Arby’s – The Roast Beef Renaissance Chain
Sure, you make jokes about “Arby’s: We Have the Meats” commercials, but deep down, you know that classic roast beef sandwich hits different than anything else. The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) score of Arby’s, a subsidiary of Inspire Brands, in the United States increased from 2023 to 2024. The company’s ACSI score was 80 in 2024, up from the previous year’s total of 77. That improvement didn’t happen by accident—people are quietly returning to those curly fries and horsey sauce. When it comes to restaurant chain customers, brand awareness of Arby’s is at 91% in the United States. Everyone knows Arby’s exists, yet somehow it maintains this underground cult status where admitting you love it feels like revealing a guilty pleasure. The Classic Roast Beef Sandwich is Arby’s iconic and most popular item, featuring thinly sliced roast beef on a toasted sesame seed bun. The chain has been quietly innovating too, recently bringing back fan-favorite Potato Cakes permanently after receiving over 10,000 customer requests. It’s the kind of grassroots loyalty that bigger chains would kill for.
Taco Bell – The Late-Night Comfort Food Champion
Everyone pretends Taco Bell is just drunk food, but the reality is much more complex than that dismissive attitude suggests. Taco Bell (+3.7%) also saw visit growth. While other major chains struggled in early 2025, Taco Bell actually grew—that’s not accidental midnight munchies driving those numbers. The undisputed king of Mexican- and TexMex-inspired fast food, Taco Bell started off 2024 in a big way via the release of its “revitalized” Cravings Value Menu. Featuring 10 “crave-worthy” menu items like the Spicy Potato Soft Taco for just $1.19, the new menu offers customers serious value, which is highly prized in these inflationary times. The chain understands something fundamental about American dining: sometimes you want cheap, customizable food that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Their recent Decades Menu brought back nostalgic favorites from every decade since the 1960s, proving they know their fans care deeply about the brand’s history. Americans love Taco Bell’s innovation and accessibility, but admitting you regularly crave a Crunchwrap Supreme feels somehow beneath the sophisticated food culture we’re supposed to embrace.
Panda Express – The Mall Food Court MVP
Panda Express occupies this weird space where food snobs dismiss it as “fake Chinese food” while secretly knowing exactly which location has the freshest Orange Chicken. Popular American and Chinese cuisine expert Panda Express is heating things up in the kitchen with the hot orange chicken dish. This new fast food item is a spiced-up version of the chain’s popular orange chicken with added chiles. The chain keeps evolving its menu, adding spicier versions of crowd favorites because they know their customers better than critics think. What Panda Express really represents is accessible, consistent comfort food that bridges cultures in a way that works for millions of Americans daily. Todd was mentored by Andrew Cherng, co-founder of Panda Express. Todd was inspired by Cherng’s story and took to heart the importance of investing in employees, customer service, and quality real estate. The Cherng family built an empire by understanding what American families actually want to eat, not what food magazines think they should want. People love the predictability, the generous portions, and yes, the fact that Orange Chicken tastes exactly the same whether you’re in California or Ohio.
Raising Cane’s – The Simple Perfection Phenomenon
There’s something almost embarrassing about loving a restaurant that only does chicken fingers, but Raising Cane’s has turned that simplicity into serious business. Raising Cane’s has seen 62 consecutive quarters of positive same-store sales, including a notable 15.1% rise in the first quarter of 2024, per QSR Magazine. The chain also saw an 11.4% boost in guest counts during the quarter. Those aren’t numbers you fake—that’s genuine customer obsession driving consistent growth. Average unit volume? $6.2M, which is more than double the quick-service industry average. The brand philosophy of “do one thing really well” feels almost quaint in our complicated food landscape, yet it works incredibly effectively. This expansion push should help Raising Cane’s end the year with more than 850 restaurants and further cement its status as one of America’s largest chicken chains. Americans secretly love Raising Cane’s because it represents something pure in fast food—no complicated menu, no trendy ingredients, just perfect chicken fingers and that magical Cane’s sauce that somehow makes everything better.
Jack in the Box – The Unapologetic Chaos King
Jack in the Box feels like the fast food equivalent of that friend who’s completely unhinged but somehow always comes through when you need them. Jack in the Box is well-loved across the West Coast and this new fast food item is a testament to why. New this year, the chain has teamed up with Ice Cube to create the all-new Cube’s Munchie Meal. This box is filled with a delicious taco, curly fries, mini churros, a soft drink and the returning Chick-N-Tater Melt — a fried chicken sandwich with crispy hash browns, cheese, bacon and ranch sauce stuffed into a croissant. Only Jack in the Box would collaborate with a rap legend to create a meal that defies every rule of sensible eating, and that’s exactly why people love it. Looking for a midnight snack? Jack in the Box’s menu has plenty of late-night snacks to keep you happy. The chain embraces its role as the place where normal food rules don’t apply, serving breakfast all day and putting tacos on the same menu as burgers without any pretense of culinary logic. Americans secretly love Jack in the Box because it gives them permission to eat weird combinations of food without judgment—it’s fast food liberation.
Steak ‘n Shake – The Retro Comfort Comeback
Steak ‘n Shake represents this nostalgic ideal of what American diners used to be, complete with checkered floors and milkshakes thick enough to stand a spoon in. The chain has struggled with consistency and service issues over the years, but that somehow makes loving it feel more authentic—like you’re supporting the underdog. It’s been a long and flavorful journey, but we’ve finally arrived at the #1 most popular fast-food chain in America in 2024: Dairy Queen. Founded in 1940 in Joliet, Ill., DQ is of course best known for its frosty treats from innovative classic soft-serve to the iconic Blizzard. While Dairy Queen claims the crown, Steak ‘n Shake occupies that sweet spot of being familiar enough to feel safe but uncommon enough to feel special when you find one. The Steakburgers actually taste different from typical fast food patties—thinner, with crispy edges that regular burger chains don’t replicate. Americans love Steak ‘n Shake because it connects them to a simpler time in American dining, when restaurants had personality instead of algorithms. Admitting you drove out of your way for a Steak ‘n Shake feels almost sentimental, like confessing you still believe in something pure about American food culture that most chains have abandoned.
