Yet again my blogging has been inspired by my lunch. Me and the kids went to the mall and ate Chick-fil-A today. I started thinking that my top ten favorite fast food restaurants would be a fun post.
Coming in at number...
10- Del Taco
How can you not love a place that puts mayonnaise on their Mexican food. I am assuming that is mayo gushing out of the Del Classic Chicken burrito. YUM!
9- Jack in the Box
This makes the list strictly on the merit of those greasy 99 cent tacos. I don't know what it is about those but we buy them by the car load when we go to California.
8-Togos
I actually love all sub sandwiches. The best subs ever were at a liquor store down the street from the Hill Cumorah in Palmyra, NY. Wegmans grocery store in NY also has awesome subs. But Togos is the best chain sub sandwich. They pile on a boatload of super thinly sliced meat and the bread is perfect.
7- Cafe Rio
I know it is so trendy amongst Utahans but I am totally on the Cafe Rio bandwagon. Their shredded beef barbacoa is the best! And that creamy tomatillo dressing is delicious. I craved Cafe Rio about every 4 hours when they first opened.
6- McDonald's
I am not really a burger person but I do love McDonalds. LOVE IT! Did you know that the oldest McDonalds is in my hometown? I love the McD's cheeseburger. I hate big fat burgers. That thin, maybe meat patty with a semi-melted slice of processed cheese is my favorite. (honorable mention to Culver's for making a pretty good burger too, and yummy onion rings)
5- Pepe's
This is a Downey place too. My original hometown really has the best food. Pepe's is Mexican fast food and their bean and cheese burrito is so good and creamy. Good taquitos too!
4- Panda Express
I don't really like Chinese food very much but I love Panda Express. Their orange chicken is way better than any authentic Chinese food and their black pepper chicken is also lovely.
3- Betos, Albertos, Gualbertos, Rancheritos
Okay those are all owned by the same people so the food is the same. They are all over the Salt Lake valley. They are open 24 hours and it is a good thing because we had lots of cravings at all hours of the day. They make the best tortillas I have ever tasted. I always ask for extra tortillas. They are hot and chewy. I just want to rub them on my face when they hand them to me. Is that weird?
2- Chick-fil-a
I LOVE chick-fil-a. When they opened the first ever free standing chick-fil-a (in SLC) I had to call everyone I knew. Their chicken puts all other chicken to shame. I have been known to lick the bottom of the box (today) to make sure I didn't miss a single crumb of that breading.
1- El Taco
Another Downey place. El Taco is the yummiest. That is always the first place we hit when we roll into California. They put red sauce in their quesadillas and wrap them like burritos. The cheese just oozes out. They also make the best taquitos with guacamole. And nachos. And burritos. You can really order pretty much anything and it will be awesome. Even the root beer tastes better there. Be forewarned warned though, it is the most expensive fast food I have ever eaten. That should tell you how good it is. If people will pay more to eat fast food then to go to a restaurant, it is some seriously "legit" (that was for you Steven) fast food.
I realize that I may be the only Southern California girl to not include In-n-Out on this list. In-n-Out is okay but I don't get all the hype. Just not my thing, I guess. Seth, on the other hand would put In-n-Out at the very top of his list if I had to guess.
Alyssa picks Panda Express as her favorite and Alex picks Burger King (I think it is because they have a play place). I think Chloe would choose White Castle. She can put down two burgers in about 35 seconds. All my kids love White Castle...super gross!!!
Alright, your turn...
Second Week of School
3 years ago
14 comments:
I've never really thought about my favorite fast food. I like your list!!
Hi Julie,
10 KFC gotta be in the mood
9 Arby's ditto
8 Fat Burger filed bankruptcy
7 Wienerschnitzel chili cheese dogs
6 Taco Bell The original Taco Bell was opened by Glenn Bell in Downey... fast food Meca
5 El Taco.. used to be the best Mexican food..Quality has gone down.There is another one on Tustin Ave. in Orange
4 Jack in The Box I once ate the Teriyaki Chicken Bowl every day for about a year.
3 McDonalds.. My brother and I sat in the car at the historic Downey McDonalds and listened to Sandy Kofax pitch his perfect game. I used to work out with guys who could eat 25 hamburgers at that McDonalds.
