9 Nasty Truths About Your Favorite Foods
Famous Death Row Last Meals
The nation's best burger is at In-N-Out Burger, according to a new survey of fast-food restaurants by Zagat.
The California-based chain won top nods for its burger in the survey of 6,107 consumers. Wendy's, Burger King, McDonald's and Whataburger rounded out the top five. The second annual survey of fast food looked at both full service and traditional fast food chains. In the full service category, Red Robin won for its burgers, followed by Ruby Tuesday, the Cheesecake Factory, Steak 'n Shake and Chili's Grill and Bar.
McDonald's won for best fries, Panera Bread for salads and KFC for fried chicken.
See which coffees won after the jump.
McDonald's also won for best value menu and best value.
In the grilled chicken category, Chick-fil-A won for its offerings. Starbucks came out on top for its coffee, followed by Dunkin' Donuts, Peet's Coffee & Tea, McDonald's and Caribou Coffee.
Top Fast Food Chains
By Sara Bonisteel
In-N-Out Burger
This Irvine, Calif., fast-food chain won top honors in the 2008 Quick-Track Awards of Excellence, grabbing "excellent" overall ratings from 60 percent of the survey's participants. The chain finished in the top three of eight of the 15 categories surveyed.
Matt York, AP
Raising Cane's
Based in Baton Rouge, La., this new chicken-tenders chain garnered 59 percent "excellent" approval on overall customer satisfaction. Must have something to do with the sweet tea and Texas toast.
Bill Haber, AP
Giordano's Pizza
This Chicago pizza favorite received a 56 percent "excellent" rating in the 2008 survey for its gooey stuffed pizza touted by the chain as "world famous."
laffy4k, flickr
Chick-fil-A
The Atlanta-based chicken chain, renowned for its sandwiches and waffle fries, made the grade with 55 percent "excellent" approval.
Chick-Fil-A
Panera Bread
This St. Louis-based bakery-café, which serves up artisan breads and hot panini, ranked fifth in the 2008 Quick-Track Awards of Excellence, winning 54 percent "excellent" ratings from diners.
Panera, LLC.
Chipotle
The Denver-based home of the burrito bowl scored 52 percent "excellent" ratings in the survey of 93,800 diners.
Chipotle.com
Pei Wei
The 2007 overall excellence winner dropped to seventh place in the 2008 survey, but the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based chain still won a respectable 51 percent "excellent" rating for its pan-Asian flavors.
Cassandra Shie, AOL
Firehouse Subs
A Jacksonville, Fla., favorite blazed to eighth place in the 2008 survey, winning a 51 percent "excellent" rating from fans of its hot specialty subs.
firehousesubs.com
Taco Tote
El Paso's Mexican grill, Taco Tote, made its way to the fast-food superlative list with a 50 percent overall "excellent" rating from diners in the survey.
Getty Images
Qdoba
This Wheat Ridge, Colo.-based burrito chain rounds out the overall Top 10 in the 2008 Quick-Track Awards of Excellence with a 49 percent "excellent" rating from customers.
Business Wire/AP
The survey ranked everything from top ice cream (Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops) to smoothies (Smoothie King), and ranked restaurants in a "Top Food" category. On the fast food front, In-N-Out Burger won among large chains, Wendy's took top nods for mega chains and Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops won for quick-refreshment shops. P.F. Chang's China Bistro won the top food nods for full-service chains.
[Via Zagat]
| On the money | |
|---|---|
| Off the mark | |
| Where's the beef? |
SLIDESHOW: Tattoos That Go Way Beyond Your Average Tramp Stamp
America's 10 Highest-Paid CEOs of 2011 (and How They Earned It)
Yale Student Killed In Crash Days After Graduating
Rodents Run Amok at Upstate New York Walmart
What Happened When Alex Kenjeev Paid His Student Loan in Cash
PHOTOS: Most And Least Christian States In America
What's a Realistic Retirement Age?
Carrie Underwood's Grunge Rock Past: 'I Was All About Pearl Jam'
Naked Face Eater Identified
The Richest Woman in the World: How Gina Rinehart Earns her Billions
I'm A Successful Entrepreneur But Might Get Deported
PHOTOS: Nicole Scherzinger Almost Reveals Too Much
Farmers Hit the Jackpot in Kansas Oil Boom
Mary J. Blige, Charity Lawsuit: Singer's Foundation Sued for Failing to Repay $250K Loan
LOOK: Inside Honduras' Deadly Prisons
Safeway Worker Stops Man From Beating Pregnant Woman, Gets Suspended
VIDEO: Cop Kills Naked Man Allegedly Eating Another Man's Face
America's 10 Best National Parks
Will You Be My Facebook Friend? No.
