10Best readers cite the best fast food restaurants of 2023, from breakfast to burgers
Grabbing a quick and affordable bite to eat certainly has its appeal, especially when you're traveling. And given that fast-food restaurants are usually easy to find, convenient to access, and offer a variety of options for different tastes and dietary preferences, they're a natural fit for groups on the go. Not to mention, some fast-food chains offer regional specialties, allowing you to try new dishes and cuisines.
To find the best restaurants, 10Best editors and a panel of fast-food aficionados nominated their top picks for fast-food and quick-service spots across 10 categories. Then, readers decided the winners by casting votes for their favorites in the 2023 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for fast food.
Click on each category below to see the full 10 best lists:
Best Fast Food Breakfast: Biscuitville
Who doesn't love a delectable biscuit-based breakfast? With locations in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, Biscuitville's fresh-baked biscuits can be enjoyed a number of ways, from simple bacon, egg, and cheese or fried chicken biscuits to more elaborate breakfast sandwiches like their Spicy Chicken & Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Biscuit.
With breakfast platters and sides of grits, hash browns, or country gravy, plus indulgent sweet treats like their cheesecake stuffed waffle, it's no wonder folks return again and again.
Full list of winners: Best Fast Food Breakfast »
Best Fast Food Burger: BBQ Rodeo Burger - BurgerFi
Since 2011, BurgerFi has been stacking quality ingredients between a bun, offering new taste sensations for burger devotees. You may not be able to help yourself from bellowing "yeehaw" after biting into the BBQ Rodeo Burger that heaps charred jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, crispy haystack onions and Memphis sweet BBQ sauce onto two patties natural Angus beef.
Full list of winners: Best Fast Food Burger »
Best Fast Food Fried Chicken: Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken
Born in the 1960s in Lima, Ohio, Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken is honey-dipped, hand-breaded in a special blend of herbs and spices, and pressure-cooked. Order the Famous Recipe or spicy versions alongside Southern-style sides.
Full list of winners: Best Fast Food Fried Chicken »
Best Fast Food Fries: McDonald's
McDonald's World Famous Fries could be the gold(en) standard by which all others are judged: thin, crispy, salty, and satisfying. What gives them their iconic flavor? It may be the natural beef flavoring that's mixed with the oil in which they're fried.
Full list of winners: Best Fast Food Fries »
Best Fast Food Restaurant: Chick-fil-A
The Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich is a favorite of many, including expert Quang Hong who also loves their waffle fries. This classic chicken sandwich has been the most-ordered menu item at Chick-fil-A for (at least) two years running.
Full list of winners: Best Fast Food Restaurant »
Best Fast Food Sides: Fried okra - Golden Chick
Diners rave about the fried okra offered at Golden Chick. Consisting of breaded and deep-fried okra, they achieve the perfect combination of a crunchy, savory exterior and soft, earthy-tasting interior, making this a popular version of this Southern-style side dish.
Full list of winners: Best Fast Food Sides »
Best Late Night Fast Food: Krystal
Offering a convenient late-night dining experience with a touch of Southern flavor, Krystal restaurants are best known for their small, square-shaped burgers called "Krystals," which are like sliders. However, there are plenty of other options to choose from on the menu, including loaded fries and tots, glaze bombs, and pups (snack-sized hot dogs).
Full list of winners: Best Late Night Fast Food »
Best Regional Fast Food: Biscuitville
Headquartered in North Carolina with nearly 70 locations throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, Biscuitville is a family-owned chain of restaurants specializing in Southern food. Biscuits are baked fresh every 15 minutes for their menu of breakfast sandwiches and platters.
Full list of winners: Best Regional Fast Food »
Best Restaurant for Quick, Healthy Food: Jason's Deli
This independent, family-owned deli chain offers vegetarian and gluten-sensitive menus, which are not always easy to find on the run. Those menus feature all manner of healthier soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta, and potatoes, making it easy to find something you'll like that also meets your dietary needs.
Full list of winners: Best Restaurant for Quick, Healthy Food »
Best Sandwich or Sub Shop: PrimoHoagies
If Italian specialty sandwiches are your jam, PrimoHoagies is definitely the place for you. Their menu has 10 sandwich categories to choose from, including Italian Classics (like their Sharp Italian), Philly Cheesesteaks (including a Pizza Steak), Schwartzies (think corned beef and roast beef), and even Meatless (like the Nonna's Veggies with eggplant and broccoli rabe).
Full list of winners: Best Sandwich or Sub Shop »
Congratulations to all these winning nominees! Remember to visit 10Best.com daily to vote in our Readers' Choice contests.