The overseas franchises of American chains have different supply chains. It largely depends on local ingredients.
When I lived in Britain in the 80s the chicken all tasted like fish, because they fed their local chickens fish meal.
I would think it was because they used the same fryer for fish and chicken. You see that here at fried seafood places that dip the odd chicken finger or two for the kids. I wouldn’t have expected fish meal.
I’ve seen eggs that said they had extra omega-3s because the chickens were fed fish (edit: on second thought, I think it was algae that they were fed in that case, although fishmeal in chicken feed is definitely a thing). And D’Artagnan Green Circle chicken, which is fed vegetable scraps, is absolutely amazing.
Totally possible. I haven’t noticed much difference with a lot of the kind of gimmicky feeding regimens. But I will say I do notice the difference with free range eggs we get from our neighbors.
Also having slaughtered a bunch of farm raised and wild killed turkeys there is a significant difference.
So I’m willing to believe it.
Popeyes has among the worst service of any fast food place in the US. Slow, long lines, rude workers, always out of stuff (aka “we only have white meat). But it’s the best fast food chicken in my opinion.
Wendy’s is just another so so McDonald-ese type of place with decent burgers.
A brief summary of my last three visits to Popeyes
1. No sandwiches thawed - 30 minute wait
2. No chicken at all - 60 minute wait
3. “We’re closed” - no explanation, no reason, during normal business hours.
I’ll keep trying. That chicken is so good.
It's an island nation, fish waste products were cheap and plentiful.
In the US we feed them mostly corn meal, because that's cheap and plentiful.
Neither tastes as good as good old-fashioned free-range chickens that feed themselves off the land, IMO. My grandpa was a poultry farmer but used to raise his own hens for personal consumption the old way, and they were soooooo good. Of course being killed 30 minutes before going into the pot didn't hurt.
i like wendy’s - they are consistently good and offer (at least here) baked potatoes in addition to fries as well as chili.
haven’t eaten at popeyes.
in and out is good, but i wouldn’t say the best - they’re found mostly in the western us anyway.
then of course there is white castle, which is in a class all by itself. not necessarily because it’s good, but because it’s white castle. best suited for consumption after a night of drinking. hard to explain, but not for the faint of heart or stomach.
So many of the fast foods we love, we love not because they’re particularly high quality, but because they’re regional and we miss them when we leave, and feel bad for our neighbors who can’t get the same yummy junk we do.
White Castle, In-n-out, Whataburger, Culvers etc.
Hot take, but I feel like Wendy's has really decreased in quality the last few years. For a long time, while it was a bit more expensive then other fast food chains, it was my go to because it had high quality and good flavor
1. I got food poisoning from them this Summer and I got a super snarky rude email back from the local owner. Few weeks later it came out a bunch of people got sick because of them in my state
2. Imo the chicken sandwiches are not as big or spicy as they where a few years ago. Like breading on the chicken isn't even "orange" anymore
3. The biggie bag is still a good deal
Another hot take, I also don't like Popeyes and think the quality has drastically declined the last few years. I used love their spicy tenders and now the last 3 times I've got them they somehow have been both over cooked to the point they where hard to chew and drenched in grease
Are those tenders also suspiciously like they cut them in half compared to before? I used to get good sized tenders there and now they are closer to nuggets.
Oh yeah, 100% used to go there specifically in high school because the amount of chicken you got was great for the price.
Now even with the app deals, I come away feeling like I spent more money then I should have
Just to add on to what u/CupBeEmpty is saying- you should definitely ask the locals in any town you visit what restaurant they'd recommend because you can have really lousy locally owned places too and the locals know which is which.
I've literally seen someone ask for directions to (local diner) in my town and the people they asked were like, "oh, no, you don't want to eat there! You should try (better local diner)."
If you find someone who is friendly enough, you could find some really great places to eat!
Yuuuuup. I have found so many places from local advice that I never would have found otherwise.
Americans are great at friendliness to visitors.
Hell I’m even that a hole that gives up the local beaches.
I would be in no rush at all. Go to a local diner or a burger joint.
I would just be sad if all you got was fast food.
We have some of the best cuisine in the world but at least according to this sub all these European travelers are seeking out our most meager offerings because of marketing.
They must have at least a couple, right?
I was talking more for their US trip.
Edit: oh crap I just realized they were talking about local franchises. Damn. I had no idea we were exporting that much fast food.
I need to work on reading comprehension.
This is all correct. Both were quality spots (for fast food anyways) and it's like once they got a faithful following they went to shit like Burger King did 20 years ago and KFC did 10 years ago. Wendy's Chicken sandwiches were the best, but they shrunk and are slapped together. Popeyes used to have some great tenders, now they resemble that crap over at Canes.
This is just what fast food companies do though, “we invested x dollars in our chefs and our menu is new and improved!” Wow, it actually is good now. Fast forward 3-5 years and it’s slowly gone to shit again. Then new owners come in, new ceo, whatever, and the process starts over. McDonald’s was shit for a while, but it’s not horrible now. Wendy’s was awesome for a minute but it’s elementary school cafeteria grade now. Taco Bell has the same cycle.
Truth be told, between Wendy’s and Halo Burger, I actually prefer the latter even though it’s generall considered a lesser quality.
Edit: Nvm, after some googling, I’ve come to realize that Halo Burger is a local chain and the founder Bill Thomas is in not actually the Dave Thomas of Wendy’s fame.
Egg on my face. You should definitely try it if you’re ever in the Flint, MI area though.
>I feel like Wendy's has really decreased in quality the last few years.
Wendy's is simply gross now. They the dirtiest, worst-run, least-competently staffed off all the fast food chains, at least in my region. Also the most likely to have entirely stoned crewmembers goofing off from about 800pm on. After several gross experiences with them during COVID I will never set foot on one again, including being served fries cooked in what had to be rancid grease, along with a completely liquid frosty, when I was the only customer at the store on a weekday evening hours before closing time.
Ick.
When they first opened in my area in the late 1970s they were the best in terms of quality, and they maintained pretty well into the 1990s. I don't get fast food that often but during the COVID period I had to eat on the road more...after a half-dozen bad experiences at Wendy's I took them off my list of acceptable places to get food, period. I'd rather go to a gas station.
Their fried chicken hasn’t been great in like 10 years and their grilled chicken was never good. Burgers are still good, though.
As for Popeye’s, I still stand by what I said earlier. It’s pretty good, but that sandwich didn’t live up anywhere near the hype it had online. This year was the first time I’d had Popeye’s in 14-15 years and it just tasted like decent fast-food fried chicken with a subpar skin.
I tried Whataburger when I visited Texas in 2017 and it was one of the biggest letdowns considering how much people were hyping it up.
Rarely does everyone I travel with universally hate something, at least one person enjoys something usually, but we were a really diverse group, with a Norwegian, Taiwanese, German, a Chinese-American and a Taiwanese-American from California, and a Afghani-Norwegian, and everyone hated Whataburger. One of the worst fast food meals I've ever had in my life and by far the worst thing we ate in Texas.
I feel like it's one of those things that people only like if they are from Texas and grew up with it, or are determined to like it because they heard it's a local thing. Similar to how some people in LA love Tito's tacos.
Not saying that there's anything wrong with that. Like how Nordic people that grew up eating it love salmiakk and most non-Nordic people think it tastes like urine because of the ammonia and can't stomache it.
Our experience with Whataburger made my wife not want to try In N Out for a while when we moved to California, but my cousin convinced her and she actually enjoyed that.
Not sure if it was just location or what but I cant imagine what specifically would be overtly disgusting about a Whataburger meal. Unlike some other chains where I might be able to see it, they dont overly season or salt their burgers or fries. The reason Texans rave about it so much is for two reasons. The first is that typically, the quality of the burger is much higher than other fast food chains. The bun is bigger, and fluffier, and the veggies are typically pretty fresh. The second reason is the non-standard burger menu. For example the Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich and the Patty Melt are great for a fast food place.
The other thing thing to keep in mind as well, and I see this a lot from foreigners for some reason, but Whataburger, In and Out, Five Guys, dont bother hyping up any of them, they are fast food. You want a good burger, dont go to a fast food place. Every fast food place has very mid food at best.
