Hold onto your burritos—Del Taco has clinched the crown as America’s favorite fast food chain for the second year running. This underdog, with just 600 locations, has outmaneuvered giants like Chick-fil-A in a fiercely competitive market.
According to The Daily Mail, USA Today’s annual rankings, Del Taco leads the pack, while larger players like Chick-fil-A stumble amid customer backlash and industry shifts.
Del Taco, a 61-year-old brand, built its reputation on burritos, fries, and vegan-friendly options. Owned by Jack in the Box—which snagged second place—the chain has carved out a loyal following. Its smaller footprint hasn’t hindered its appeal to value-driven diners.
A&W took third place, showing consistency in a volatile market. Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A, with over 3,000 locations, dropped to fourth after a recipe tweak to its waffle fries drew ire. Some customers even called the change “gross.”
Wendy’s climbed to fifth, boosted by savvy deals during last year’s fast food price wars. KFC, however, slid four spots to sixth and lost its standing in a separate chicken chain ranking. Taco Bell held steady at seventh.
Raising Cane’s, named the top chicken chain in a separate list, landed eighth overall. Zaxby’s followed at ninth, while McDonald’s—the nation’s largest chain—rounded out the top 10 despite underwhelming first-quarter earnings.
Del Taco isn’t resting on its laurels; it’s set to enter Louisville, Kentucky, with five new restaurants between 2026 and 2027. Yet, challenges loom as its owners explore a potential sale. A South Carolina franchisee, Matador Restaurant Group, also filed for bankruptcy.
Other chains are doubling down on growth. Raising Cane’s recently opened over 500 locations, while Taco Bell added 24 units to its 8,000-store empire. Both Raising Cane’s and Zaxby’s are launching massive U.S. expansions.
McDonald’s, despite its size, is playing catch-up with menu nostalgia like the return of snack wraps. But financial headwinds from its latest earnings report signal not all is well in the golden arches’ kingdom.
In a separate burger ranking by USA Today, Habit Burger & Grill’s Double Char was crowned the best fast food burger. In-N-Out’s Double Double slipped to fourth after a prior decline, even as CEO Lynsi Snyder plans a move to Tennessee.
A&W’s Papa Burger took third in the burger category, while Jack in the Box’s Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger ranked fourth. Culver’s double ButterBurger with cheese rebounded to fifth after missing last year’s list.
Yet, not all burger chains fared well. Jack in the Box plans to shutter 150 to 200 locations, and BurgerFi, alongside White Castle and Carl’s Jr., was excluded from certain rankings after BurgerFi’s bankruptcy filing last year.
For financially savvy readers, the fast food sector offers a lens into broader economic trends. Del Taco’s rise shows how value and innovation can trump scale in a market wary of price gouging. Keep an eye on whether its potential sale reshapes its trajectory.
Chains like Raising Cane’s and Taco Bell, with aggressive expansions, might present investment opportunities if they sustain customer loyalty. Conversely, closures at Jack in the Box and financial struggles at McDonald’s signal caution—look for balance sheets over brand hype when considering exposure to this volatile sector.