Most Detested — And Loved — Fast Food Restaurants In CA 2024

ACROSS CALIFORNIA — A new data study reveals California's favorite and least favorite fast-food chains.

The research was conducted by QR Code Generator and was based on Tripadvisor reviews of 250 different fast-food restaurants in California. The reviews were analyzed to determine the state's most and least favorite to eat at. Fast-food restaurants with multiple locations were examined and weighted to create an overall average.

Here are the top-rated fast-food chains in California based on Tripadvisor reviews:

1. Chick-Fil-A placed as California's favorite fast-food chain with an average rating of 4.21 stars. The chain was founded in 1961 and to this day provides top-tier chicken sandwiches and tasty chicken nuggets. Chick-fil-A boasts of its additive-free chicken and healthily sourced ingredients. The franchise has over 3,000 restaurants in the United States and plans to keep expanding.

2. Dairy Queen came in second place with an average of 4.13 stars. Dairy Queen is a popular fast-food restaurant option for a quick dessert or a full drive-thru meal. Since its creation in 1940, the chain has been well-known for its iconic Blizzards, ice cream treats, and savory burgers.

3. Five Guys ranked third with an average of 3.99 stars. Five Guys is an American fast-food chain that specializes in hamburgers, hot dogs, and french fries. It originated in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1986 and has restaurants worldwide.

4. Starbucks was in fourth place with an average of 3.99 stars. Starbucks is a global coffeehouse chain and coffee company founded in 1971 in Seattle, Washington. The chain is committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest-quality Arabic coffee beans in the world. Its food menu is small but mighty and ever-expanding, with one of the latest menu additions being the grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough,

5. Jimmy John's was rated the fifth most popular fast-food restaurant, receiving 3.91 stars out of five. The American sandwich chain originated in Charleston, Illinois. It launched the menu with four sandwiches—smoked ham and provolone, hand-sliced turkey, homemade tuna salad, and capocollo and salami—and now provides over 18 different sandwich offerings.

Here is what happened when the bottom-rated fast-food chains in California based on Tripadvisor were analyzed.

1. Burger King was rated the worst fast-food chain with an average of 3.09 stars. Charbroiling burgers since 1953 in Jacksonville, Florida, Burger King is now the second-largest hamburger chain in the United States, after McDonald's, and has over 14,000 restaurants in 100 countries.

2. KFC is second with an average of 3.10 stars. KFC is a global fast-food chain specializing in southern fried chicken. It was first opened in 1952 in Salt Lake City. There are 4,285 KFC restaurants in the United States, distributed across all 50 States.

3. Sonic Drive-In came in third with an average of 3.13. Sonic Drive-In is well known for its huge selection of beverages yet started as a root beer stand in 1959. The chain offers a variety of American classics from ad=ndhamburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese and yummy ice cream flavours.

4. McDonald's ranked in fourth place with an average of 3.23 stars. McDonald's is the world's largest fast food restaurant chain, with more than 40,000 outlets across the globe. Founded in 1940 in San Bernardino McDonald's is best known for its hamburgers, cheeseburgers and french fries, although their menu also includes other items like salads, fish, chicken and salads.

5. Little Caesars is the fifth least favorite fast-food chain in California with an average of 3.43 stars. Little Caesars is an American multinational chain of pizza restaurants founded in 1959. Little Caesars is the third largest pizza chain by total sales in the United States behind Pizza Hut and Domino's.

Marc Porcar, CEO of QR Code Generator, commented on the findings, "Whether you choose to eat in or go through the drive-through, fast-food restaurants rarely disappoint in their speedy service, and your chosen meal can be ready within a matter of minutes. If you want a quick meal on your lunch break or just a treat in general, you can eat fast food from the comfort of your car, inside the restaurant, or even on the go."

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