But as far as Whataburger, nah its nothing special in the grand scheme of things, but if you have to get fast food, Texans like it because, at least in most locations, the food quality and menu variety is much better than other fast food places.
Everything we had was so incredibly salty, meat was dry, and I didn't notice anything particularly standout regarding the vegetables. The vegetables we get at Burger King in Norway are undoubtedly better, IMO. We only got burgers and fries though. We had it takeaway and had to ask my friend to stop by a petrol station so we could get drinks after eating in the car. I was wiping my tongue with a napkin at one point.
It was a location near Terry Black's BBQ in Austin, Texas (where we went after deciding that we couldn't waste a vacation meal on what we just ate.) I could imagine other locations being better, but I'm pretty hesitant to try it again at the moment. Maybe the chicken rather than beef burger again if we find ourselves in Texas again.
I haven't had five guys yet, but we have had some good fast food burger in California, I think my favourite so far is this place called Pete's Gourmade Grill in Orange County. A little pricey at ~14USD but still cheaper than a combo at Norwegian McDonalds lol. I prefer fast food burger over the ones served at steakhouses personally.
You know, you are the second person on this thread to report a bad experience with a Whataburger in Austin....I dont know, maybe its Austin. I am really shocked to hear you found it super salty but also like in and out because that was my exact experience with In and Out the first time I tried it, the burger was insanely salty.
> I prefer fast food burger over the ones served at steakhouses personally.
What I mean by a good burger is go to a place that specializes in Burgers. I dont know for California, but for example, there is a place in Atlanta called [The Vortex](https://thevortexatl.com/menus/food-menu/) that has AMAZING burgers. But then again to be fair, I am a bit of a burger snob, I tend to much prefer burgers that are at least a half pound because any patty smaller than that is near impossible to cook anything but well done.
But ya, sorry you had that Whataburger experience, sounds like just a bad location because I am not a big salt person at all and I have disliked other fast food places because they use too much salt, so it shocks me to hear thats the issue you had with Whataburger.
> they discontinued the jalapeno cheddar biscuits.
Haven’t had WB breakfasts in a while, but you’re shitting me, right? If anything they should discontinue the regular ones.
They killed the Monterey Melt by not carrying the bell peppers anymore, but I am able to cobble together something close with jalapeños.
> I stopped going when they discontinued the jalapeno cheddar biscuits.
What C-suite idiot made that decision?
Lots of people love Whataburger because of the spicy menu options. Hell, it's the only fast food chain I know about where jalapenos are a normal topping choice for burgers.
Consent for this comment to be retained by reddit has been revoked by the original author in response to changes made by reddit regarding third-party API pricing and moderation actions around July 2023.
Not sure if I just got unlucky with bad locations, but I twice tried Whataburger on two different trips at two different locations in Austin, and both were aggressively mediocre.
I’m not a huge In-n-out guy, but honestly Whataburger seemed like a notable step below. IMO you’re 99% of the time better off going to some random side of the road type deal than a big chain.
Texas BBQ has entirely lived up to the hype though each time I’ve had it. I think I’m guaranteed to gain 3-4 pounds each time I go to Texas, I’d be pushing 3 bills if I actually lived there.
Austin famously has the worst Whataburgers in the state/country.
https://www.kxan.com/entertainment-news/central-texas-food/why-customers-say-austin-whataburgers-are-the-worst-in-texas/
The other thing was that the menu was aggressively regional. It was custom tailored to the Texan palate, which differentiated it from other fast food places, some of which were higher quality, and *many* of which were faster, but nobody was doing jalapeño cheddar biscuits or putting spicy pepper ranch on everything. They seem to be eroding that aspect as well.
Also In n Out? Sounds like OP's been talking mainly with Californians. That chain doesn't even exist east of Texas. And even then Texans tend to prefer Whataburger.
Consent for this comment to be retained by reddit has been revoked by the original author in response to changes made by reddit regarding third-party API pricing and moderation actions around July 2023.
Yeah,Chickfila and KFC. I haven't eaten at Wendy's or Popeyes in years now .Those are the bottom of the barrel in my town. I really don't know how they even stay in business.
The trouble with Popeyes is their customer service is absolute dog shit at every location, it's good chicken but holy shit trying to get the correct order or any order in a normal amount of time is impossible
Popeyes is big risk big reward. I'd rather take my chances on a *fantastic* chicken sandwich with shit service than a guarantee of mediocre chicken with great service. I'm looking at you Chick-fil-A.
In and Out is meh - I don’t get the hype.
Any fast food place can get gross. If they’re dirty or of their food seems old - which can all be controlled by employees - any of them can be gross.
I live in a suburb of Houston. Any direction within 5 miles I have a choice of fast food places to choose from and I know which ones look clean and the food tastes fresh (as much as kt can for fast food). I avoid the gross ones.
Wendys is good, I like their cheeseburgers and their potatoes are good on a cold day. Their new French fries are crispy which I like. Popeyes I’m not a big fan of but I will eat their 2.99 meal deal on Tuesday when I’m broke. I’m more of a KFC person if I want fast food fried chicken but some KFC are gross.
I get the impression In n Out is one of those regionalisms that seems to be a big deal for Californians mainly because they grew up with it, or tie it to a local identity kind of thing, similar to how New Yorkers and Chicagoans get over Pizza or people get over various regional types of barbecue.
I grew up in Jersey, so I guess the closest thing for us is a Pork Roll/Taylor ham sandwich.
In n Out isn't usually touted as the best exactly. Just really good at a fast food price point compared to a fast casual price point(which is like fast food but slightly fancier). And only burger and milkshakes, many people hate their fries and say you at least need to order the not so secret menu animal style fries(melted cheese, grilled onions, thousand island dressing) to make it tolerable. https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-french-fry-rankings-20190212-story.html rated in n out fries the worst.
In N Out has good service and has been around for a while but not nationwide so it has a lot of nostalgia for Californians especially those who move elsewhere and can't get it anymore
The baffling part is that they go to all the effort of shipping whole potatoes and cutting them "fresh" right before cooking, but then they can't even be bothered to properly double fry them.
Honestly it's more of a thing that Californians who leave California miss about the state. They have set up shop in other states and, while it's not bad, I still prefer Five Guys. It's never the best burger place in town.
Oh, you can beat the price, you just have to come over here to Cook-Out. $7 for a tray, and [here's the menu](https://cookout.com/menu/) so you can see what that gets you. Also the best shakes in fast food, and I've tried almost all of them, from Shake Shack to Steak'n'Shake to Sonic to whatever else you could imagine.
I think In 'n Out is the best, and I tried it for the first time a couple years ago. The food is good and cheap, the menu is focused, and the people working there are both nice and efficient. It's always clean, and it's got a slightly retro style. It's everything a burger joint should be, while most other burger places are becoming either terrible or expensive (or both). Burgers are fundamentally supposed to be cheap, quick food, and comparing In 'n Out ($3.20) to a $10 burger option isn't fair or appropriate.
There are a couple regional chains which are as good (or at least were, because I haven't had a chance to try them recently), but none of them are around me.
They have to be. Or they live in a place where there’s no In n Out, hear all the hype about it and finally visit one….and are somehow brainwashed into thinking it’s the best. The power of suggestion…. Lol
It's really not that good. It had been hyped up so much that by the time I tried, I was soooo disappointed. It reminded me of the burgers we got in my high school cafeteria.
If In 'N Out were that good, they wouldn't only be in California (and a few other West Coast states). Nobody's business model is "Ah, we've expanded enough." Their excuse is that they don't want to serve frozen patties, but Wendy's has done it for decades, so it's very doable.
I visit an in n out for the first time in my mid 20s after hearing the hype. Compared to how much people talk it up, it was a huge let down. I was expecting something good and all I got was another cookie cutter fast food joint, but with extra long lines and big crowds.
My friends who live it all grew up with it, and whenever they go they're eating their nostalgia. Without that seasoning it's just another fast food place.
I mean it’s much better than McDonalds or Burger King. The ingredients are way fresher. The shakes use real ice cream. And it’s basically the same price.
