A recent Restaurant Business survey revealed the cleanest fast-foods in the country. Did your favorite make the cut?
Do You Know the Cleanest Fast-Food Restaurants in America?
Updated on Sep. 27, 2024
It’s not the trendiest topic in the food world, but we can agree that cleanliness is crucial to enjoying a meal out on the town. Lucky for us, Restaurant Business conducted a survey to determine the cleanest restaurants in the U.S.
How the Rankings Work
The survey took into account overall interior cleanliness, including tabletops and floors, as well as serveware like trays and silverware. They also polled consumers about the perceived cleanliness of the kitchen and food prep areas—presumably, if the condiment station is a sticky mess, the kitchen may be in a similar state. Lastly, they checked for restroom cleanliness (yep, they went there!).
Restaurant owners wish you knew these secrets.
Ready for the Results?
Drum roll, please…
First Place
Chick-fil-A won a blue ribbon for being the cleanest fast-food restaurant in America. While the chain came neck-in-neck with the second-place restaurant for interior cleanness (at 68.6%), it jumped ahead thanks to higher marks for food prep and kitchen sparkle (66.5%). Good news for everyone who loves a good crispy chicken sandwich.
The win is perhaps unsurprising, given that Chick-fil-A has been America’s favorite restaurant for three years in a row. On top of being squeaky-clean, Chick-fil-A wins points for using fresh, never frozen, chicken, and for their amazing secret menu. (Psst: It’s not so secret anymore!)
Second Place
If your fast food cravings veer toward the sweet end of the spectrum, we’ve got good news: Culver’s scored a very near second place, scoring 67.1% overall. The beloved custard and butter burger slingers scored big on overall interior cleanliness, plus super-clean bathrooms.
We tried eight fast food burgers. Guess which one was our favorite!
Honorable Mentions
In third place came Firehouse Subs, with a 65.8% rating. Newk’s Eatery and its amazing condiments got a respectable fourth place (64.9%), and Papa Murphy’s Pizza—which was also voted the best pizza chain of 2022—came in fifth (63%).
Love fast food? You can make your favorite dishes right at home.
Inspired by: McDonald's Burger, Fries and a Shake
Make a fast food feast at home with our recipes for Burger Americana, Skinny Fries and Thick Strawberry Shakes. After just one bite you'll never go back to drive-thru fare.
Inspired by: KFC Original Recipe Fried ChickenThis crispy fried chicken recipe uses a batter instead of a flour coating. That helps the flour adhere to the chicken so it won’t fall off after cooking!
Inspired By: Chick-fil-A Mac and CheeseChick-fil-A is famous for its rich, creamy mac with a baked crispy top layer, and this copycat mac and cheese recipe stays true to the original. It features a blend of sharp cheddar, tangy Romano, nutty parmesan and melty American cheese and is baked in the oven for nice crunch on top.
Inspired by: Portillo's Chocolate CakeWe can confidently say that this is the best chocolate cake recipe and, at Taste Recipes, we make (and eat!) a lot of cakes. With three moist, fluffy cake layers and a rich, decadent chocolate frosting, we think this will become your go-to chocolate dessert as well.
Inspired by: Wendy's ChiliThis hearty slow-cooker chili recipe can cook for up to 10 hours on low in the slow cooker. It's so good to come home to its wonderful aroma after a long day away. —Sue Call, Beech Grove, Indiana
Homemade Corn DogsLove fair food like funnel cake and corn dogs? Here is how to make perfectly golden, hand-dipped corn dogs at home.
Inspired by: Chick-Fil-A Chicken NuggetsI developed this recipe specifically to copycat Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets. The first time I made them I knew I had a winner because the whole family fought over who got the last one! For a dipping sauce, combine equal parts barbecue sauce and Dijon mustard, then stir in honey to taste. —Jeni Pittard, Statham, Georgia
Inspired by: Popeyes BiscuitsYou can make biscuits any day of the week with this simple 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits recipe.
Inspired by: Culver's ButterburgerIt’s no secret that Wisconsinites love their dairy—so much that they sometimes top their burgers with a generous pat of butter.
My recipe is a lot like the butter burgers you’ll find in popular restaurants all over the state. —Becky Carver, North Royalton, Ohio
Inspired by: McDonald's Shamrock ShakeSave a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies for this creamy milkshake that's fun for kids and adults, too. —Shauna Sever, San Francisco, California
Inspired by: Burger King French FriesThese fries are always popular with my meat-and-potatoes bunch. The cheesy seasoning can easily double as a flavorful baked potato topper, too.—Maribeth Edwards, Follansbee, West Virginia
Inspired by: Chipotle BarbacoaThis slow-cooker barbacoa is simmered in lime juice, chipotle and cumin for a tender, flavorful beef dish. Top it with cilantro and a spritz of lime. Serve it with rice, tortillas or salad greens.
Inspired by: Chick-Fil-A Waffle Potato FriesMake any dinner fun with my Loaded Waffle Fries, topped with a savory blend of cheese, scallions and bacon. I copied this family-favorite recipe from a local restaurant, and it's great with hot dogs, burgers or by itself. —Jeffrey Viccone, Decatur, Illinois
Grilled Pepper Jack Chicken SandwichesBasic, yet packed with flavor, this sandwich gets a kick from zesty cheese and savory bacon. It's a great meal for summer days. —Linda Foreman, Locust Grove, Oklahoma
Inspired by: Burger King Rodeo KingThis fantastic barbecue bacon burger has it all: melted cheese, tangy barbecue sauce, crispy bacon and thick onion rings. A cheeseburger doesn't get much better than this!
Inspired by: McDonald's Chicken McNuggetsMy 3-year-old went through a chicken-nuggets-and-french-fries-only stage, so I made these golden nuggets for him. Even the grown-ups like them! —Amanda Livesay, Mobile, Alabama
Inspired by: Burger King Chicken FriesKid-friendly and quick, these crunchy oven-baked chicken fries are coated with a mixture of crushed potato chips, panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip them in ranch dressing, barbecue sauce or honey-mustard sauce.—Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado
Mocha Cinnamon RollsI love cinnamon rolls and coffee together! They are the perfect flavor combination, which is proven by these mocha cinnamon rolls. —Victoria Mitchel, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Inspired by: McDonald's Egg McMuffinI turned classic breakfast sandwiches into something heartier that you could even enjoy for dinner. We pile toppings like salsa and avocado—mayo and ketchup, too—on the homemade biscuits. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas
Inspired by: Shake Shack Cheese FriesQuick, easy and a surefire hit at your next gameday potluck or family gathering, you need just 20 minutes and six ingredients to whip up a large batch of these cheese fries.
Custard Ice CreamWe'll show you how to make vanilla custard ice cream that is so good, you'll fall in love after the first scoop!
Inspired by: Dunkin' Glazed DonutThe light coffee flavor in these tasty sugar-glazed doughnuts makes them a perfect start to the morning...on Christmas Day or any day. You'll find that the recipe is a delectable way to use up leftover potatoes. —Pat Siebenaler, Random Lake, Wisconsin
Inspired by: Panda Express Chow MeinEasy chow mein is protein rich and packed with veggies. Feel free to follow this recipe as is or improvise, according to your preferences.
Inspired by: SONIC Hand Made Onion RingsThese onion rings cook to a crisp, golden brown. This is one of those foods you never tire of and a great side dish to so many meals. —Betsy King, Duluth, Minnesota
