Tuesday, August 17, 2010

#1 COMBO, CHICK-NO-PICK WITH A SWEET TEA, NO LEMON: Zagat has received more than 6500 responses as to Americans' fast food and full service chain restaurant favorites, and here's just some of what the Survey SAYS!
Fast Food – Large Chains (less than 5000 US locations)
1. Panera Bread
2. Chipotle
3. Five Guys
4. Chick-fil-A
5. In-N-Out Burger

Full-Service Chains
1. P.F. Chang's China Bistro
2. Bonefish Grill
3. Cheesecake Factory
4. California Pizza Kitchen
5. Maggiano's

Best Milkshake - Fast Food
1. Dairy Queen
2. Cold Stone Creamery
3. Sonic Drive-In
4. Chick-fil-A
5. Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops

Best Breakfast - Full Service
1. Cracker Barrel
2. International House of Pancakes
3. Bob Evans
4. Waffle House
5. Denny's
The Best Burger list was topped on the Fast Food side by Five Guys, In-N-Out and Wendy's, and on the Full Service side by Red Robin, Steak 'n Shake and ... Cheesecake Factory? Also, Starbucks beats Dunkin' Donuts for Best Coffee. Much to discuss.

64 comments:

  1. I've long said that Five Guys is superior to In-n-Out, but in a world of BGR and Ray's Hell Burger, I never go to Five Guys any more.

    Also, I think Del Taco is awesome for what it does.

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  2. heathalouise9:17 AM

    I am flabbergasted by DQ winning for best milkshake. Having worked at one in high school, I shudder at almost all of their products. But hardly anyone would order shakes. It was all about the blizzards.

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  3. Watts9:26 AM

    Ok, I'm going to have to try a Five Guys outside of Athens.  We got one here a couple of years ago, I've tried it 3 times and every time thought, "Well that's a nasty little puck of meat on some insufferably sweet buns."  Maybe I should go to a more "original" location next time I'm in the DC area.

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  4. I'm not a big Five Guys fan at all.  Hate the wait, don't much care for the burger.  Having only had In N Out once, I'm happy to let Wendy's top the list.

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  5. Jenn.9:39 AM

    Any such list where CFA does not top the list is illegitimate.  Dammit.

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  6. The Five Guys burgers are merely OK (though I admire the degree of customization they offer) but the fries, particularly the cajun ones, are awesome.  Best fast food burgers in NYC remain Shake Shack and Blue 9.  And why on earth has no one bothered to open a Red Robin here?

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  7. Scott9:48 AM

    This is marginally related, but I am very excited that we're getting a Shake Shack in DC.

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  8. Marsha10:02 AM

    Five Guys burgers are fine (and I tend to go at off hours, so no wait) but the fries are amazing. And for me, getting a burger is really about getting fries, so I'm a Five Guys gal all the way.

    I also dearly love Steak n Shake. Not sure why.

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  9. Marsha10:06 AM

    Bonefish? Really? Had one of the worst meals of my life at a Bonefish a few years back.

    And if I never eat in a Bob Evans again, it will be too soon.

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  10. Heather K10:15 AM

    Marsha (and other Chicago types) should try Epic Burger.  Yummy burger, yummy fries, yummy milkshakes (killer peanut butter ones).  And they now have a location just west of North and Clybourn instead of just the one on State street south of the big library.

    I also heartily love the fries at M Burger which tend to taste good even when they (like the ones I had yesterday) have clearly been left under the lamps for a bit before I got them which usually makes me not like fries.

    The thrill at 5 Guys for me has always been the possibility that I would know the tiny town in Washington or Idaho where the potatoes are from.  

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  11. Joseph J. Finn10:40 AM

    One of the best parts of moving to Oak Park, IL, next month?  Five Guys franchise in walking distance.  Hell to the yeah.

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  12. Joseph J. Finn10:41 AM

    Huh, never tried an Epic Burger, and I work just north of the Harold Washington.  I'll have to give that a shot this week.

