United States – – October 17, 2026 -- Seventy percent of Americans buy food or drinks from fast food restaurants at least once a month, and 30% do so weekly, according to YouGov's Best Bites 2026: U.S. restaurant brand rankings.
Younger, middle-income diners drive weekly fast food demand
Of weekly fast food diners, 51% are under 45 and 49% live in middle-income households. Value and discount menus are the biggest drivers of visits, followed by a clean dining environment.
Taco Bell takes 30.3% of votes for best tacos and burritos
Taco Bell leads its category by nearly 10 points over Chipotle, the widest margin among the categories YouGov highlights.
Burgers are a much tighter race. Five Guys leads with 15.5% of Americans naming it best for burgers, just ahead of Burger King at 15.0% and In-N-Out Burger at 12.1%.
Pizza Hut edges Domino's by two points in pizza
Pizza Hut is named best for pizza by 19.1% of Americans, against 17.1% for Domino's. Chick-fil-A leads in chicken, and McDonald's stands out for fries.
Full report ranks brands on quality, value and consideration
The full report covers the most considered fast food, casual dining and specialty brands, with rankings by quality and value. It also profiles weekly fast food diners and breaks down preferences by age and gender.