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The 2009 Zagat Fast-Food Survey

Thank you to everyone who cast a vote in our Fast-Food Survey

Over 6,000 fast-food fans have weighed in with their opinions on the best bets in burgers, salads, coffee and more. See their top picks below, and read more about the Survey here.

Key to Survey Definitions

Check out the Zagat Fast-Food Survey on the Today Show!

Best Burger

Best Coffee

Best Salad

Best Value

Most Popular Chains

Fast Food – Large Chains*

  1. Panera Bread
  2. Chipotle
  3. In-N-Out Burger
  4. Chick-fil-A
  5. Au Bon Pain

Fast Food – Mega Chains**

  1. Subway
  2. Wendy's
  3. McDonald's
  4. Taco Bell
  5. Burger King

Quick-Refreshment Chains

  1. Starbucks Coffee
  2. Dunkin' Donuts
  3. Cold Stone Creamery
  4. Jamba Juice
  5. Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops

Full-Service Chains

  1. P.F. Chang's China Bistro
  2. Cheesecake Factory
  3. California Pizza Kitchen
  4. Outback Steakhouse
  5. Carrabba's Italian Grill
* Up to 5,000 U.S. locations
** More than 5,000 U.S. locations

Quick Survey Facts

  1. Number of surveyors: 6,107 (53% male, 47% female)
  2. Average number of meals per month at fast-food chains: 6.3
  3. Average number of meals per month at full-service chains: 4.7
  4. Collective total meals per year at fast-food/full-service chains: 806,000

Outtakes from the Survey

  • If mayonnaise were currency, these guys could fund the bailout
  • Had a bad experience with a sandwich and a rubber glove
  • My children loved it when they were younger, but now they have taste buds
  • All the major food groups represented: salt, fat and carbs
  • Service blows harder than a Kansas tornado

View More Outtakes

Where Do You Get Your Fast-Food Fix?

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Best Burger

  1. In-N-Out Burger
  2. Wendy's
  3. Burger King
  4. McDonald's
  5. Whataburger

Best French Fries

  1. McDonald's
  2. Burger King
  3. In-N-Out Burger
  4. Wendy's
  5. Chick-fil-A

Best Salads

  1. Panera Bread
  2. Wendy's
  3. McDonald's
  4. Au Bon Pain
  5. Corner Bakery Cafe

Best Fried Chicken

  1. KFC
  2. Popeye's
  3. Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits
  4. Church's Chicken
  5. Culver's Frozen Custard

Best Grilled Chicken

  1. Chick-fil-A
  2. Panera Bread
  3. Wendy's
  4. Chipotle
  5. El Pollo Loco

Best Value Menu

  1. McDonald's
  2. Wendy's
  3. Taco Bell
  4. Burger King
  5. Arby's

Best Coffee

  1. Starbucks Coffee
  2. Dunkin' Donuts
  3. Peet's Coffee & Tea
  4. McDonald's
  5. Caribou Coffee

Best Value

  1. McDonald's
  2. Wendy's
  3. In-N-Out Burger
  4. Subway
  5. Chipotle / Taco Bell (tied)

Top Ice Cream/Custard

  1. Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops
  2. Rita's
  3. Culver's Frozen Custard
  4. Baskin-Robbins
  5. Carvel

Top Smoothies/
Frozen Yogurt

  1. Smoothie King
  2. Jamba Juice
  3. Pinkberry
  4. TCBY
  5. Orange Julius

Best Milkshake

  1. Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops
  2. Dairy Queen
  3. McDonald's
  4. Cold Stone Creamery
  5. Wendy's

Top Rated Among Large Chains

Top Food

  1. In-N-Out Burger
  2. Panera Bread
  3. Papa Murphy's
  4. Chipotle
  5. Chick-fil-A

Top Facilities

  1. Panera Bread
  2. Zaxby's
  3. Corner Bakery Cafe
  4. Atlanta Bread Co.
  5. In-N-Out Burger

Top Service

  1. In-N-Out Burger
  2. Jimmy John's
  3. Papa Murphy's
  4. Chick-fil-A
  5. Chipotle

Top Rated Among Mega Chains (more than 5,000 U.S. locations)

Top Food

  1. Wendy's
  2. Subway
  3. KFC
  4. Taco Bell
  5. Pizza Hut

Top Facilities

  1. Wendy's
  2. McDonald's
  3. Subway
  4. Burger King
  5. KFC

Top Service

  1. Subway
  2. Wendy's
  3. Domino's Pizza
  4. McDonald's
  5. Pizza Hut

Top Rated Among Quick-Refreshment Chains

Top Food

  1. Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops
  2. Rita's
  3. Smoothie King
  4. Jamba Juice
  5. Peet's Coffee & Tea

Top Facilities

  1. Caribou Coffee
  2. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
  3. Peet's Coffee & Tea
  4. Starbucks Coffee
  5. Pinkberry

Top Service

  1. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
  2. Caribou Coffee
  3. Peet's Coffee & Tea
  4. Rita's
  5. Starbucks Coffee

Best Burger

  1. Red Robin
  2. Ruby Tuesday
  3. Cheesecake Factory
  4. Steak 'n Shake
  5. Chili's Grill & Bar

Best Steak

  1. Outback Steakhouse
  2. LongHorn Steakhouse
  3. Texas Roadhouse
  4. Cheesecake Factory, The
  5. Carrabba's Italian Grill

Best Salads

  1. Cheesecake Factory
  2. Olive Garden
  3. California Pizza Kitchen
  4. Ruby Tuesday
  5. Applebee's

Best Coffee

  1. Cheesecake Factory
  2. International House of Pancakes
  3. Cracker Barrel
  4. Denny's
  5. Waffle House

Best Breakfast

  1. International House of Pancakes
  2. Cracker Barrel
  3. Denny's
  4. Bob Evans
  5. Waffle House

Best Appetizers

  1. Cheesecake Factory
  2. P.F. Chang's China Bistro
  3. T.G.I. Friday's
  4. Applebee's
  5. Outback Steakhouse

Best Desserts

  1. Cheesecake Factory
  2. Friendly's
  3. P.F. Chang's China Bistro
  4. T.G.I. Friday's
  5. Olive Garden

Best Value

  1. Cheesecake Factory
  2. Olive Garden
  3. Cracker Barrel
  4. California Pizza Kitchen
  5. Outback Steakhouse

Top Rated Among Full-Service Chains

Top Food

  1. P.F. Chang's China Bistro
  2. Carrabba's Italian Grill
  3. Cheesecake Factory
  4. California Pizza Kitchen
  5. Romano's Macaroni Grill

Top Facilities

  1. P.F. Chang's China Bistro
  2. Cheesecake Factory
  3. Carrabba's Italian Grill
  4. Romano's Macaroni Grill
  5. California Pizza Kitchen

Top Service

  1. Carrabba's Italian Grill
  2. P.F. Chang's China Bistro
  3. Cheesecake Factory
  4. Hooters
  5. Outback Steakhouse