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  13. My complaint about Five Guys fries, and I know this is contrary, is that the serving is too large.  I can barely eat half and yet had to pay a lot for the whole cup.  I'd rather pay less and get a smaller portion and not waste food.  As is, I've always offered my leftovers to whichever college student near me looked hungriest. 

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  14. I'm with you.  If I want a shake, I'm generally going to Chick-Fil-A or Potbelly.  If I'm at DQ, it's for a blizzard.

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  15. Heather K11:32 AM

    Do it!  You will not regret it.

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  16. I'm starting to get spoiled by being in NYC.  They have Stumptown Coffee everywhere.  Screw Starbucks and D&D.  And soon, there will be a Shake Shack on every corner.

    I like Five Guys but I don't seek it out.  But there will be one of those on every corner soon, too.

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  17. Agree about the "nasty little puck of meat." Most overrated burger I've ever had. And the fries have always been half-cooked bags of grease.

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  18. For fast food shakes (strawberry), in order: SteaknShake, DQ -- ask for extra strawberry goop, CFA.

    Favorite DQ blizzard is german chocolate.

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  19. So true.  My wife and I together cannot finish a "regular" fries at FG, and I can eat the hell out of some french fries.

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  20. For shakes in Bethesda we tend to hit either Gifford's or Silver Diner, both of which are pretty solid.

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  21. Anonymous1:36 PM

    bill. if you are ever in Chicago you need to get a strawberry shake at M Burger super tasty and obviously made with real strawberries.

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  22. Maddy2:05 PM

    Five Guys, all the way.  I always get a small burger, which is really a regular sized burger.  And I have a 15 year old brother, so we get fries to split and I try to eat a few before he devours them all.  I had In-N-Out for the first time a few days ago and was disappointed.  But I'll be in California for the next four years so I guess I better get used to it.

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  23. The Pathetic Earthling2:14 PM

    I've never had Five Guys, but I love In-N-Out.  Not only is it a modestly sized burger (I've long since abandoned having a double-double), what amazes me about In-N-Out is the staffing.  I've never had an error and I always have a custom order. I'd suggest the McDonald's error rate on special orders is between 5-10%.

    So, Maddy, where did you decide to go after all? 

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  24. The Pathetic Earthling2:16 PM

    This is the same logic that governs your position that the only valid season in baseball history was 1995?

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  25. Watts2:18 PM

    When I want a burger or a shake, I go three doors down from Five Guys to The Grill: http://www.thegrillathensga.com/  It's open 24 hours, they appear to have a minimum piercing/tattoo requirement for staff, they have a real jukebox in the corner with everything from oldies to punk to modern indie, and the feta cheese dressing for the fries is pretty tasty.

    And the shakes?  Hand-dipped.  With malt added by request.  They bring you your shake in the metal canister and you drink it out of a little paper cone held by a pewter stand.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/raspberrytea/2420280578/

    Some were worried when Five Guys opened so close to the Grill, but I'm happy that The Grill is still alive and thriving.

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  26. J. Bowman2:26 PM

    I gotta say I've never quite gotten the love for 5 Guys. The burgers, as others have echoed, are okay. The portions are gigantic, and if I wanted to pay $10 for my lunch, I'd go to a full-service place.
    In-N-Out is an awesome burger. Hate the fries, but I could have a burger and a vanilla shake every day for the rest of what would certainly be a much shorter life.
    Wendy's is also okay. Frankly, I think it's got nothing on Hardee's.

    Finally: A Chick without pickle is like the sports section without Gil Thorp and Tank McNamara.

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  27. bill.2:31 PM

    Also, Cold Stone Creamery is real ice cream and shouldn't be on a list with the fast food soft-serve joints. Skipping these, I'd probably go with OK Cafe as having the best shakes in Atlanta.