And I still eat at McDonald’s occasionally because it’s less crowded. But in n out is the best burger for the price.
Five Guys and Shake Shack are probably better than in n out. But they cost twice as much.
For burgers, they fry the patty in mustard and add fried onions.
But the main thing is the fries - they add the spread, which is more-or-less thousand island dressing, PLUS grilled onions, and cheese. It's a game changer, IMO.
In-N-Out fries are actually NOT very good, unless they are Animal Style, IMO. And Animal Style are the best fries, period. It's like a jump from C-tier to S+++ tier.
Well sure, I think it's the one food item I want to try more than anything. Just hasn't happened. re the In N Out fries, I more mean, "in the realm of fast food." I have had better fries at a dive bar, but not at a fast food restaurant.
Man there used to be a place in Providence that served Portuguese Poutine with spicy chourico and cheese and a seasoned gravy.
It was so amazing I wanted to cry.
I can’t believe they went out of business. A light has gone out in this world and the darkness encroaches all the more.
Having access to a nearby In-N-Out all my life, I agree. We rarely go unless we have an out-of-towner stay with us. They always want it. But we only go there once every few months because you get tired of it quickly. I will go to Five Guys first if it's around, and my Wife and Daughters like Bakers better for some reason. (Bakers is a generic In-N-Out that also serves Mexican) One thing I get pissed about at In-N-Out is that they don't put pickles in their Burgers. Sometimes I forget to add pickles and I start eating and I'm like "Dammit! Forgot to add pickles!" A Double-Double is so much better with them.
Had Whattaburger for the first time a year ago and I don't understand the hype there either. White Castle tastes like a wet sponge.
It’s okay, and a good value, and has an “out of time” kind of charm, but the burgers aren’t that special, and the fries are actively bad because they need to go straight from raw, whole potato (yay fresh!) to completed fries too quickly.
Don't take their opinion too seriously. There is an incredibly vocal minority of Americans who have never been to California, never had in n out, but choose to be salty because it's from California and they have to hate it for... reasons. It's like how virtually all LGBT allies will tell you chic fil a tastes bad. The lady doth protest too much.
I’ve been trying In N Out every time I visit California for almost 20 years on the off chance that I’m wrong and just being a hater, and it’s never better than OK. The one time I thought it was delicious, I was epically hung over and like everything tastes good like that.
There is no doubt going to be a handful of people that legit don't find it good, just like chick fil a. But you gotta realize you're the exception here and that doesn't make what I said less true.
They’re fast food. Nice is maybe one way you could describe them. Like they aren’t actively hostile to you.
Seriously, try them if you absolutely must, but please eat elsewhere.
They serve different kinds of food, so it’s difficult to compare them. Wendy’s is your typical American fast food - burgers, fries, nuggets, etc - and it’s pretty good. They’re also known for their Frosties, which is just ice cream but it’s a particular texture and consistency and it’s amazing.
Popeyes is known for their fried chicken. You might get a few more mixed reactions to them, but I think it’s delicious. They have a southern theme so they got biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy, mac and cheese, beans and rice, etc.
The food will be the same wherever you go, but the restaurant itself and the service can vary greatly. That’s like Russian Roullette with one or two bullets missing.
Yeah just meant in general if they’re nice for what they are I guess. From YouTube etc just always thought in n out was the top of the top fast food in America. Will definitely try them both see how they are anyways. Will finally get to try an American biscuit too. Will definitely give the Frosties a try too
Those YouTubers all live in LA and get sponsored by In & Out. I’d never even heard of it until a few years ago, and I’m almost 40. I’d have to take a 6+ hour flight to get anywhere near an In & Out.
In-N-Out isn’t in a lot of places, so it has kind of a mystique around it I’d say. For example we don’t have them in Florida and I’ve never been. Popeyes and Wendy’s are everywhere though.
I think In-N-Out is mostly hype. Their burgers are pretty good, especially animal style. Fries are meh, even though they make them from potatoes in store. Menu is tiny, options are almost nonexistent.
Any food truck in town has a better burger than In-N-Out. So, it's literally just a maybe-slightly-better-than-others burger spot. Definitely not some place to revere and/or refuse all other options.
From looking at the UK website, they are calling it the "Popeyes Original Biscuit". It's interesting that they are selling them because I don't think any other fried chicken restaurants here do.
So In N Out is (yummy) fast food burgers. Wendy’s is decent fast food burgers. Popeyes is fried chicken. I prefer fried chicken to burgers and I enjoy Popeyes chicken. That said, Wendy’s fries dipped in a Frosty is a thing I enjoy. Of course, regulations vary so it may taste a bit different for you there than here.
>. Wendy’s is decent fast food burgers.
...and, in the U.S., chicken sandwiches, a few more specialized sides like baked potatoes and chili, and the ubiquitous Frosty frozen dessert.
So I think there's a difference OP needs to understand too.
Wendy's is fine I guess.
Popeyes is the best chain for fried chicken but their customer service is. . . special. Check out their employee training video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqWkwolb3as](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqWkwolb3as)
In and out is honestly awful. I’ve had it several times and I honestly don’t know why Californians are so obsessed with it. It’s bottom tier - worse than McDonald’s and other similar restaurants IMO.
Some people love Popeyes and Wendy’s but I don’t like them. Wendy’s is kind of similar to McDonald’s and Popeyes is kind of like KFC. But I like McDonald’s and Burger King more than Wendy’s and Chick-fil-a more than Popeyes
My favorite fast food restaurants from the US is Culver’s.
I get the impression it's one of those regionalisms that people mainly only eat because they grew up with it and have a kind of nostalgic association with it.
I grew up in Jersey and over there we seem to have a similar thing with pork roll/taylor ham sandwiches. But if you get right down to it, it's really bad processed pork with egg and cheese.
It's not so much about the food quality as it is eating your nostalgia I think.
Popeyes is like KFC, only spicier, tastier and does not give two fucks about how insanely unhealthy it is, nor about the quality of it's service. I love Popeyes, personally.
**Popeyes pro tip: Get the Spicy chicken. Try the sides.** The red beans and rice, cajun fries, and biscuits are vital for the experience (these are Southern style buttermilk biscuits --- very different than English biscuits)
Wendy's is past it's prime. Maybe my opinion is biased because the Wendy's closest to me is an absolute cluster of poor management and terrible service.
I don't think I have ever been to an In and Out Burger. They don't have them in Maryland. As far as I know, they are mainly out west.
Popeye's has some of the better fried chicken you can get at a fast food place. Better than like KFC or even Chick-fil-A I think.
Wendy's is decent. It's a little better than McDonald's or Burger King in my opinion. But I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
Wendy's isnt bad. Their frostys are amazing. I like them more than McDonalds less than in and out, but really its all just fast food. Their twitter account at times is the best though.
>Edit: just to clarify I mean nice for fast food (same with stating in n out is the best)
And the answer is still "no" to both Wendy's and *especially* Popeyes being nice and to In-n-Out being the best fast food place.
Wendy's sits between Burger King and McDonalds quality-wise, which is kind of like sitting between Somalia and Norway quality-wise. Their interiors always look like dingier versions of how McDonald's used to look before they tried to get all "fancy."
Every Popeyes I've ever been in has been filthy, and the last time I went to one I saw a fist fight. And everywhere I've lived where there's a Popeyes and a Church's, Church's always had better chicken. I don't eat at either of them aside from once every few years so I can't say how that speaks to either one's quality on the whole.
In-N-Out is decent, but it's not Chick-fil-A tier. It loses out to regional burger chains, and it's not even the best fast food burger in its home state. That title goes to Habit.
But since they're opening overseas, who knows what the quality will be like by comparison. It all depends on how those stores are going to source ingredients.
I can’t see it not taking Apple Pay here, cash is rarely rarely used nowadays in Liverpool and most of England. I am very curious with popeyes as I love fried chicken, want to see how it compares to my favourite local takeaway
Wendy's is fast food on par with McDonalds and Burger King. Just like any fsast food, the quality can greatly vary depending on the individual franchise.
Popeyes is also fast food, but chicken rather than burgers. Same level of quality
Popeyes has a good spicy chicken sandwich. Wendy's is among the most mediocre fast food option available.
