The Best & Worst Fast-Food Restaurants in the U.S., According to New Data
In theory, a customer should be able to walk into a restaurant operated by a major fast-food company like McDonald's or Taco Bell and receive the same food and service they'd get at any of its other locations. But as any fast-food fan knows, this isn't always the case. The quality of the food and overall experience can vary widely because of poor management or execution by restaurant operators and staff, making some locations a must-visit and others better off avoided.
Thankfully, the business publication Fast Company just published reports on the five best-rated and five worst-rated McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, and KFC restaurants in the United States. Based on weighted scores that factored in average Google Maps ratings and the number of customer reviews these lists are a useful tool for anyone who wants to seek out the fast-food joints where they're likely to get the absolute best meal and experience—or see how significantly stores under one company's umbrella can differ.
We've compiled all of these highly and poorly rated fast-food joints from the Fast Company reports below, so read on for the best and worst McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, and KFC restaurants in the United States right now.
McDonald's
A Texas McDonald's restaurant located at 2130 Main Street in Eagle Pass stole the crown as the top-rated location in the country with a weighted score of 8.63 and an average rating of 4.3 on Google. Reviewers have raved about the quality of food, customer service, and the actual look of the restaurant.
"I didn't eat anything when I went in but I just wanted to comment on the incredible interior design. There is a lot of room indoors and I love that they have that machine where you don't have to talk to an employee to order your meal!" one fan wrote.
The McDonald's stores at 720 Imperial Ave., Calexico, Ca.; 2045 Jericho Turnpike, New Hyde Park, N.Y.; 10207 Lakewood Blvd., Downey, Ca.; and 101 S. Expressway Brownsville, Texas made up the rest of the top five.
Meanwhile, the McDonald's at 10042 S. Zarzamora Street in San Antonio was the lowest rated with a weighted score of -6.35 and an average rating of 1.37 on Google. Many of the negative reviews complain of poor service, long wait times, and food that's far from fresh at this location.
"Since this location opened, there has not been a single visit where the food has been completely fresh. The patties on the burgers are always room temp and never hot or fresh. On a rare occasion you will get fresh fries but they drop the ball on the rest of the order," one reviewer wrote. "They allow customers to sit at the speaker and do not answer until they are done processing the previous customer in line. I always order through the app, and not once have they made the order correctly."
The four other worst-rated McDonald's include the ones located at 18423 US-20, Goshen, Ind.; the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport's North Terminal; 13591 Grant St., Thornton, Col.; and 9225 E. Cadence Parkway, Mesa, Ariz.
Burger King
If you're on the hunt for the best Burger King in the United States, you'll want to visit the one located at 3040 Ella Blvd. in Houston. It has a weighted score of 11.05 and an average Google rating of 4.60, with customers praising the excellent customer service and food.
"The customer service here is awesome!!!!! The manager Esperanza is always friendly, kind, and professional. The food is always hot and fresh. I truly love this location because of the employees who work here," a reviewer raved.
The Burger King restaurants at 12790 NW Seventh Ave., North Miami; 2280 E. Garrison St., Eagle Pass, Texas; 6085 Montana Ave., El Paso, Texas; and 11400 NW 41st St., Doral, Florida, made up the rest of the top five.
With a weighted score of -7.48 and an average Google rating of 1.42, the Burger King at 4301 Sunset Blvd., Lexington, S.C. is the worst rated in America. As one reviewer noted: "This is probably the worst Burger King location!! Seems to be only one person working at any given time, each of which have the worst attitudes and are unwelcoming. Food is cold and doesn't seem to be cooked fully. Both of the Coca-Cola freestyle machines do not work properly, and even if they did, most of the flavors are out. Same thing every time I've visited. Don't waste your time here!"
The Burger King stores at North 408 Highway 149, Earle, Ark.; the Honolulu International Airport; 205 New Neely Ferry Road, Mauldin, S.C.; and 5934 Ardennes St., Bldg. C, Fort Liberty, N.C. made up the rest of the bottom five.
Taco Bell
The most highly rated Taco Bell in America is located at 5200 CA-1 in Pacifica, California, with a weighted score of 9.81 and an average Google rating of 4.42. Customers love the staff, food quality, and beachside views at this restaurant.
"Customer service good. Food was hot and delicious. Some of the best Taco Bell ever. The food and view are so worth it," a reviewer wrote.
The other four top-rated Taco Bell restaurants are at 925 FM802, Brownsville, Texas; 402 Dixieland Rd., Harlingen, Texas; 3509 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Union City, N.J.; and 420 S 10th St., McAllen, Texas.
On the other hand, the lowest-rated Taco Bell in America can be found at 1519 Saxon Blvd., Deltona, Florida. With a weighted score of -5.56 and an average Google rating of 1.78, this restaurant has racked up plenty of complaints about inaccurate orders and long wait times.
"Seriously the SLOWEST SERVICE of all time. I pre-order through the app, get to drive through, and EVERY SINGLE TIME it takes like 20 [minutes] to get my food. Fast food? It would be faster to go sit down at Chili's, eat a meal, and get home," a reviewer wrote.
The other four lowest-rated Taco Bell restaurants are located at 1810 E. Seymour Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio; 355 Dix Ave., Queensbury, N.Y.; 1893 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, N.Y.; and 7660 Barrington Rd., Hanover Park, Ill.
KFC
According to diners, you won't find a better KFC in the United States than the one located at 637 E National Avenue in Brazil, Indiana. Boasting a weighted score of 11.12 and an average Google score of 4.67, customers love the speedy, friendly service and consistently good food they receive at this location.
"The food was hot and ready. The staff was very kind and helpful. The place was packed but we had no waiting to be served," a reviewer wrote.
The KFC restaurants located at 501 S. Main St., Sapulpa, Okla.; 1301 Southern Hills Center, West Plains, Mo.; 514 S Commercial St., Harrisburg, Ill.; and 3970 Hwy 411, Madisonville, Tenn. made up the rest of the top five.
With a weighted score of -8.60 and an average Google rating of 1.48, a KFC at the Los Angeles International Airport was named the worst in America. Customers have complained of poor treatment from employees, inaccurate orders, and extremely slow service.
"Worst KFC!!!! RUDE for no reason! Food takes forever so I needed to cancel my order and get refunded my $20 for a chicken sandwich and fries," a reviewer wrote.
The bottom five also included the KFC restaurants at 21566 N. John Wayne Pkwy, Maricopa, Ariz.; 4727 N Midkiff Rd., Midland, Texas; 16980 W Yuma Rd., Goodyear, Ariz.; and 1960 E. County Line Rd, Littleton, Colo.
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