2 In-N-Out... sorry Julie, the best hamburger still made on the earth
1 Husky Boys Hamburgers, on 2nd Street between Spring and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. This was a bright blue plywood box sidewalk hamburger stand in LA. The greatest double cheeseburger with grilled onions ever made. It was run by an electrical engineer from South Korea who came here and could not get a job so he opened the stand. Even the LA Times once wrote an article claiming they made the best burger in the world. I've taken a number of self proclaimed hamburger lovers who all agreed once they'd had one that it was the best. Unfortunately, it closed down sometime after 1998. I have stopped in at other hamburger places with that name, but none are connected to the one on 2nd. Street. Just last week, I tried a Husky Boys in Laguna Beach. Major disappointment..no connection, however, the owner told me she gets asked all the time if their stand is connected to the one in LA. You will just have to trust me and the LA Times... Husky Boys on 2nd in LA.. the best hamburger ever!
Dad, we watched a show about Glenn Bell and he also started El Taco in Downey with a partner and then went solo and opened Taco Bell. I am so confused because the two are so different in price and quality. I do like Taco Bell though. I am just confused why he didn't take the El Taco style quesadilla with him to Taco Bell.
As for In-n-Out, I don't like fries, and burgers are not my favorite thing either and that is all they sell. Did you know they are opening a few stores in Utah? They were building them when we were there. I think that might get Seth to move back.
I was noticing that In-n-Out was missing and happy about it!! Not a big fan either. I don't like a lot of fast food places. I guess if I could eat whatever all the time, then I would choose McDonald's and Jack in the Box (also for the tacos...and egg rolls) for my chain restaurants.
And, of course El Taco, I love it! Oh, also Chipotle...I always go there when I want to eat out. You can get burrito bowls without too many calories too!
This is Seth, and Julie wanted to know my top 10. We have a few similarities, but my list is much better. Unfortunately only 2 of my 10 are near where I live now. So I end up at McDonalds a lot. I do like Micky D's, but since this is a top 10 I must choose my hearts true favorites. Here we go...
10 - Jack in the Box - (Love the tacos and sourdough burgers. Although you will smell like sourdough for a week if you eat one.)
9 - KFC (Or KiffKey as we like to call it)
8 - Del Taco (Great food, and you can feed a family for $10)
7 - Kneaders (Best eclairs ever! And their sandwiches aren't bad either)
6 - Neils (A great fish and chips place in Draper, UT.. They have salmon, halibut, cod, and other fish to choose from.)
5 - Arctic Circle (Burgers, chicken fingers, lime rickey's, and shakes)
4 - Brooklyn/Queens pizza (I miss these from my mission. You can stop in any pizza joint and get a slice and a drink for under $2. One place even gave the missionaries free drinks. Haven't had pizza as good since)
3 - Cookers (A small dive here in Chicago. They have awesome burgers, brats and char dogs.)
2 - Albertos (The carne asada burrito makes me want to move back to Utah)
1 - In-N-Out (I can't get enough of it when I am in California. I heard they are building some in Utah. Sweet!)
Okay, I really dont get all you McDonalds people! I mean its okay, but I would definatltely go to other burger joints before I stopped there. I think Culvers has the best burgers, then maybe Wendys (probably because I worked there)...but Im not a big burger fan. As far as mexican goes, I love Taco Bell chalupas, Taco Time (Utah) crisp bean burritos, and definatly Cafe Rio smothered shredded PORK burrito! KFC is gross. Never been to a White Castle, but my kids always ask to go eat at the castle restraunt..you know, just because it looks like a castle, and they are of course expecting princess quality food. After a 2 1/2 week long road trip though...nothing sounds good.
I need to give you my recipe for the pork burritos enchilada style from Cafe Rio- they taste just like them.
I like Taco Bell.
I love the Arby's chicken salad sandwich that for some reason they don't have at the Arby's in Kenosha..
Also love Cafe Rio and Panda Express
I like Pizza Hut.
