fast food ablation
I'm whittling away on the fast food I consume, which really, I don't miss. In honor of this, I present to you the best of this worst: what I would get if I could only get one thing from any given fast food place. Given what you guys might know about my eating habits (it's generally either cheap, really unhealthy or both), some of these might surprise you.
McDonalds: I admit to craving a Big Mac now and then. And back in the day (actually pre-steroids back in high school), I was known to and able to consume a supersized double quarter pounder with cheese meal and a 20 piece McNuggets at one sitting, a feat I find both disgusting and impressive. With McDonalds, for me it comes down to two things: the Big Mac and the fries. Fresh McDonalds fries are one of those flavors that most Americans (that nationality for sure) have built in to their memory. But for me, they don't have enough potato, so the nod goes to the Big Mac.
Burger King: I rarely go to BK because I hate their fries and their chicken nuggets, essentially the burgers are what's left for this list. My pick: the Whopper Jr. for one reason. Value. They're $1 each and are practically topped with a salad.
Wendy's: Their value menu chicken nuggets are good, but fresh Wendy's fries... I'll take them over almost any other fast food fries. With the double stack not available here anymore (that was the best burger 99 cents could buy), it's their fries all the way. Preferably topped with cheese sauce.
Chick-Fil-A: The truth is, this is really the one place I can't give up. I'm just physically unable to. The original chicken sandwiches are just delicious, especially when fresh. The fries are the same. The grilled chicken sandwiches are tasty and the chicken strip salad is too. So, they're exempt. Sorry, I can't do it. Anywhere that I will order a salad deserves to have its full menu open.
Sonic: This comes with a warning: I'm not as familiar with their menu as the other places on this list because we just got ours earlier this year or late last. So I haven't tried the Fritos chili cheese wrap. And I might catch hell for that or for not having the chili cheese tots be #1. But the SuperSonic (double) cheeseburger just goes down so smooth. It might be my favorite fast food burger.
KFC: The new mashed potato bowls, the 99 cent snackers, the boneless buffalo wings, the original fried chicken? None of the above. The roasted Twister wrap. It's not fried, so it's (moderately) healthier. You get far more chicken in the wrap than the chicken strip twister. And most of all, it's got a lot more flavor, or at least the flavor comes through better since it's not masked by the fried breading. Truth is, given the option between this and really any fast food burger, I'm taking this.
Taco Bell: Some will say the crunchwrap. I was never won over by them. The baja chalupa to me has always tasted a lot like an average chimichanga (my #2 favorite mexican restaurant food after the chile relleno). But they're not cheap. Value, flavor and the ability to easily eat in the car on the way home at 1 am? The spicy chicken burrito.
Arby's: Beef and cheddar. There's beef. There's cheese sauce. There's an onion roll. Next.
Hardee's: I like their fries even less the Burger King. But their breakfast food isn't half bad. Their biscuits are quite good. Bacon egg and cheese biscuit for the win, though the potato rounds top all other breakfast fast food potatoes for me.
A&W: We got one not too long ago when they moved the Long John Silver's into Central Park where I loathe to go to put them under the same roof. I could take the easy way out and take the root beer float. They offer cheese curds. For the Canadians, it's not part of poutine (alas) but akin to mozzarella nuggets but with cheddar. Breaded fried cheese. Sorry, my cardiovascular system.
Long John Silver's: I like fish, shrimp and chicken, so usually it's one of the variety meals. But the first thing I always reach for in that box? Hush puppies. Fried balls of cornmeal batter? Oh yes.
Checkers/Rally's: I love their burgers because they use red onion. But the battered fries with the seasoned salt, it's a great change of pace from the boring old fry.
I'm sure there are places I'm forgetting, but the less of this stuff and more of the healthier stuff, the better off I'll be anyway.
McDonalds: I admit to craving a Big Mac now and then. And back in the day (actually pre-steroids back in high school), I was known to and able to consume a supersized double quarter pounder with cheese meal and a 20 piece McNuggets at one sitting, a feat I find both disgusting and impressive. With McDonalds, for me it comes down to two things: the Big Mac and the fries. Fresh McDonalds fries are one of those flavors that most Americans (that nationality for sure) have built in to their memory. But for me, they don't have enough potato, so the nod goes to the Big Mac.
Burger King: I rarely go to BK because I hate their fries and their chicken nuggets, essentially the burgers are what's left for this list. My pick: the Whopper Jr. for one reason. Value. They're $1 each and are practically topped with a salad.
Wendy's: Their value menu chicken nuggets are good, but fresh Wendy's fries... I'll take them over almost any other fast food fries. With the double stack not available here anymore (that was the best burger 99 cents could buy), it's their fries all the way. Preferably topped with cheese sauce.
Chick-Fil-A: The truth is, this is really the one place I can't give up. I'm just physically unable to. The original chicken sandwiches are just delicious, especially when fresh. The fries are the same. The grilled chicken sandwiches are tasty and the chicken strip salad is too. So, they're exempt. Sorry, I can't do it. Anywhere that I will order a salad deserves to have its full menu open.
Sonic: This comes with a warning: I'm not as familiar with their menu as the other places on this list because we just got ours earlier this year or late last. So I haven't tried the Fritos chili cheese wrap. And I might catch hell for that or for not having the chili cheese tots be #1. But the SuperSonic (double) cheeseburger just goes down so smooth. It might be my favorite fast food burger.
KFC: The new mashed potato bowls, the 99 cent snackers, the boneless buffalo wings, the original fried chicken? None of the above. The roasted Twister wrap. It's not fried, so it's (moderately) healthier. You get far more chicken in the wrap than the chicken strip twister. And most of all, it's got a lot more flavor, or at least the flavor comes through better since it's not masked by the fried breading. Truth is, given the option between this and really any fast food burger, I'm taking this.
Taco Bell: Some will say the crunchwrap. I was never won over by them. The baja chalupa to me has always tasted a lot like an average chimichanga (my #2 favorite mexican restaurant food after the chile relleno). But they're not cheap. Value, flavor and the ability to easily eat in the car on the way home at 1 am? The spicy chicken burrito.
Arby's: Beef and cheddar. There's beef. There's cheese sauce. There's an onion roll. Next.
Hardee's: I like their fries even less the Burger King. But their breakfast food isn't half bad. Their biscuits are quite good. Bacon egg and cheese biscuit for the win, though the potato rounds top all other breakfast fast food potatoes for me.
A&W: We got one not too long ago when they moved the Long John Silver's into Central Park where I loathe to go to put them under the same roof. I could take the easy way out and take the root beer float. They offer cheese curds. For the Canadians, it's not part of poutine (alas) but akin to mozzarella nuggets but with cheddar. Breaded fried cheese. Sorry, my cardiovascular system.
Long John Silver's: I like fish, shrimp and chicken, so usually it's one of the variety meals. But the first thing I always reach for in that box? Hush puppies. Fried balls of cornmeal batter? Oh yes.
Checkers/Rally's: I love their burgers because they use red onion. But the battered fries with the seasoned salt, it's a great change of pace from the boring old fry.
I'm sure there are places I'm forgetting, but the less of this stuff and more of the healthier stuff, the better off I'll be anyway.