Best Fast Casual Restaurant Chains (2026)

Customers love: italian beef dipped in au jus — the definitive chicago beef; chicago-style hot dog with the full run-down of toppings Complaints: famously long lines, especially at lunch and on weekends

Customers love: fresh-sliced meats cut to order; mike's way — oil, vinegar, and spices Complaints: more expensive than subway

Customers love: thin, crispy-edge steakburgers cooked on the griddle; rich, hand-spun frozen custard and concretes Complaints: limited locations compared to national burger chains

Customers love: shackburger — consistently ranked among the best fast-food burgers; high-quality angus beef sourced from premium suppliers Complaints: expensive for the portion size, especially the small burgers

Customers love: flavor variety across 12 sauces and rubs; lemon pepper and original hot wings Complaints: wing prices rising steadily

Customers love: fresh hand-cut fries that always overfill the bag; cajun seasoning on fries is a cult favorite Complaints: expensive — burger, fries, and drink easily run $15-18

Customers love: zax sauce cult following; hand-breaded chicken fingers Complaints: limited southeast footprint

Customers love: warm, fresh-baked pretzels — the mall treat everyone smells before they see; original pretzel with sweet glaze is a legendary combo Complaints: prices have crept up — a pretzel plus dip now runs $6+

Customers love: battered fish filets that stay crispy and flaky; hush puppies praised as a signature must-try Complaints: limited locations concentrated in the southeast and midwest

Customers love: customizable bowls with fresh ingredients; barbacoa and carnitas get rave reviews Complaints: portion sizes inconsistent between locations

Customers love: warm, gooey, oversized cookies — the milk chocolate chip is elite; weekly rotation keeps the menu exciting — no two weeks are the same Complaints: price per cookie is steep — $4.79+ and boxes add up fast

Customers love: the citrus-marinated fire-grilled chicken tastes genuinely grilled, not fried; original pollo bowl and chicken avocado bowl are consistent crowd pleasers Complaints: chicken can come out dry at slower locations or late in the day

Customers love: real fruit — smoothies taste noticeably fresher than grocery smoothies; goal-based menu (muscle, weight loss, energy) makes choosing easy Complaints: prices have climbed — a large protein smoothie now runs $10+

Customers love: rotisserie chicken is genuinely good — juicy, flavorful, and healthier than fried alternatives; mashed potatoes and gravy are consistently praised as some of the best chain sides Complaints: the chain has been closing locations — customer confidence is shaken

Customers love: freaky fast delivery; #1 gargantuan Complaints: bread can be tough or dry

Customers love: thin-and-crispy steakburgers with caramelized edges; hand-dipped milkshakes with 50+ rotating flavors Complaints: chain-wide decline with many closures leaving aging locations

Customers love: broccoli cheddar soup in a bread bowl; mac & cheese Complaints: expensive for fast casual