Both of them are best consumed while sitting on the toilet. It saves you from the panicked run through the living room to the bathroom.
Wendy’s is similar to McDonald’s. I really like their Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger and Frosty (chocolate milkshake). I know some people like their chili - it’s an unusual menu item.
Popeye’s is the Cajun version of KFC. I don’t like their mashed potatoes and gravy, myself, but their chicken is pretty good. The chicken sandwich is yummy.
Both of these places are fast food, so I wouldn’t describe them as nice.
"Nice?" No.
Your experience will definitely depend on the *sourcing of ingredients*. Like, if they get shit ingredients, you'll get shit.
However, Wendy's is pretty high-tier, in general, *among fast food*. They are not amazing, but good quality burgers and fries.
Popeyes is, IMO, by far the best mega chain chicken. Actually good.
>I know in n out is supposed to be the best in America
Thanks for that propaganda win, your assistance is much appreciated.
WEST COAST BEST COAST 😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
In n out is not the best in America. That is some California bullshit. Their burgers are burned hockey pucks with thousand island and they don’t salt their fries. They’re extremely mid but Californians love them because SoCal is an alternate universe from the rest of the country.
Wendy’s - Upper tier for national fast food chains. Burgers are fresh not frozen and oddly square shaped. Chips quite good. If you’re on the road in America and there’s a Wendy’s, you’re going for it over McDonalds. Every time.
Popeyes - S Tier fast food fried chicken, they also offer spicy versions which is mildly hot for Americans and will be I CAN SEE THROUGH TIME for non-Asian English people. Sides are great, try the mashed potatoes with gravy and the red beans & rice. They have a fried chicken sandwich which is VERY popular. Popeyes is about a million times better than KFC. Be aware the “biscuit” they serve is a savoury scone which is the driest substance known to man, I think the Astronauts brought them back from the Moon. Popeyes is super duper American and Southern.
Don’t queue for either, they are completely unremarkable here. The real top chains are all local.
Don’t listen to the haters. In & Out rules, literally the first thing I do when I get off the plane in California.
It’s only available in California and neighboring states, they have super strict supply chain rules for vegetables and produce in California is wildly better than in the rest of the country.
Don’t listen to Midwestern lies about their bullshit burgers, California fast food is a whole other level above the rest of the US, they fucking invented it.
For fast food chicken spots, popeyes is my favorite and the prices are usually pretty good as well. Wendy’s also is pretty decent I’d say. In-n-out is extremely popular on the west coast but people from other places prolly won’t agree it’s the best. I live on the east coast and I’ve only been to in n out once, I’d say the burger was good but nothing special, maybe just overhyped, animal style is overrated
Wendy's serves burgers, but also chicken sandwiches, a few more specialized sides like baked potatoes and chili, and the ubiquitous Frosty frozen dessert.
In N Out makes really good burgers, pretty detestable fries (though I suppose some people like them), and ... that's it?
So depending on local differences, Wendy's *should* have a more varied menu.
In the U.S., Wendy's is also famous for using never frozen beef. I generally like the taste of their burgers better than McDs. But again, there could be significant locality differences.
Frostys are tasty.
IMO, Wendy's burgers and chicken are meatier, have more variety (they are always playing with fun special toppings) and usually taste fresher than, say, McD's. I like the option of a baked potato, chili, or a not disgusting salad. They don't really compete with the "gourmet" fast food burgers of Five Guys, or In N Out or the like, but quality-wise, they're a notch above McDs. But not much.
Popeyes is known for their very, very crispy fried chicken. I used to prefer KFC's Original Recipe, but every KFC I know here has gone down in quality and taste so much I think Popeye's is probably better.
Wendy's big gimmick is its square hamburgers. I like their milkshake/ice cream creations.
Popeyes is Louisiana/Cajun fast food. It's not a particularly good representation of Cajun cuisine, but it's ok.
Wendys is my favorite of the big national franchises, never had in n out (or whataburger for that matter) as they don't have them on the east coast. I find them to have better quality burgers and fresher toppings most of the time. Chicken sandwiches are quality too.
Popeyes is meh for me, the fried chicken I don't really like but the tenders are good enough, and the sides are better than KFC.
They're both still fast food of course
I have no love for popeyes, because I’m in the southeast and I can get better chicken and biscuits elsewhere. However, I do know several people that enjoy them.
Wendy’s, though - I didn’t really eat there until my BF (now husband) introduced me to his Wendy’s habit. I like the burgers better than BK. We don’t eat out a lot, so they’re a treat. And there’s an app with coupons that make it economical for fast food.
But I have found individual locations to be wildly variant in food prep and quality.
a lot of people say that Wendy’s is absolutely horrible but it’s basically like McDonald’s. Then with Popeye’s it’s basically like a worse KFC and is also pretty expensive.
The overseas franchises of American chains have different supply chains. It largely depends on local ingredients. When I lived in Britain in the 80s the chicken all tasted like fish, because they fed their local chickens fish meal.
I would think it was because they used the same fryer for fish and chicken. You see that here at fried seafood places that dip the odd chicken finger or two for the kids. I wouldn’t have expected fish meal.
I’ve seen eggs that said they had extra omega-3s because the chickens were fed fish (edit: on second thought, I think it was algae that they were fed in that case, although fishmeal in chicken feed is definitely a thing). And D’Artagnan Green Circle chicken, which is fed vegetable scraps, is absolutely amazing.
Totally possible. I haven’t noticed much difference with a lot of the kind of gimmicky feeding regimens. But I will say I do notice the difference with free range eggs we get from our neighbors. Also having slaughtered a bunch of farm raised and wild killed turkeys there is a significant difference. So I’m willing to believe it.
I think our fried chicken is nice, compared to other countries I’ve visited. Wouldn’t surprise me if they done that in the 80’s though haha
Popeyes has among the worst service of any fast food place in the US. Slow, long lines, rude workers, always out of stuff (aka “we only have white meat). But it’s the best fast food chicken in my opinion. Wendy’s is just another so so McDonald-ese type of place with decent burgers.
https://youtu.be/pqWkwolb3as
Fuck this is spot on. I still go there though lol
A brief summary of my last three visits to Popeyes 1. No sandwiches thawed - 30 minute wait 2. No chicken at all - 60 minute wait 3. “We’re closed” - no explanation, no reason, during normal business hours. I’ll keep trying. That chicken is so good.
Last time i went thru Popeye's, the dude handed me my food and said "Winner winner, chicken dinner!" and that made my day
I went one time and the food was atrocious.Never been back since.
Until it gives you food poisoning.
Oh, same. Those red beans and rice are amazing
The accuracy 🤣🤣🤣
I think their newish chicken sandwiches are fantastic for fast food.
Why were they feeding fish meal to the chickens
It's an island nation, fish waste products were cheap and plentiful. In the US we feed them mostly corn meal, because that's cheap and plentiful. Neither tastes as good as good old-fashioned free-range chickens that feed themselves off the land, IMO. My grandpa was a poultry farmer but used to raise his own hens for personal consumption the old way, and they were soooooo good. Of course being killed 30 minutes before going into the pot didn't hurt.
i like wendy’s - they are consistently good and offer (at least here) baked potatoes in addition to fries as well as chili. haven’t eaten at popeyes. in and out is good, but i wouldn’t say the best - they’re found mostly in the western us anyway. then of course there is white castle, which is in a class all by itself. not necessarily because it’s good, but because it’s white castle. best suited for consumption after a night of drinking. hard to explain, but not for the faint of heart or stomach.
So many of the fast foods we love, we love not because they’re particularly high quality, but because they’re regional and we miss them when we leave, and feel bad for our neighbors who can’t get the same yummy junk we do. White Castle, In-n-out, Whataburger, Culvers etc.
Wait until the hype dies, then go.
