2023’s Best Cities For Fast Food Lovers

February 16, 2023

From the drive-in to the drive-thru, America loves finger-lickin’ good fast food.

But which cities are best for satisfying on-the-go hunger (or on-the-couch cravings)? To mark National Fast Food Day, LawnStarter compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities to rank 2023’s Best Cities for Fast Food Lovers.

LawnStarter looked for cities with access to plenty of fast-food establishments and considered affordability and quality, including Thrillist’s Fasties Awards.

Find the 10 tastiest (and 10 most disappointing) cities for fast food lovers below, followed by some highlights and lowlights from the report. See where your city ranks.

Best Cities for Fast Food Lovers

1. Orlando, FL
2. New York, NY
3. Miami, FL
4. San Francisco, CA
5. Chicago, IL
6. Philadelphia, PA
7. Huntington Beach, CA
8. Washington, DC
9. McAllen, TX
10. San Diego, CA

Worst Cities for Fast Food Lovers

1. Bridgeport, CT
2. Miramar, FL
3. Syracuse, NY
4. Brownsville, TX
5. Newark, NJ
6. Joliet, IL
7. Jackson, MS
8. Detroit, MI
9. Charleston, SC
10. Aurora, IL

Highlights and Lowlights

Happiest Meals: What better place to hold the fast-food crown than Burger King’s backyard? Florida cities topped our ranking, with Orlando reigning supreme for the second year in a row.

Miami (No. 3) has the most fast-food establishments per square mile of all the cities we ranked, but Orlando comes out on top with the highest-quality to-go meals. O-Town has the most Fasties Award-winning food brands, too, followed by Tampa, which is tied for the No. 2 spot.

The Golden (Arches) State: California is a beacon for commuters and road-trippers, so it isn’t surprising that the state is full of drive-thrus. Over 30 Golden State cities landed in the better half of our ranking, with San Francisco (No. 4), Huntington Beach (No. 7), and San Diego (No. 10) sizzling to the top.

Cali-founded chains — McDonald’s, In-N-Out, Taco Bell, Carl’s Jr., and Jack in the Box — cook up many fast food favorites. West Coast cities fared well overall, with only Spokane, Washington, ranking in the bottom 25.

Burgers, Barbecue, and Biscuits: Despite having fewer fast-food joints, McLovin’ McAllen, Texas (No. 9), has the second-highest average consumer rating for fast-food establishments and third-best Quality rank overall. Other Lone Star cities like Killeen (No. 15) and Austin (No. 20) scored well, thanks to their high-quality eats. San Antonio (No. 35) ties for the second-highest number of Fasties Award-winning brands.

Car-friendly comfort food is popular in Atlanta (No. 19), Louisville, Kentucky (No. 43), and Charlotte, North Carolina (No. 45). Louisville has the second-highest access to restaurants recognized by the Fasties Awards. Atlanta has similarly high access to fast-food joints, while Charlotte impressed in quality.