I haven’t lived in Boston since 1978 and yet this duplicates my memory of the pizza there exactly. Almost uniformly awful. Too bad it hasn’t changed.
In the Chicago area, some of the best “fast” food comes from restaurants that aren’t chains in the national sense, but have a few locations around Chicagoland. Las Palmas is by no means great Mexican food, but it’s miles ahead of Chipotle for similar money. The best burger I’ve had in the area is Top Notch, which has a couple of locations on the far south side and suburbs.
Oh, I forgot about Round Table. I really like their pizza, even if it is totally different from the steel oven neapolitan style I espoused above. I like the way they have of crisping everything up. Sadly I think they only exist in California. Also, they seem to be ridiculously expensive. I paid $24 for a single pie plus a bottle of soda last year, I think.
The love for In N Out is utterly mystifying to me.
I’m a recent west coast transplant and have one approximately a block from my apartment. I’ve eaten there two or three times and its a good fast food burger but nothing mindblowing. I haven’t the slightest clue what all the fuss is about.
Well, by any of the above definitions, my Las Palmas and Top Notch recommendations would not qualify as fast food, since both places have wait staff. I guess they would fit under a larger “cheap eats” category.
In the Chicago area, going by the no waiter/waitress definition of fast food, I’d recommend Buona Beef, some pretty decent sandwiches for an order-at-the-counter operation.
Boston Market is good, but I wouldn’t really call it fast food. And it’s not a replacement for KFC/Popeye’s
Quiznos is ok, but easy to get burned out on. One opened 2 blocks from the office, and it was a big hit with everybody for a month or two, but then we went back to alternating between it and Subway. Quiznos feels much heavier than Subway.
Subway really does have fresh veggies - it’s quite good if you like to load on the green (and red and white and black) stuff.
What a great topic! I just happen to be recovering from food poisoning that I think I got at my favorite Chinese fast food place. I feel great! Cramps, fever, the works!
Anyway, here is my fairly unbiased commentary, since right now nothing sounds good to me.
There is a sub place around here called Firehouse subs, which makes the best subs around. It’s psuedo-NY style.
I like Taco Bell…a lot. And yes, I have had real Mexican food, and I know it is better. But we are talking about fast food, and TB is tasty!
Of course, I also like McDs. I get an egg mcmuffin any morning I am out and about…if I am lucky, I top it off with a Krispy Kream, and then I have desert (sour bites!).
Sonic is great, but I almost always feel bad after eating it…kind of like the quarterpounder xp above. But those onion rings are terrific! And a burger with mustard AND mayo AND jalapenos is pretty damned good (no wonder I feel bad after eating there).
Phil_Stein- Boston Market fufills the no wait staff requirement. The food isn’t cooked to order. We really do need a solid definition, but I’m saying Boston Market is fast food. Can we get a judge’s ruling?
Subway has a slight edge in vegetables, but their soups, salads, meats, sauces, cheeses, and toasting technology lag behind Quiznos. Chicken Carbonara. Best single fast food item on any menu.
Moe’s is another decent $5 burrito place, not as good as Chipotle, but still pretty tasty.
High end sandwich places: I like Wall Street Deli, Penn Station is OK, and W.G. Grinders is pretty bad. I think those are all just regional chains at this point.
Wendy’s Triple, cheese and extra mustard, no tomato, no lettuce.
Fatburger Big King
Burrito Ultimo from Baja Fresh
Angus Steakburger from Burger King
I prefer fresh original over extra crispy from KFC. Hot biscuits with “honey sauce” are good too.
Western Bacon from Carl’s Jr.
There’s a place in Vegas called “Wing Stop” that has really good french fries, potato salad and the wings aren’t bad. Lemon Pepper and Garlic Parmesan are at the top of the list.
I do too. I need those herbs and spices and the extra crispy has less flavor. Still, I sometimes get half and half, since the extra crispy IS good. The coleslaw is one of the main reasons I go to KFC though…love it. I also like their lemon parfaits.
In Chicago’s west and southwest suburbs there is a fast-food chicken outlet that knocks the sox off KFC, called White Fence Farm. If you’re of a mind to support Republican politicos it’s a particularly desirable location as its owned by the Hastert Family, as in Speaker of the House, Denny Hastert.
