You would think that fast food chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, and Taco Bell promise a consistent experience no matter which location you visit. But, it turns out, that this isn’t necessarily the case. A recent analysis by Fast Company has revealed the best and worst fast food chain locations across the United States. The results are surprising, to say the least.
The study looked at customer reviews on Google Maps for thousands of locations of major fast-food brands. They found that the quality of your fast food experience depends heavily on one key factor: the franchise owner.
The stark contrast between the best and worst fast food locations highlights the significant impact that factors like franchise ownership, staff training, and facility maintenance can have on the customer experience. While the top performers excel in service, accuracy, and cleanliness, the bottom-ranked struggle with the very basics of running a successful fast food operation. To that effect, we’ve compiled a list of the best and worst fast food locations you can come by:
The Best of the Best
KFC: 637 E National Ave., Brazil, Indiana
Topping the list is the KFC located at National Avenue in Indiana — 4.7 stars on Google is hard to beat, with 783 users leaving reviews about their experience at the outlet. Customers seem to love the cozy atmosphere and how the food tastes like it did in the good ol’ days. One reviewer says: “They had a rough opening, but I have been here twice since then, and the food is fantastic, finger-licking good. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s the KFC that I remember from when I was a kid.”
Burger King: 3040 Ella Blvd., Houston, Texas
Everyone seems to be raving about the fact that this Burger King location on Ella Boulevard serves the hottest and freshest burgers coupled with top-notch service. With a superb 4.6 rating, encompassing 1465 Google reviews, the popularity of this Burger King joint is not surprising. Here’s what one review says: “Great customer service. Food was hot and fresh and the lobby and restroom were very clean. I have been through the drive through a couple of times and it has always been no wait. Great place to dine in!”
Burger King: 12790 NW Seventh Ave., North Miami, Florida
It seems like customers love this Burger King joint located on Seventh Avenue as much as the popular one in Houston — It’s been rated an impressive 4.4 on Google with 1921 people having reviewed the place so far. Here’s what one customer has to say: “Listen Man, just washed my hands in there… thinking bout setting up shop. Super Homey 3/2 with a massive, massive Dining Hall. Playground for the kids, built in arcade room, Mega Flatscreen TV airing. Full Black Belt Kitchen Staffed with handpicked Burger Kingszzz… I mean 😭 I was supposed to get my belly full not my heart full! T.T Y.Y LEGENDARY.”
Taco Bell: 5200 CA-1, Pacifica, California
This Taco Bell gets high marks for its delicious food, good service, and amazing view of the beach. Located in Little River, California, the outlet has an unsurprising 4.4 stars and a staggering 3459 reviews on Google. Here’s what one reviewer had to say about the place: “Officially the worlds most beautiful Taco Bell! This place sits right on Linda Mar Beach with a unique design and beach access. This is a Cantina Taco Bell, so they do serve alcohol and it needs to be verified with ID. Other than that, it has standard Taco Bell menu with an updated inside. There are self service kiosks, but it can get crowded very quickly. A wonderful place to stop for people passing through.”
Taco Bell: 925 FM802, Brownsville, Texas
Another top-performing Taco Bell known for its excellent service and quality, this outlet in Brownsville has a solid 4.4-star rating with 1281 users leaving reviews. Here’s what one customer has to say: “I’m in Brownsville for work and this literally maybe the nicest Taco Bell I’ve ever been to. What made my experience so good is the staff. They were so kind and attentive the manager even came out and asked how my food was. Which was perfect. You don’t often get that at Taco Bell!!! My hats off to This location and I’ll be back here again while I’m in town!!”
McDonald’s: 2130 Main St., Eagle Pass, Texas
This McDonald’s location on Main Street has an impressive 4.3 stars and 1945 Google Reviews. A combination of good food, service, and the fact that the outlet has gone through a renovation is well-appreciated by customers. Here’s what one reviewer had to say about the restaurant: “They have IBC ATM inside. Very convenient. I didn’t wait long for a small coffee prepared. It was good and warm. I recommend this place. This is a renovated restaurant. Lots of seating and playground”.