I've never eaten at Beto's because the one I went into in Sandy was so dirty (this was a few years ago when we still lived here) that I disapeared into the parking lot while Doug thought I was behind him checking out the menu.
I feel like I have gained 20 pounds just reading your post....now I really want some fast food. Time is short, but I have to say I am in love with Panara Bread. Their sandwiches are so amazing and the fact that you can get double the carb load in one lunch says everything.
Seth,
They are supposedly building one in Draper. Maybe time to move back.
Bill
Fast food is a topic I am very passionate about. Narrowing it down, or saying which one is your favorite is like choosing a favorite child - it really just depends on the day. But here goes:
10. Carls Jr. - my first love was the western bac cheeseburger - but I have moved on to the chix club (or sante fe) and the six dollar gauc. bac. burger.
9. Rubios - not so much a fish taco person, but a chopped chix salad person/
8. In-N-Out - I don't crave burgers like others do but if I had to choose theirs is pretty good, animal style of course. The fries are an acquired taste, that admittedly have.
7. Togos - especially the rueben, although the turkey avocado is also excellent. Really, can't go wrong here. So unlike subway who makes a shadow of a sandwich, and the only reason we eat there is because they're everywhere.
6. Panda Express - I'm with Julie on the Orange chicken. Haven't tried the black pepper chicken yet...
5. Jack in the Box - for 99c tacos, eggrolls and the chix fajita pita. Oreo shakes are also good.
4. Mom and pop burger places - they have these here in Utah, not in Cali. There's a great one in Beaver on Main St. - love the onion rings with fry sauce of course. If the place has lime rickey's (also I think a Utah phenom) then they get bonus points.
3. Albertos or whatever, unfortunately the one here in Logan sucks, as if we somehow wouldn't know and be forced to eat there anyways for lack of options (see subway argument). Unlike El Cholos contention that a mexican place can be judged by their chili relleno - I say it's in the rice and beans. I really liked the one in Provo. My standard combo plate has cheese enchilada and beef taco.
2. Del Taco - love the carne asade steak tacos, combined with a small red burrito and the classic chix burrito - often you have to ask for extra sauce, a dry classic is almost worthless. We always go when we're in passing through Ogden and they always mess it up - so don't go there, unless they let you make the food.
1. El Pollo Loco - okay you combine the chix with black beans, cole slaw, rice and the mild salsa in a burrito - oh so very good. The chicken itself is a marvel. Another wonderful creation is the chix ceasar salad - with cilantro ceaser dressing I could drink by the bottle.
Quiznos would be on this list if there service wasn't so lousy - but I love the salads there including the chicken with bacon and cheddar.
Also Nielsen's in Bountiful deserves an honorable mention. Love the Diner Chicken Cheese sandwich and you have to follow it up with a concrete: bumbleberry or cherry chocolate chip will do, although my wife recommends lemon.
Anyways, now I'm hungry and have gained weight just thinking about all this.
I forgot all about Carl's Jr. I haven't been there since I left Utah. Their chicken club is awesome.
Also, I haven't had El Pollo Loco in years either but that is yummy too.
Thanks for reminding me of those ones Jimmie. Good list.
Also, in response to Seth's list... I love Kneader's too but I wasn't thinking of it as fast food since I go there for the desserts.
And I didn't include pizza because really that could be a list of it's own for me.
Julie-
You must really like Mexican because half your list are Mexi restaurants. I don't think I'd have even one Mexi place on my list but that's because I don't like fast and mexican in the same sentence. I've had the misfortune of seeing my Taco Bell taco meat liquify before my eyes.
I have to say that I love Chick-fil-A, too. Those waffle fries call to me. I'd say that Kenosha needs to install one of those near my house, but that could be bad news for my health.
Definitely our addiction towards Mexican food has to do with being raised in CA. I grew up eating it once if not several times a week, and still do. Do they have good Mexican places where you live?
Yeah Jen, Mexican is definitely my favorite. And as Jimmie said that comes from growing up in Southern CA. They know how to do Mexican food.
Here in Wisconsin Mexican food is a sad joke. La Cabana in Paddock Lake is good but everything else sucks.
And that reminds me, Tacos Mexico is also good in Downey, CA.
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