Grab a Bite: The Most Popular Fast Food Restaurants in America

It’s no mystery that McDonald’s is one of the most popular fast food restaurants in America and the world, but the legendary hamburger giant isn’t the only go-to place for a quick bite. While the research firm NPD Group affirms that fast food consumption has decreased over the past decade, bringing the count down from 215 meals per person in the year 2000 to 191 purchased meals in 2014, the restaurant industry continues to grow at a solid pace. The most popular fast food chains in the U.S. earn over $5 billion in sales each year, and while the ranking changes  somewhat from year to year due to shifting tastes, certain restaurants remain resilient to such dietary changes amongst the American population.

Furthermore, while many of the quick bite options in the US account for the 10 Biggest Fast Food Chains in the World, which we covered in an earlier article, there are also some national chains that have gained a large fan base over the years, leading to large store unit expansions and increases in sales.

So, the following list includes burger joints, sandwich shops, coffee spots, pizza places and, of course, chicken joints. When combined, these fast food restaurants hold over 60,000 stores spread across US soil and reel in more than $80 billion in sales. Are you curious to see if your local favorite made it onto this list? Let’s take a look at the eight most popular fast food restaurants in America for quick culinary satisfaction.

8. Taco Bell

This fast food restaurant has been feeding late-night taco cravings all over the U.S since 1962, when Glen Bell opened the first store in Downey, California. Today, the American purveyor of fast-casual Mexican food is an established force in the U.S restaurant industry, with sales increasing by 6% every year since 2001 and a current count of over 5,000 units across the country. Although Taco Bell’s flavor profile could be more developed, the company’s brand power is a force to be reckoned with.

The list of the most popular fast food restaurants in America continues on the next page.