10 Fast Food Chains That Are a Waste of Money

AUTHOR: Sam Mire

Discover the 10 fast food chains that are grossly overrated and not worth your money. From overpriced menu items to lackluster quality, these chains are a disappointment to foodies everywhere. Check out our list to learn which chains you should avoid and why, and save yourself the disappointment and money.

1. Panera Bread

Jaded former Panera Bread-heads lament that the sandwich and soup peddler cannot justify the prices it now charges. They claim that what was once an affordable brand dedicated to the art of the sandwich is now charging about ten bucks for a modest mac and cheese bread bowl.

While a bread bowl of mac and cheese is delicious. Those who claim that Panera Bread has become overrated argue that a mac and cheese bread bowl isn't ten dollars' worth of deliciousness.

2. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)

Most who have eaten KFC at any point in the past 10-15 years have experienced a limited spectrum of intense emotions. One dissatisfied customer used the terms "self-loathing" and "disgust" to describe the post-KFC state of being.

Nausea. Strange aftertaste. Grease poisoning. Post-traumatic stress disorder. These are words you might associate with the modern-day KFC experience. Colonel Sanders might shed a tear to see what his brand has become if he were alive.

KFC leadership appears asleep at the wheel, especially considering the superior products churned out by Popeye's and Chick-fil-A.

3. Five Guys

This selection is not an indictment of the quality or taste of the burgers and other offerings at Five Guys. The "overrated" label stems only from the prices listed on a Five Guys menu board.

While many can justify paying around ten dollars for a double burger, many can't. The Five Guys pricing model may seem most unreasonable to those who can whip up a mouth-watering burger and fries on their home grill for a fraction of the price tag.

4. Subway

Once the premier sub shop in America, Subway has fallen victim to the perils of rapid expansion. Would you be surprised to learn that, in recent years, Subway has ranked second (to only McDonald's) of all fast-food chains in terms of total locations in the U.S.?

Sub shops like Jersey Mike's and Jimmy John's have steadily gained a larger slice of the American sub marketplace as Subway's reputation has taken a hit. Based on the sheer number of locations alone, Subway is overrated.

5. Starbucks

Starbucks is a coffee shop first. But Starbucks technically serves food, so it fits in the fast-food category. The undisputed king of coffee chains in the United States might be an easy target.

Even so, coffee purists will tell you that, for the price and lines you'll endure, Starbucks is overrated. One Never Starbucks-er ventured to call the Seattle-based chain "bougie McDonald's." Woof.

6. Golden Corral

Does anyone consider Golden Corral to be fine dining? I'll answer that question by pointing out that a "corral" is an enclosure for confining livestock. The jokes write themselves.

Yet, the parking lot at your local Golden Corral remains packed day after day, month after month, year after year. While the buffet-style restaurant offers millions of American families much-needed value, there are far more authentic alternatives to the Golden Corral.

7. Whataburger

One Texan fast-food connoisseur expressed fear of potential banishment when stating that Whataburger's offerings are "not worth the insane hype that they receive."

8. In-N-Out Burger

Before you write us off as haters, consider that In-N-Out Burger makes this list for a reason you might not suspect. It's not the food's quality or In-N-Out Burger's status as a California staple that makes it overrated. The issue is the long wait before getting your food from the always-packed In-N-Out restaurant.

The name In-N-Out has become painfully ironic thanks to the chain's overwhelming popularity.

9. McDonald's

The golden arches are practically a religious institution in the United States. Yet, a large contingent of the food-consuming public scratch their collective heads every time they pass a 20-car line at McDonald's.

10. Raising Cane's

Imagine Raising Canes without its trademark Cane's sauce and Texas toast. Is it just another run-of-the-mill chicken joint?

This thread inspired this post.

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