The 15 Most Convenient Fast-Food Restaurants, According to Customers
Updated: Jan. 20, 2023
Fast food is always convenient, but these are the most convenient fast-food restaurants according to research on customer visits.
Fast-food is very convenient
Almost anywhere you go in the United States, you’re bound to find a fast-food joint to serve you quick and tasty food. Fast-food French fries and shakes are classic favorites. Especially as a child, nothing beat the excitement of having your parents turn into the drive-through line at your favorite fast-food restaurant. But understanding why people choose to eat at some fast-food restaurants compared to others involves many factors, including price, loyalty to the brand, and convenience. Datassential, a consumer research brand, conducted a survey and reported on the percentage of customers who said their last visit to one of these fast-food joints was motivated by brand loyalty and not out of convenience. Reader’s Digest looked at the remaining part of the percentage to find out how many customers visited certain chains because of convenience. Below are the top 15 of the most convenient fast-food restaurants in the United States.
McDonald’s
In the United States, there are over 14,000 McDonald’s locations! Having so many golden arches glowing across the states helps place Mickey D’s at the number one spot of most convenient fast-food restaurants. Of the customers surveyed, 72 percent went to McDonald’s last because it was the most convenient option.
Johnny Rockets
Eating at Johnny Rockets can be fun if you want an old-school American vibe and it turns out it’s easy as pie to find one. Sixty-nine percent of customers last visited a Jonny Rockets because of how convenient it was. It helps that the restaurant is one of 15 others that give out some free food.
Jack in the Box
What’s more playful than a Jack-in-the-box? Perhaps playing with one while eating a Jumbo Jack. Either way, 67 percent of customers surveyed by Datassential said their last visit to the restaurant was motivated mostly by its convenience factor. Find out why fast food always looks better in commercials.
Carl’s Jr.
Located in 44 states (and 43 countries), Carl’s Jr. proves that it’s spreading wide and fast, making it convenient for people to grab a quick bite to eat. From the research, 67 percent of customers were motivated to order food from Carl’s Jr. because of how convenient the restaurant was to them.
Burger King
Though jokes spread about the iconic burger place changing its name to Pancake King, everyone knows that going to the Home of the Whopper for pancakes just isn’t right. But, it might still be convenient—67 percent of customers surveyed said that their last visit to Burger King was motivated mostly by convenience.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Watching sports games and eating at home is the ultimate convenience, but 67 percent of customers found themselves at Buffalo Wild Wings because it was convenient when deciding where to eat.
TGI Friday’s
More like thank goodness it’s convenient! In the data collected from customers, two-thirds, or 66 percent, of them said that they last went to a TGI Friday’s restaurant because it was most convenient for them. Want even more convenience without spending as much money? Learn how to make your favorite fast food restaurant appetizers at home, including TGI Friday’s delicious mozzarella sticks.
Sbarro
Nothing says easy eating like ordering a pizza. In fact, you can quickly satisfy your Italian craving by going to one of the Brooklyn-based pizza joints now located in over 20 countries. To prove how simple it is to get your extra large slice, take it from the 66 percent of customers who said they last went to Sbarro because it was a convenient option.
Jimmy Johns
Known for their “freaky fresh and freaky fast” gourmet sandwiches, Jimmy Johns was actually created to serve college students in Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. But it turns out that these sandwiches made with freshly baked bread are still a convenient option for 66 percent of customers surveyed by Datassential who might not be a college student. Here are 33 other things your fast food worker isn’t telling you.
Hooters
Two-thirds, or 66 percent, of customers surveyed said that their last visit to this famous quick wing joint was motivated by convenience. The sports bar atmosphere might not be everyone’s pint of beer. In fact, there’s one restaurant that is America’s favorite for the past three years in a row.
Hardee’s
Although under the same parent company (CKE Restaurants) as Carl’s Jr., it turns out that Hardee’s is less convenient than its sister brand. However, compared to some other restaurants that didn’t even make it on the list (for example, Chick-fil-A only had a 50 percent convenience rating), the restaurant had 66 percent of people ordering its food because of its convenience factor. Did you know that Hardee’s was founded in North Carolina? Don’t miss these awesome photos of the first locations of 8 famous fast food restaurants.
Denny’s
This American diner is where you can go to order a Grand Slam at any hour of the day. Seriously, what could be better than a heaping plate of diner food at midnight? Perhaps some of their 24-hour locations contributed to 66 percent of customers saying that eating at Denny’s was convenient for them. Denny’s is one of the 15 restaurants you didn’t realize changed their names.
Quiznos Subs
Making your own sandwich is a great option for a grab-and-go lunch. It’s so convenient that 65 percent of customers said that’s the reason why they last ate at a Quiznos. However, eating an Italian sub might not always be the healthiest option. These are the 9 foods nutritionists never order at fast food restaurants.
Auntie Anne’s
These restaurants are typically found in mall food courts across the United States, but you might be able to snag one outside of a shopping center soon. Getting a whiff of Auntie Anne’s pretzels definitely makes your mouth drool as you browse the racks. For 65 percent of surveyed customers, this food court staple was the convenient place to order food.
A&W
Known for its popular root beer floats, A&W was indeed created first in 1919 as just a root beer stand in Lodi, California. By 1971, the classic soda became available in bottles and cans. Sixty-five percent of customers found convenience to be the reason they last visited an A&W. Drive-throughs are the epitome of comvience, unless you’re one of the employees who saw these crazy things fast food drive-through workers have seen.