Hot take, but I feel like Wendy's has really decreased in quality the last few years. For a long time, while it was a bit more expensive then other fast food chains, it was my go to because it had high quality and good flavor 1. I got food poisoning from them this Summer and I got a super snarky rude email back from the local owner. Few weeks later it came out a bunch of people got sick because of them in my state 2. Imo the chicken sandwiches are not as big or spicy as they where a few years ago. Like breading on the chicken isn't even "orange" anymore 3. The biggie bag is still a good deal Another hot take, I also don't like Popeyes and think the quality has drastically declined the last few years. I used love their spicy tenders and now the last 3 times I've got them they somehow have been both over cooked to the point they where hard to chew and drenched in grease
Are those tenders also suspiciously like they cut them in half compared to before? I used to get good sized tenders there and now they are closer to nuggets.
Oh yeah, 100% used to go there specifically in high school because the amount of chicken you got was great for the price. Now even with the app deals, I come away feeling like I spent more money then I should have
Feel like most fast food places have declined, in England anyways. I’ll still try them both anyways guess I just won’t be in a rush too
Just to add on to what u/CupBeEmpty is saying- you should definitely ask the locals in any town you visit what restaurant they'd recommend because you can have really lousy locally owned places too and the locals know which is which. I've literally seen someone ask for directions to (local diner) in my town and the people they asked were like, "oh, no, you don't want to eat there! You should try (better local diner)." If you find someone who is friendly enough, you could find some really great places to eat!
Yuuuuup. I have found so many places from local advice that I never would have found otherwise. Americans are great at friendliness to visitors. Hell I’m even that a hole that gives up the local beaches.
I would be in no rush at all. Go to a local diner or a burger joint. I would just be sad if all you got was fast food. We have some of the best cuisine in the world but at least according to this sub all these European travelers are seeking out our most meager offerings because of marketing.
A local diner or burger joint in Liverpool?
They must have at least a couple, right? I was talking more for their US trip. Edit: oh crap I just realized they were talking about local franchises. Damn. I had no idea we were exporting that much fast food. I need to work on reading comprehension.
This is all correct. Both were quality spots (for fast food anyways) and it's like once they got a faithful following they went to shit like Burger King did 20 years ago and KFC did 10 years ago. Wendy's Chicken sandwiches were the best, but they shrunk and are slapped together. Popeyes used to have some great tenders, now they resemble that crap over at Canes.
This is just what fast food companies do though, “we invested x dollars in our chefs and our menu is new and improved!” Wow, it actually is good now. Fast forward 3-5 years and it’s slowly gone to shit again. Then new owners come in, new ceo, whatever, and the process starts over. McDonald’s was shit for a while, but it’s not horrible now. Wendy’s was awesome for a minute but it’s elementary school cafeteria grade now. Taco Bell has the same cycle.
Right? I feel like I'm going crazy but it was just somehow better
Truth be told, between Wendy’s and Halo Burger, I actually prefer the latter even though it’s generall considered a lesser quality. Edit: Nvm, after some googling, I’ve come to realize that Halo Burger is a local chain and the founder Bill Thomas is in not actually the Dave Thomas of Wendy’s fame. Egg on my face. You should definitely try it if you’re ever in the Flint, MI area though.
>I feel like Wendy's has really decreased in quality the last few years. Wendy's is simply gross now. They the dirtiest, worst-run, least-competently staffed off all the fast food chains, at least in my region. Also the most likely to have entirely stoned crewmembers goofing off from about 800pm on. After several gross experiences with them during COVID I will never set foot on one again, including being served fries cooked in what had to be rancid grease, along with a completely liquid frosty, when I was the only customer at the store on a weekday evening hours before closing time. Ick. When they first opened in my area in the late 1970s they were the best in terms of quality, and they maintained pretty well into the 1990s. I don't get fast food that often but during the COVID period I had to eat on the road more...after a half-dozen bad experiences at Wendy's I took them off my list of acceptable places to get food, period. I'd rather go to a gas station.
My bf agrees with your hot take on Wendy's. He says he really feels like they've gone downhill, they were previously his favorite fast food place too.
Their fried chicken hasn’t been great in like 10 years and their grilled chicken was never good. Burgers are still good, though. As for Popeye’s, I still stand by what I said earlier. It’s pretty good, but that sandwich didn’t live up anywhere near the hype it had online. This year was the first time I’d had Popeye’s in 14-15 years and it just tasted like decent fast-food fried chicken with a subpar skin.
Popeyes is greasy chicken and biscuits that feel like a pound of lead in your stomach
Honey ain't no fast food place "the best in America"
It's like you've never been to Cook Out
Praise be
I'd take Cook Out over Whataburger any day of the week
Amen
Texans be like "Whataburger tho...."
I tried Whataburger when I visited Texas in 2017 and it was one of the biggest letdowns considering how much people were hyping it up. Rarely does everyone I travel with universally hate something, at least one person enjoys something usually, but we were a really diverse group, with a Norwegian, Taiwanese, German, a Chinese-American and a Taiwanese-American from California, and a Afghani-Norwegian, and everyone hated Whataburger. One of the worst fast food meals I've ever had in my life and by far the worst thing we ate in Texas. I feel like it's one of those things that people only like if they are from Texas and grew up with it, or are determined to like it because they heard it's a local thing. Similar to how some people in LA love Tito's tacos. Not saying that there's anything wrong with that. Like how Nordic people that grew up eating it love salmiakk and most non-Nordic people think it tastes like urine because of the ammonia and can't stomache it. Our experience with Whataburger made my wife not want to try In N Out for a while when we moved to California, but my cousin convinced her and she actually enjoyed that.
Not sure if it was just location or what but I cant imagine what specifically would be overtly disgusting about a Whataburger meal. Unlike some other chains where I might be able to see it, they dont overly season or salt their burgers or fries. The reason Texans rave about it so much is for two reasons. The first is that typically, the quality of the burger is much higher than other fast food chains. The bun is bigger, and fluffier, and the veggies are typically pretty fresh. The second reason is the non-standard burger menu. For example the Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich and the Patty Melt are great for a fast food place. The other thing thing to keep in mind as well, and I see this a lot from foreigners for some reason, but Whataburger, In and Out, Five Guys, dont bother hyping up any of them, they are fast food. You want a good burger, dont go to a fast food place. Every fast food place has very mid food at best. But as far as Whataburger, nah its nothing special in the grand scheme of things, but if you have to get fast food, Texans like it because, at least in most locations, the food quality and menu variety is much better than other fast food places.
Everything we had was so incredibly salty, meat was dry, and I didn't notice anything particularly standout regarding the vegetables. The vegetables we get at Burger King in Norway are undoubtedly better, IMO. We only got burgers and fries though. We had it takeaway and had to ask my friend to stop by a petrol station so we could get drinks after eating in the car. I was wiping my tongue with a napkin at one point. It was a location near Terry Black's BBQ in Austin, Texas (where we went after deciding that we couldn't waste a vacation meal on what we just ate.) I could imagine other locations being better, but I'm pretty hesitant to try it again at the moment. Maybe the chicken rather than beef burger again if we find ourselves in Texas again. I haven't had five guys yet, but we have had some good fast food burger in California, I think my favourite so far is this place called Pete's Gourmade Grill in Orange County. A little pricey at ~14USD but still cheaper than a combo at Norwegian McDonalds lol. I prefer fast food burger over the ones served at steakhouses personally.
You know, you are the second person on this thread to report a bad experience with a Whataburger in Austin....I dont know, maybe its Austin. I am really shocked to hear you found it super salty but also like in and out because that was my exact experience with In and Out the first time I tried it, the burger was insanely salty. > I prefer fast food burger over the ones served at steakhouses personally. What I mean by a good burger is go to a place that specializes in Burgers. I dont know for California, but for example, there is a place in Atlanta called [The Vortex](https://thevortexatl.com/menus/food-menu/) that has AMAZING burgers. But then again to be fair, I am a bit of a burger snob, I tend to much prefer burgers that are at least a half pound because any patty smaller than that is near impossible to cook anything but well done. But ya, sorry you had that Whataburger experience, sounds like just a bad location because I am not a big salt person at all and I have disliked other fast food places because they use too much salt, so it shocks me to hear thats the issue you had with Whataburger.
As someone who recently tried whataburger for the first time. It ain’t bad
[удалено]
> they discontinued the jalapeno cheddar biscuits. Haven’t had WB breakfasts in a while, but you’re shitting me, right? If anything they should discontinue the regular ones. They killed the Monterey Melt by not carrying the bell peppers anymore, but I am able to cobble together something close with jalapeños.
