup while listening to advertisements for the next Hollywood flop, and you won't have a choice, cuz it'll still be cheaper than groceries.
Jared Robinson 2 years ago
Folks, there is nothing left. Which is correct. People are gross. Make your own food.
CG 2 years ago
Not a restaurant chain, but there was this terrible Irish Pub I ordered from once through Uber Eats prior to the pandemic, and I'm never ordering from. I got their "Irish Mac" burger, and some poutine from them. Not only was the food cold (no thanks to the Uber Eats driver not sending a message saying the food has arrived), but there was a hair in the burger. And the poutine? Despite ordering a large poutine, I got a medium sized poutine (at best), and it was bland. The nail in the coffin? The owner doesn't treat his staff well, and had anti-Semitic comments on his social media.
White Sauce Hot Sauce 2 years ago
If you put fine dining expectations towards fast food, you'll always be disappointed.
Anony Mouse 2 years ago
No discussion of how Wendy's went from one of the best to one of the worst fast food restaurants in the last 20 years?
CG 2 years ago
This is probably just me, or maybe my city's Wendy's don't have this issue, but I've never really noticed a dip in quality for Wendy's. Maybe the service is a tad bit slower, but the food is still as good as I remember it to be.
Load More Replies... Quantum Zyzyx 2 years ago
Wendy's burger gave both me and my poor dog food poisoning. I thought poor Lucy would die. Honestly, the salt and fat are just too much anymore. They're all terrible and the source of rampant food addiction leading to the obesity crisis. But what are overworked, time-starved people supposed to do to get by.
Rick 2 years ago (edited)
I have been to every restaurant identified above and I agree with the captions for all of them. Makes one wonder why they even exist. Most if all, why do they always have long lines at the drive thru and customers inside? I stopped eating at these places years ago.
Brocken Blue 2 years ago
Because there are people who *do* like eating at there places. Taste and preference is not universal ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Load More Replies... HelluvaHedgehogAlien 2 years ago
Imma stay at home and eat a piece of regular bread, thank you very much
Talitha Jansen 2 years ago
I'm really surprised about the many food chains USA has. Most of the ones we have here come from there. And many on this list I don't know
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
I'm surprised White Castle didn't make the list. Heartburn city.
Brocken Blue 2 years ago
Oh stop making me even hungrier… I’ll just bring some Tums and it’ll all be fine…
Load More Replies... Donkeywheel 2 years ago
The very concept of chain restaurants is unsettling. Restaurants are not supposed to be standard, they are supposed to be places where you enjoy tasting a meal devised by a chef. That’s not a surprise that there is very few chains from countries with good food.
ConstantlyJon 2 years ago
Got through the entire list, even the extra ones, with no one mentioning Little Caesars, and that's because it's the best pizza place in America. So happy to see every other national chain on here while the Emperor of Pizza remains on top.
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