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  28. Maddy2:49 PM

    I'm going to Scripps!  It's one of the Claremont Colleges and it is AWESOME.

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  29. Michelle2:50 PM

    Amen! 

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  30. Michelle2:53 PM

    seriously, the fries with feta.  brilliance.

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  31. Michelle2:58 PM

    The last couple of times I've had Panera, it was disgusting.  And this was two different locations, probably in two different states.  The food tasted so much more processed that I remembered.  Ugh.  Is this just me?

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  32. patricia3:15 PM

    OMG, I ate SO MANY fries with feta and chocolate malted milkshakes (dripping all over everything out of that paper cone) post drinking/dancing/playing pool/whatever at the Grill when I was in college.  Also, early, early breakfast there took the shame out of the "walk of shame."  ;-) 

    The Grill FTW, totally.

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  33. Joseph J. Finn3:18 PM

    But seriously, Starbucks over DD?  I'll be plebian as hell here and note that DD is one of the last bastions of go in, order a coffee, not have to argue over what kind of coffee-flavored-coffee* you want or what kind of silly fake size system there using, pay your money and leave.  Or maybe that's just at the 24-hour place on the corner across from my office.

    *Yes, I'm riffing on Denis Leary here and I'm proud to do so.

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  34. The Pathetic Earthling3:30 PM

    Awesome.  I have many good friends who went to Pomona, CMc and Harvey Mudd.  The world is yours for the taking.  Take it.

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  35. Maddy3:45 PM

    Thanks!  I'm excited!

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  36. The Pathetic Earthling3:48 PM

    Some folks swear by the In N Out fries.  I don't get it.  They're okay.  I've taken to having them add fried mustard to the burger -- something ordinarily part of an animal style burger, but always available -- they slather some mustard on the burger on the last flip and sear it into the meat.  Yum.

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  37. Carmichael Harold4:10 PM

    The only Panera I've ever eaten at is across from my office in Silver Spring, MD, and I've found it to be consistently gross, no matter what sandwich I get.  I'm mystified it ranks over any of the other 4 places in the top 5 of that list.

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  38. Maddy4:28 PM

    Is that the one down the street from the AFI?  Ick.  If I want a sandwich in Downtown Silver Spring, I go to Potbelly.

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  39. J. Bowman4:36 PM

    The class of 2014 won't understand your reference.

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  40. Is it because they don't know from straight coffee, or because they only know of Denis Leary as a tv actor and not as a monoloigist?

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  41. Heather K4:39 PM

    You had me at feta cheese dressing for the fries

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  42. spacewoman5:03 PM

    I'm liking your coming to California!  Those fries will grow on you, I promise.  I assume you didn't try the milkshakes, or you'd already be an In-N-Out convert.  Mmmm.

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  43. Tracy Shields5:38 PM

    Damn straight about Cracker Barrel. Best breakfast ever. This southern gal missed it terribly when stuck in the hinterlands of NYC 'burbs for 2 years.

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  44. Maggie5:57 PM

    I completely agree - I can only order fries if I'm there with at least one other person.  They need a micro size of the fries.

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  45. patricia6:00 PM

    I love love love Cracker Barrel pancakes.  So light and crispy around the edges!  Seems like the pancake trend is toward huge and cakey, and I prefer a much thinner, less doughy pancake.  Pancakes, bacon and hash brown casserole could make me happy every day of the week.  If I had enough time to work out sufficiently to counteract the calories and grease.

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  46. Maggie6:01 PM

    I like D&D, but frequently get tripped up by the northeast "coffee regular" convention meaning cream and sugar and not "black" as it would in the midwest.

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  47. gretchen7:15 PM

    New Shake Shack just opened down the street from my office.  Hurray!

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  48. gretchen7:16 PM

    Totally agree.  I've never had a good meal at a Panera.  I always get my hopes up and then am disappointed. 