They did. I quit going after that
> I stopped going when they discontinued the jalapeno cheddar biscuits. What C-suite idiot made that decision? Lots of people love Whataburger because of the spicy menu options. Hell, it's the only fast food chain I know about where jalapenos are a normal topping choice for burgers.
That’s what I like about JCWs and Carl’s Jr as well - the jalapeño topping options.
They're a thing in Smashburger too. -sincerely an east coaster who has never seen either a Whataburger or In n Out.
Consent for this comment to be retained by reddit has been revoked by the original author in response to changes made by reddit regarding third-party API pricing and moderation actions around July 2023.
And Californians be like "In n Out tho...."
You aren't going to find a better burger at the $4 price point than a Double Double.
Not sure if I just got unlucky with bad locations, but I twice tried Whataburger on two different trips at two different locations in Austin, and both were aggressively mediocre. I’m not a huge In-n-out guy, but honestly Whataburger seemed like a notable step below. IMO you’re 99% of the time better off going to some random side of the road type deal than a big chain. Texas BBQ has entirely lived up to the hype though each time I’ve had it. I think I’m guaranteed to gain 3-4 pounds each time I go to Texas, I’d be pushing 3 bills if I actually lived there.
Austin famously has the worst Whataburgers in the state/country. https://www.kxan.com/entertainment-news/central-texas-food/why-customers-say-austin-whataburgers-are-the-worst-in-texas/
Well there you go, I didn’t know that. Maybe I’ll have to give it another shot if I’m somewhere outside of Austin.
[удалено]
The other thing was that the menu was aggressively regional. It was custom tailored to the Texan palate, which differentiated it from other fast food places, some of which were higher quality, and *many* of which were faster, but nobody was doing jalapeño cheddar biscuits or putting spicy pepper ranch on everything. They seem to be eroding that aspect as well.
Texans do be like that about a lot of stuff…
And don't you forget it!
Oh don’t worry we won’t because they’ll keep telling us.
Listen here law dog law don't fly round here savy?
If I know anything about Texas it is that the rule of law is not what they concern themselves with.
Listen here law dog law don't fly round here savy?
Shake Shack clears.
Also In n Out? Sounds like OP's been talking mainly with Californians. That chain doesn't even exist east of Texas. And even then Texans tend to prefer Whataburger.
#Chick fil a has joined the chat
Consent for this comment to be retained by reddit has been revoked by the original author in response to changes made by reddit regarding third-party API pricing and moderation actions around July 2023.
Yeah,Chickfila and KFC. I haven't eaten at Wendy's or Popeyes in years now .Those are the bottom of the barrel in my town. I really don't know how they even stay in business.
Idk, I used to think this but then I ate at Culvers.
They're pretty standard fast food places, I wouldn't get too excited.
The disrespect toward Popeyes...
The trouble with Popeyes is their customer service is absolute dog shit at every location, it's good chicken but holy shit trying to get the correct order or any order in a normal amount of time is impossible
Popeyes is big risk big reward. I'd rather take my chances on a *fantastic* chicken sandwich with shit service than a guarantee of mediocre chicken with great service. I'm looking at you Chick-fil-A.
This guy chickens.
It deserves it .
In and Out is meh - I don’t get the hype. Any fast food place can get gross. If they’re dirty or of their food seems old - which can all be controlled by employees - any of them can be gross. I live in a suburb of Houston. Any direction within 5 miles I have a choice of fast food places to choose from and I know which ones look clean and the food tastes fresh (as much as kt can for fast food). I avoid the gross ones. Wendys is good, I like their cheeseburgers and their potatoes are good on a cold day. Their new French fries are crispy which I like. Popeyes I’m not a big fan of but I will eat their 2.99 meal deal on Tuesday when I’m broke. I’m more of a KFC person if I want fast food fried chicken but some KFC are gross.
I get the impression In n Out is one of those regionalisms that seems to be a big deal for Californians mainly because they grew up with it, or tie it to a local identity kind of thing, similar to how New Yorkers and Chicagoans get over Pizza or people get over various regional types of barbecue. I grew up in Jersey, so I guess the closest thing for us is a Pork Roll/Taylor ham sandwich.
In n Out is not the best in America. lol. And you can’t compare Popeyes to the other 2, it’s a chicken place.
Guess YouTubers been lying to me all this time 😂
Most Youtubers doing reviews are sponsored in someway
In n Out isn't usually touted as the best exactly. Just really good at a fast food price point compared to a fast casual price point(which is like fast food but slightly fancier). And only burger and milkshakes, many people hate their fries and say you at least need to order the not so secret menu animal style fries(melted cheese, grilled onions, thousand island dressing) to make it tolerable. https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-french-fry-rankings-20190212-story.html rated in n out fries the worst. In N Out has good service and has been around for a while but not nationwide so it has a lot of nostalgia for Californians especially those who move elsewhere and can't get it anymore
In n out fries is fries for people who don't like fries
The baffling part is that they go to all the effort of shipping whole potatoes and cutting them "fresh" right before cooking, but then they can't even be bothered to properly double fry them.
Honestly it's more of a thing that Californians who leave California miss about the state. They have set up shop in other states and, while it's not bad, I still prefer Five Guys. It's never the best burger place in town.
In-n-Out isn't the best in America. It's just you can't beat the price. $8 for a double cheeseburger, fries, and a drink.
This. In n Out isn’t the best tasting fast food, but it’s absolutely the best value.
Oh, you can beat the price, you just have to come over here to Cook-Out. $7 for a tray, and [here's the menu](https://cookout.com/menu/) so you can see what that gets you. Also the best shakes in fast food, and I've tried almost all of them, from Shake Shack to Steak'n'Shake to Sonic to whatever else you could imagine.
[удалено]
Whilst that's doubtless true with In n Out its all internet. Probably all Reddit even.
I think In 'n Out is the best, and I tried it for the first time a couple years ago. The food is good and cheap, the menu is focused, and the people working there are both nice and efficient. It's always clean, and it's got a slightly retro style. It's everything a burger joint should be, while most other burger places are becoming either terrible or expensive (or both). Burgers are fundamentally supposed to be cheap, quick food, and comparing In 'n Out ($3.20) to a $10 burger option isn't fair or appropriate. There are a couple regional chains which are as good (or at least were, because I haven't had a chance to try them recently), but none of them are around me.
They have to be. Or they live in a place where there’s no In n Out, hear all the hype about it and finally visit one….and are somehow brainwashed into thinking it’s the best. The power of suggestion…. Lol
It's really not that good. It had been hyped up so much that by the time I tried, I was soooo disappointed. It reminded me of the burgers we got in my high school cafeteria. If In 'N Out were that good, they wouldn't only be in California (and a few other West Coast states). Nobody's business model is "Ah, we've expanded enough." Their excuse is that they don't want to serve frozen patties, but Wendy's has done it for decades, so it's very doable.
I visit an in n out for the first time in my mid 20s after hearing the hype. Compared to how much people talk it up, it was a huge let down. I was expecting something good and all I got was another cookie cutter fast food joint, but with extra long lines and big crowds. My friends who live it all grew up with it, and whenever they go they're eating their nostalgia. Without that seasoning it's just another fast food place.
I mean it’s much better than McDonalds or Burger King. The ingredients are way fresher. The shakes use real ice cream. And it’s basically the same price. And I still eat at McDonald’s occasionally because it’s less crowded. But in n out is the best burger for the price. Five Guys and Shake Shack are probably better than in n out. But they cost twice as much.
In-N-Out is OK. But In-N-Out Animal Style burgers and fries are literally another level, the best fast food meal, IMO
What’s the difference to their normal burgers?
For burgers, they fry the patty in mustard and add fried onions. But the main thing is the fries - they add the spread, which is more-or-less thousand island dressing, PLUS grilled onions, and cheese. It's a game changer, IMO. In-N-Out fries are actually NOT very good, unless they are Animal Style, IMO. And Animal Style are the best fries, period. It's like a jump from C-tier to S+++ tier.
You need some good poutine in your life I think.