Burger King: 2280 E. Garrison St., Eagle Pass, Texas
With a 4.3 rating on Google and 922 user reviews, this Burger King outlet is not far behind when it comes to top-notch service and good food. Customers love the fact that the employees always get their orders right! Here’s what one user has to say on Google Reviews: “Can’t vouch for the interior, but the drive-thru was quick. The staff got my order correct and greeted me pleasantly. The burger was pretty good (veggies were crisp, meat was hot, bun was fresh, etc.) By fast food standards, it was a quality experience.”
Taco Bell: 402 Dixieland Rd., Harlingen, Texas
Yet another highly-rated Taco Bell, this time in Virginia Beach, this outlet is talked about mostly for its tasty food, good service, clean dining area, and amazing staff. The restaurant has a 4.3-star rating with a total of 1491 reviewers. Here’s what what one reviewer on Google said: “The food is pretty affordable and made very quick aswell as fresh and great tasting I would indeed recommend this Taco bell to my friends and family as it is a very good location!! Five Star’s!! Great Atmosphere And great people!!”
McDonald’s: 720 Imperial Ave., Calexico, California
Located on Imperial Avenue, this Mickey Dee’s location has 4.2 stars encompassing 3411 reviewers. While some customers love the drive-thru service, others prefer the dining experience, which only goes to show that the outlet is great at dealing with both! Here’s what one customer had to say: “Excellent source to get your food at the drive-thru. They work very hard and you only wait a few minutes. The deals and rewards in the app make the choice to eat here a solid one. Remember to ask for ketchup, as they won’t offer it to you all the time.”
McDonald’s: 2045 Jericho Turnpike, New Hyde Park, New York
This McDonald’s in Hyde Park is a favorite of customers – A 4.2-star rating with a whopping 1905 reviews is hard to beat for sure. If you’re curious as to why this location is such a haunt, we’ll let the reviews speak for themselves: “If you’re going to eat McDonald’s, you might as well do it in a mansion. I’ve driven by the McDonald’s Mansion a few times over the years and finally decided to stop by and eat in. It’s an old converted house, complete with glass rotunda, bay windows, and an upstairs balcony area that’s unfortunately roped off and just for parties. Theres a framed photo of the original estate, along with a plaque with some of the details. There’s a ton of wood and columns with plenty of seating all around. There’s a 24 hour drive through, but if you’re coming here, I say eat inside. The food is standard with no specials or anything, and the service is too.”
The Bottom of the Barrel
Burger King: 4301 Sunset Blvd., Lexington, South Carolina
The King’s Crown has definitely slipped at this outlet, with reviewers mentioning inattentive and distracted staff, long waits, and a dingy dining area. With a pitiful 1.4 stars from 114 reviews, the ratings for this Burger King location seem to be even more dismal than the things customers have to say about it. Here’s what one reviewer commented on the outlet’s Google Maps Page: “We had a really disappointing experience at this fast food restaurant today. The service was incredibly slow and the staff seemed more interested in chatting with each other than actually working in our orders. After waiting for 30 minutes, our order still wasn’t complete. If you’re in a hurry and looking for a quick bite to eat while traveling, I would definitely suggest looking for other options.”
KFC: 380 World Way, Los Angeles, California (LAX)
This KFC outlet is perhaps the worst fast-food restaurant you’d ever be unfortunate enough to come across in the US. Somehow this subpar KFC, located in Los Angeles, has managed to get a 1.5-star rating with 294 customers having reviewed the place. An overwhelming number of customers talk about how they were served unsavory, odd-tasting food, the overpriced menu, and poor service. Here’s what one reviewer said: “Don’t eat here! I wouldn’t even give it one star. I ordered around 10 p.m. on Friday, but didn’t receive my food until an hour and a half later. And to top it off, they forgot my order! When I finally got it, my drink wasn’t even included! Many customers were checking if their drinks were in the paper bags. On top of that, the fries were awful. I ended up throwing away more than half. Even if it’s empty, don’t bother lining up. It ruined the memories of the trip.”