PHOTOS: Americans Honor Troops On Memorial Day Weekend
Blood Found In Missing Girl's Bedroom
'Cannibal' Attack: Naked Man Shot Dead In Miami 'As He Chewed Victim's Face' (VIDEO, PICTURES)
Boy Locked In Filthy Coal Bunker Every Night For A Year
Witness: 'The Guy Was Tearing Him To Pieces With His Mouth'
MSNBC Host Says He's 'Uncomfortable' Calling Soldiers Killed In Action 'Heroes'
Another Deadly Northern Italian Earthquake
NSFW PHOTOS: A Little Too Much Of A Rear View
Police Arrest Parents Of Six Children Killed In Derby House Fire
60 Recipes For Pie Lovers
When Jenny Was Still From The Block
Travel + Leisure: PHOTOS: America's Worst-Dressed People
'Mad Men': Did Joan Sell Herself For The Sake Of Jaguar?
6-09-2009 @5:19PM paul de florio said... What no Hardees? Wendys, Burger King, Whataburger? Are you s******g me? They nare not even real beef. Hardees lacks charisma and get little publicity(although the Padma ad is superb)but they make a really good, tasty burger. Maybe Zagat's should stick to what it knows best, oil changes!
paul
tallahassee
Reply
6-09-2009 @5:20PM Lee said... I tried Five Guys for the first time two months ago. End result, I got food poisioning and sat on the toliet for rest of the day. NASTY is the word to describe Five Guys. I lived in California for many years, and yes, In-N-Out burgers put Five Guys so called burger to shame. I would warn anyone thinking of eating at Five Guys to beware!
Reply
6-09-2009 @5:31PM jerry said... In and out sucks! taste like cardboard!
Reply
6-09-2009 @5:38PM jon said... Here in the south Whataburger is your best bet for fastfood burgers there is also a chain called Jucies Hamburgers and they are very good, like you would make at home fried in a castiron skillet. KFC I guess rules world wide for chicken and its ok but almost every town has a joint that actually makes better fried chicken
Reply
6-09-2009 @6:03PM jeremy said... Culver's Butter Burger is definitely the best. Five Guys and In-n-Out Burger tied for number 2.
Reply
6-09-2009 @5:59PM amanda said... Help me win a scholarship!!! Go to this page and vote for my pictures!!! Thanks!! www.brickfish.com/rechoppy92
Reply
6-09-2009 @6:33PM Matt--Almost Done With LS! said... WHERE THE HELL IS 5 GUYS?!?!?!? They are by far better than anything on this list! Look at how many posts are demanding 5 guys... Zagat was definetly paid off by someone
Reply
6-09-2009 @6:50PM LSP said... GRILL A BURGER RULES! ! ! ! Fantastic taste and bun. The fries are to die for and the ONION RINGS FANTASTIC
Reply
6-09-2009 @7:41PM Bearic said... You have to try my favorite burger recipe. It's so good!
http://www.dailyyummy.com/recipes/beef/teriyaki-burger
Reply
6-09-2009 @7:53PM Sandra said... STARBUCKS ---- Helloooooo...... The Coffee Bean wins hands down. Always was the best EVER way before Starbucks hit the universe.
Reply
6-12-2009 @5:09AM SaraFist said... I'm with Jeremy and BurguerBoy: Cilver's and Popeye's were both robbed.
KFC being on the list certainly shows how worthless a Zagat is; their chicken in disgusting.
Reply
6-10-2009 @2:29AM Annoachi said... How can Starbucks beat Peets unless the testers didn't want coffee but sugary milk with a coffee aftertaste.
Reply
6-09-2009 @11:20PM jptech said... five guys anyone?
steak and shake?
char hut?
Reply
6-10-2009 @11:15AM Elsie said... Aren't macdonalds fries made from potato paste?
(disclaimer: I would not eat at macdonalds under any circumstances, not food imho)
Reply
6-10-2009 @7:42PM Dude said... I like Burger Queen best.
www.burgerqueen.com
Reply
6-10-2009 @10:37PM Barb Salinas said... The thing I like best about In-N-Out is their Wrap Burger. No bun, just a really good burger wrapped in lettuce so it doesn't drip. Great for us dieters!
Reply