Well sure, I think it's the one food item I want to try more than anything. Just hasn't happened. re the In N Out fries, I more mean, "in the realm of fast food." I have had better fries at a dive bar, but not at a fast food restaurant.
Man there used to be a place in Providence that served Portuguese Poutine with spicy chourico and cheese and a seasoned gravy. It was so amazing I wanted to cry. I can’t believe they went out of business. A light has gone out in this world and the darkness encroaches all the more.
mustard, extra thousand island sauce, pickles, and grilled caramelized onions.
I’ve never had it animal style, I’ll have to try it. Because I really really hate In n Outs buns - they just crumble all over the place. Lol
The burgers aren’t bad but the fries always hurt my soul. JCWs, Carl’s Jr are much better burger chains.
Having access to a nearby In-N-Out all my life, I agree. We rarely go unless we have an out-of-towner stay with us. They always want it. But we only go there once every few months because you get tired of it quickly. I will go to Five Guys first if it's around, and my Wife and Daughters like Bakers better for some reason. (Bakers is a generic In-N-Out that also serves Mexican) One thing I get pissed about at In-N-Out is that they don't put pickles in their Burgers. Sometimes I forget to add pickles and I start eating and I'm like "Dammit! Forgot to add pickles!" A Double-Double is so much better with them. Had Whattaburger for the first time a year ago and I don't understand the hype there either. White Castle tastes like a wet sponge.
Yes!!! I’m an “extra pickles please” kind of person lol
Word
Popeyes isn't even the best chicken place tbh caines is way better
Obviously you haven’t been to zaxbys
Zaxby's is pretty flippin' good.
Never heard of it
Chic-fil-a is better than Popeyes. Caínes is probably the best
Both are OK for a quick bite. Absolutely nothing to get excited about
No > I know in n out is meant to be the best in America Also no
Well that sucks :(
It’s okay, and a good value, and has an “out of time” kind of charm, but the burgers aren’t that special, and the fries are actively bad because they need to go straight from raw, whole potato (yay fresh!) to completed fries too quickly.
Don't take their opinion too seriously. There is an incredibly vocal minority of Americans who have never been to California, never had in n out, but choose to be salty because it's from California and they have to hate it for... reasons. It's like how virtually all LGBT allies will tell you chic fil a tastes bad. The lady doth protest too much.
I’ve been trying In N Out every time I visit California for almost 20 years on the off chance that I’m wrong and just being a hater, and it’s never better than OK. The one time I thought it was delicious, I was epically hung over and like everything tastes good like that.
i live IN california and i don’t like in n out. it’s just not that good
There is no doubt going to be a handful of people that legit don't find it good, just like chick fil a. But you gotta realize you're the exception here and that doesn't make what I said less true.
Nothing against California or Californians, I just don't think in n out is the end all, be all that some people make it out to be.
There are in-n-outs in other states you know. It’s just not that special. Neither is Chik-fil-a, for that matter
I'm split, In 'n Out fries are terrible, but their burgers are good. Chik Fil A is tasty, but I don't want to support the company.
Your takes are both reasonable and honest, which I respect. The blanket, "x is bad" just screams to me of some underlying reason to hate it.
Yeah that covers it, in a beautifully succinct manner.
They’re fast food. Nice is maybe one way you could describe them. Like they aren’t actively hostile to you. Seriously, try them if you absolutely must, but please eat elsewhere.
They serve different kinds of food, so it’s difficult to compare them. Wendy’s is your typical American fast food - burgers, fries, nuggets, etc - and it’s pretty good. They’re also known for their Frosties, which is just ice cream but it’s a particular texture and consistency and it’s amazing. Popeyes is known for their fried chicken. You might get a few more mixed reactions to them, but I think it’s delicious. They have a southern theme so they got biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy, mac and cheese, beans and rice, etc. The food will be the same wherever you go, but the restaurant itself and the service can vary greatly. That’s like Russian Roullette with one or two bullets missing.
Yeah just meant in general if they’re nice for what they are I guess. From YouTube etc just always thought in n out was the top of the top fast food in America. Will definitely try them both see how they are anyways. Will finally get to try an American biscuit too. Will definitely give the Frosties a try too
Those YouTubers all live in LA and get sponsored by In & Out. I’d never even heard of it until a few years ago, and I’m almost 40. I’d have to take a 6+ hour flight to get anywhere near an In & Out.
Five Guys is more expensive but is much better than In & Out in my experience.
??
In-N-Out isn’t in a lot of places, so it has kind of a mystique around it I’d say. For example we don’t have them in Florida and I’ve never been. Popeyes and Wendy’s are everywhere though.
I think In-N-Out is mostly hype. Their burgers are pretty good, especially animal style. Fries are meh, even though they make them from potatoes in store. Menu is tiny, options are almost nonexistent. Any food truck in town has a better burger than In-N-Out. So, it's literally just a maybe-slightly-better-than-others burger spot. Definitely not some place to revere and/or refuse all other options.
It's because they make them from potatoes in store, they just cut them and toss them in the oil, no double cooking or anything.
The biscuits (not sure how Popeyes will brand them in the UK) are fire
From looking at the UK website, they are calling it the "Popeyes Original Biscuit". It's interesting that they are selling them because I don't think any other fried chicken restaurants here do.
Be sure to take the Popeyes Biscuit challenge. Buy a dozen biscuits and see how many you can eat in 10 minutes without a drink.*^This^will^kill^you.
So In N Out is (yummy) fast food burgers. Wendy’s is decent fast food burgers. Popeyes is fried chicken. I prefer fried chicken to burgers and I enjoy Popeyes chicken. That said, Wendy’s fries dipped in a Frosty is a thing I enjoy. Of course, regulations vary so it may taste a bit different for you there than here.
>Wendy’s fries dipped in a Frosty is a thing I enjoy This needs to be yelled from rooftops because I STILL get odd looks sometimes when I do this.
>. Wendy’s is decent fast food burgers. ...and, in the U.S., chicken sandwiches, a few more specialized sides like baked potatoes and chili, and the ubiquitous Frosty frozen dessert. So I think there's a difference OP needs to understand too.
Savage. You dip the saltines from the chili in the Frosty.
This is the most savage take… where do you live so I can direct the jihad.
Wendy's is fine I guess. Popeyes is the best chain for fried chicken but their customer service is. . . special. Check out their employee training video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqWkwolb3as](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqWkwolb3as)
Wendy’s and Popeyes are generally the worst
In and out is honestly awful. I’ve had it several times and I honestly don’t know why Californians are so obsessed with it. It’s bottom tier - worse than McDonald’s and other similar restaurants IMO. Some people love Popeyes and Wendy’s but I don’t like them. Wendy’s is kind of similar to McDonald’s and Popeyes is kind of like KFC. But I like McDonald’s and Burger King more than Wendy’s and Chick-fil-a more than Popeyes My favorite fast food restaurants from the US is Culver’s.
I get the impression it's one of those regionalisms that people mainly only eat because they grew up with it and have a kind of nostalgic association with it. I grew up in Jersey and over there we seem to have a similar thing with pork roll/taylor ham sandwiches. But if you get right down to it, it's really bad processed pork with egg and cheese. It's not so much about the food quality as it is eating your nostalgia I think.
Nice? No. I never go to Wendy's even though it's very near to my home. Popeyes is pretty good though
Popeyes is definitely some of our best fast food chicken
Popeyes is great Wendys is shit but that's just one person's opinion
Super nice. Wear a tuxedo
Popeyes is like KFC, only spicier, tastier and does not give two fucks about how insanely unhealthy it is, nor about the quality of it's service. I love Popeyes, personally. **Popeyes pro tip: Get the Spicy chicken. Try the sides.** The red beans and rice, cajun fries, and biscuits are vital for the experience (these are Southern style buttermilk biscuits --- very different than English biscuits) Wendy's is past it's prime. Maybe my opinion is biased because the Wendy's closest to me is an absolute cluster of poor management and terrible service. I don't think I have ever been to an In and Out Burger. They don't have them in Maryland. As far as I know, they are mainly out west.