Taco Bell: 1810 E. Seymour Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio
This newly opened Taco Bell in Cincinnati seems to have started off on a not-so-great note, and its disappointing 1.6 stars rated by 81 customers is proof of that. Reviewers cite incorrect orders, cold, bad-tasting food, and the drive-thru being an utter nightmare: Here’s what one unsatisfied customer had to say about the place: “I’ve given this place three tries. First time I got breakfast and it was cold. Second and third time I mobile ordered. When I went through the drive thru they would always forget straws for drinks and random items in my order. The worst part is that they will make every single person through the drive thru to pull around to the parking lot only to wait 15 minutes to get food that is half way assembled.”
Taco Bell: 355 Dix Ave., Queensbury, New York
Another Taco Bell that’s in close competition with the one in Cincinnati is this outlet in Queensbury. This location has a measly 1.7 stars with 101 reviews — The complaints are generally regarding the extremely long wait times and poor service. Here’s what one reviewer had to say: “Paid for my food at the counter at 7:51 this evening and stood there waiting in the lobby while the staff did nothing but drive-thru orders, completely ignoring FIVE of us all standing at the counter area…I received my #7 at almost 9 pm…I stood there for over an HOUR for what’s supposed to be FAST FOOD!!!! Beyond ridiculous, and quite unprofessional if you ask me! What a joke!”
McDonald’s: 13591 Grant St., Thornton, Colorado
With a measly 1.8 stars rated by 99 users on Google, this McDonald’s location doesn’t have much to recommend itself. Customers complain of bad service, long wait times, and questionable-tasting food. Here’s what one unhappy reviewer had to say about his experience: “EGGSHELLS IN MY FOOD!!! How disgusting! Ordered a egg Mcmuffin and felt a crunch. At first I thought it was from the bread as the bread was burnt, but after the second crunchy texture I looked inside and found eggshells inside my egg! And to think this place just opened and already has poor service! Maybe they should have trained their workers more before rushing to open. Just make sure that if you go here, you check your food.”
Burger King: 5934 Ardennes St., Bldg. C, Fort Liberty, North Carolina
This Burger King located in Fort Liberty disappoints with its cold and not-so-tasty food, wrong orders, and sketchy sanitation. It’s no wonder the outlet has just 1.8 stars, with 144 customers having left reviews on Google. Here’s what one customer has to say about their experience: ”Ordered 3 burgers, and the patties on them were cooked just enough to no longer be absolutely frozen. The patties were cold and the cheese on them were still frozen stiff”
McDonald’s: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, North Terminal
Another low-rated McDonald’s, this time in Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, is unfortunately known for its poor customer service, ill-mannered and incompetent staff, and incorrect orders. Somehow, with its 1.9 stars rating from 172 users, the reviews for this establishment seem far worse than the previously mentioned Mickey Dee’s location. Here’s what one reviewer has to say about the place: “Poorly run, chaotic, badly managed and no sense of order or planning. Staff is apathetic. Would love to see a better system, better staff, more organization”
Taco Bell: 1519 Saxon Blvd., Deltona, Florida
This Taco Bell falls short with its inaccurate orders, exhausting long wait times, and poor service, hence its dismal 1.8 stars with 105 reviews on Google. One frustrated customer says: “Been multiple times thinking it’s a new location give them a chance, but this is probably my 7th time being at this location now and not once have they got my order right and not only was the order incorrect, but it was my sons food who has a allergy and can’t eat sour cream…”
KFC: 21566 N. John Wayne Pkwy, Maricopa, Arizona
Another KFC outlet has left customers unimpressed with its sloppy service, bite-sized portions, and long wait times — Hence its sad 1.9-star rating with 614 customers leaving reviews on Google. One user said: “Waited for 35 minutes for 8 piece original chicken only. Received my order told the lady this is NOT original. She insisted it was, chicken was dry and very crunchy. Not to my liking, It would be another 15 minutes for more chicken. Sorry KFC not going to order from you anymore.”
Burger King: North 408 Highway 149, Earle, Arkansas
Rounding out the bottom 10 is this Arkansas Burger King, with 1.9 stars and 313 reviews. The outlet is criticized for its unprofessional staff, slow service, dismal hygiene, and food quality. One reviewer on Google says: “If you want to visit the filthiest Burger King In America, this is it!!! Whopper meals are $15!, the workers are so busy having conversation with each other that they can’t even wear gloves…”
Source: Fast Company