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  49. calliekl7:44 PM

    I love CB for breakfast and dinner... although I have a small complaint (or huge dealbreaker, depending on how bad my week was)... no liquor license.

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  50. Ooh, ooh, thanks for letting me know, I missed the stories last week. 

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  51. Carmichael Harold8:16 PM

    Yep, that's the one (and the appropriate response to it).  I agree about Potbelly's (and CFA's also a good option), but, sadly, I have a colleague who really likes getting soup in a bread bowl.

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  52. Carmichael Harold8:18 PM

    My family used to eat at CB whenever we made the Philly-Florida drive, and I have no memory of the food, just that I absolutely loved playing the triangle game with the tees.

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  53. Marsha12:51 AM

    Maddy, I'm guessing you ended up at Scripps due to subliminal spelling bee messaging?

    Congratulations - I look forward to hearing about your adventures!

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  54. Maddy2:52 AM

    Oh, naturally.  Actually the medical condition that I have (Dysautonomia) was a spelling bee word this year, so maybe my life is just destined to be connected (although really not at all) to the bee. 
    Spacewoman, I did not try the milkshakes.  But I'm allergic to dairy, so that probably wouldn't have helped.  Sorry!  Everything else about California is fabulous, though.  Dry heat is my new best friend.

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  55. gretchen8:18 AM

    I love dry heat!  And big congratulations on Scripps, Maddy.  I love the Claremont colleges! 

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  56. I also work in DTSS and go to that Panera all the time. I really like it--I probably go once a week. More turkey sandwiches, clam chowder, bread, and chocolate chipper cookies for me!

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  57. heathalouise9:36 AM

    I once had lunch at The Grill during a tornado warning. My now-husband and I, dumb Yankees that we were, didn't hear the sirens and went downtown for lunch and were confused by the lack of people milling about. Then the storm hit. I thought that was going to be my last milkshake ever.

    Man, I miss the two Athens "Gr" restaurants -- the Grill and the Grit.

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  58. Jenn.4:04 PM

    I have never claimed that other baseball seasons were invalid (although I think that there is a good argument that a certain team's 1991 "World Series championship" is illegitimate).  I have merely suggested that other baseball seasons are inferior to 1995.

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  59. Jenn.4:05 PM

    I do so love the Grill. 

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  60. alex s.8:45 PM

    It's hard to imagine improving on In-N-Out 's process for basic fries: they peel the potatoes onsite, slice them, and drop them into hot oil.  That said, there's still plenty of chance to screw things up by leaving them under a heat lamp too long, not having the fryers set to the right temperatures or (I think) storing the potatoes badly.

    (I think that's part of the problem of rating chain restaurants. especially on a product that can vary so much with simple production errors.)

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  61. alex s.8:54 PM

    I think it's pretty sad that KFC got the nod for best fried chicken, though I can't really make an argument for any of the others.  I think all the chains are just reheating frozen chicken that was fried somewhere else (and possibly a long time ago), so there's not much to choose from.

    Of course, freeze and reheat is the source of a lot of food in the fast-casual range.  Though I do know a few people who claim they won't eat frozen dinners who will still eat at these places, which is kind of funny.

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  62. Adlai5:27 PM

    I adore the fries at In-n-Out; they're thin, fresh, crispy, not floppy, taste like potato. Perfection. Don't really care for McDonald's fries.

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  63. J. Bowman10:28 PM

    It's the "thin" that I don't like. I find it too much like Andy Capp Potato Strings - if I wanted potato chips, I'd just get potato chips. I'm not fond of McD's fries for the same reason (disclosure: I've eaten McDonald's twice in the last decade, and once was breakfast, so I readily admit to no longer being an authority on anything served there). If that's your bag, though, I agree that you'll probably find them outstanding.

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  64. If you're willing to take a short drive to the burbs, there's a Red Robin on Rt 3 in Clifton/Nutley (it's on Rt. 3E, just around Clifton Commons.)

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