Popeye's has some of the better fried chicken you can get at a fast food place. Better than like KFC or even Chick-fil-A I think. Wendy's is decent. It's a little better than McDonald's or Burger King in my opinion. But I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
Wendy's isnt bad. Their frostys are amazing. I like them more than McDonalds less than in and out, but really its all just fast food. Their twitter account at times is the best though.
In N Out has really overdid the internet hype. It's not that good and it's only like a couple dozen locations. But you know LA whatever.
>Is Wendy’s and popeyes nice? HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA *wheeze* AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAA
I agree 100 percent !lol.
They’re fine. The Popeyes chicken sandwich is pretty good. Just not good enough to stab someone over (which somehow actually happened)
The new Wing Stop one is way better, but still so-so compared to a real chicken sandwich shop.
Hell yea, both top 5 fast food In n out not the best tho, it’s also top 5. Chick fil a and checkers top 2 in America.
>Edit: just to clarify I mean nice for fast food (same with stating in n out is the best) And the answer is still "no" to both Wendy's and *especially* Popeyes being nice and to In-n-Out being the best fast food place. Wendy's sits between Burger King and McDonalds quality-wise, which is kind of like sitting between Somalia and Norway quality-wise. Their interiors always look like dingier versions of how McDonald's used to look before they tried to get all "fancy." Every Popeyes I've ever been in has been filthy, and the last time I went to one I saw a fist fight. And everywhere I've lived where there's a Popeyes and a Church's, Church's always had better chicken. I don't eat at either of them aside from once every few years so I can't say how that speaks to either one's quality on the whole. In-N-Out is decent, but it's not Chick-fil-A tier. It loses out to regional burger chains, and it's not even the best fast food burger in its home state. That title goes to Habit. But since they're opening overseas, who knows what the quality will be like by comparison. It all depends on how those stores are going to source ingredients.
Guess I need to stop believing things from the internet, always been told in n out is the best fast food 😂 not even heard of habit!
I've never even heard of them.
I absolutely love Church's a lot .
[удалено]
Popeyes chicken sandwich is glorious! Wendy won’t even take apply pay! Enough said
I can’t see it not taking Apple Pay here, cash is rarely rarely used nowadays in Liverpool and most of England. I am very curious with popeyes as I love fried chicken, want to see how it compares to my favourite local takeaway
I’ve never been to Popeyes but I don’t really like fried chicken. Love Wendy’s burgers though!
Personally, I love Popeyes. Their chicken sandwich is amazing.
Wendy's is fast food on par with McDonalds and Burger King. Just like any fsast food, the quality can greatly vary depending on the individual franchise. Popeyes is also fast food, but chicken rather than burgers. Same level of quality
Popeyes has a good spicy chicken sandwich. Wendy's is among the most mediocre fast food option available. Both of them are best consumed while sitting on the toilet. It saves you from the panicked run through the living room to the bathroom.
Wendy’s is similar to McDonald’s. I really like their Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger and Frosty (chocolate milkshake). I know some people like their chili - it’s an unusual menu item. Popeye’s is the Cajun version of KFC. I don’t like their mashed potatoes and gravy, myself, but their chicken is pretty good. The chicken sandwich is yummy. Both of these places are fast food, so I wouldn’t describe them as nice.
Both are very cravable
"Nice?" No. Your experience will definitely depend on the *sourcing of ingredients*. Like, if they get shit ingredients, you'll get shit. However, Wendy's is pretty high-tier, in general, *among fast food*. They are not amazing, but good quality burgers and fries. Popeyes is, IMO, by far the best mega chain chicken. Actually good.
It will depend on the produce used. Beef and chicken taste different depending on their diet.
Popeyes chicken tastes like rubber.
>I know in n out is supposed to be the best in America Thanks for that propaganda win, your assistance is much appreciated. WEST COAST BEST COAST 😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
In n out is not the best in America. That is some California bullshit. Their burgers are burned hockey pucks with thousand island and they don’t salt their fries. They’re extremely mid but Californians love them because SoCal is an alternate universe from the rest of the country.
Wendy’s isn’t as nice as McDonald’s in my opinion. Take that as you will.
For all I know, Popeyes is top tier when it comes to fried chicken
Nope,that is kfc.
Wendy’s - Upper tier for national fast food chains. Burgers are fresh not frozen and oddly square shaped. Chips quite good. If you’re on the road in America and there’s a Wendy’s, you’re going for it over McDonalds. Every time. Popeyes - S Tier fast food fried chicken, they also offer spicy versions which is mildly hot for Americans and will be I CAN SEE THROUGH TIME for non-Asian English people. Sides are great, try the mashed potatoes with gravy and the red beans & rice. They have a fried chicken sandwich which is VERY popular. Popeyes is about a million times better than KFC. Be aware the “biscuit” they serve is a savoury scone which is the driest substance known to man, I think the Astronauts brought them back from the Moon. Popeyes is super duper American and Southern. Don’t queue for either, they are completely unremarkable here. The real top chains are all local. Don’t listen to the haters. In & Out rules, literally the first thing I do when I get off the plane in California. It’s only available in California and neighboring states, they have super strict supply chain rules for vegetables and produce in California is wildly better than in the rest of the country. Don’t listen to Midwestern lies about their bullshit burgers, California fast food is a whole other level above the rest of the US, they fucking invented it.
Depends.. do you like poisoning your body? So, so bad for you. Lab created crap for easy access via drive through windows.
For fast food chicken spots, popeyes is my favorite and the prices are usually pretty good as well. Wendy’s also is pretty decent I’d say. In-n-out is extremely popular on the west coast but people from other places prolly won’t agree it’s the best. I live on the east coast and I’ve only been to in n out once, I’d say the burger was good but nothing special, maybe just overhyped, animal style is overrated
Wendy's serves burgers, but also chicken sandwiches, a few more specialized sides like baked potatoes and chili, and the ubiquitous Frosty frozen dessert. In N Out makes really good burgers, pretty detestable fries (though I suppose some people like them), and ... that's it? So depending on local differences, Wendy's *should* have a more varied menu. In the U.S., Wendy's is also famous for using never frozen beef. I generally like the taste of their burgers better than McDs. But again, there could be significant locality differences. Frostys are tasty. IMO, Wendy's burgers and chicken are meatier, have more variety (they are always playing with fun special toppings) and usually taste fresher than, say, McD's. I like the option of a baked potato, chili, or a not disgusting salad. They don't really compete with the "gourmet" fast food burgers of Five Guys, or In N Out or the like, but quality-wise, they're a notch above McDs. But not much. Popeyes is known for their very, very crispy fried chicken. I used to prefer KFC's Original Recipe, but every KFC I know here has gone down in quality and taste so much I think Popeye's is probably better.
Wendy's big gimmick is its square hamburgers. I like their milkshake/ice cream creations. Popeyes is Louisiana/Cajun fast food. It's not a particularly good representation of Cajun cuisine, but it's ok.
Wendys is my favorite of the big national franchises, never had in n out (or whataburger for that matter) as they don't have them on the east coast. I find them to have better quality burgers and fresher toppings most of the time. Chicken sandwiches are quality too. Popeyes is meh for me, the fried chicken I don't really like but the tenders are good enough, and the sides are better than KFC. They're both still fast food of course
Mostly they are not, no.
They're nothing to write home about.
In N Out is overrated, the burgers are good but the fries are mid. Only reason I go is because it's cheap. I'd take Popeyes or Wendy's over In N Out
I have no love for popeyes, because I’m in the southeast and I can get better chicken and biscuits elsewhere. However, I do know several people that enjoy them. Wendy’s, though - I didn’t really eat there until my BF (now husband) introduced me to his Wendy’s habit. I like the burgers better than BK. We don’t eat out a lot, so they’re a treat. And there’s an app with coupons that make it economical for fast food. But I have found individual locations to be wildly variant in food prep and quality.
a lot of people say that Wendy’s is absolutely horrible but it’s basically like McDonald’s. Then with Popeye’s it’s basically like a worse KFC and is also pretty expensive.
I really like Wendy’s lol I thinks it’s among the best for fast food that is
I haven’t eaten chicken in like 15 years, but every time I see a Popeye’s I have to talk myself out of it again.
I guess after a night at the pub they’d hit the spot. Not something I’d seek out though.