About This Quiz
The drive-thru menu board might say "value" or "dollar" menu, but make no mistake about it – fast food is big business. In fact, it's so big that in the United States alone, it's estimated to be worth more than $200 billion each and every year. That's not to say it's healthful or even smart to order that No. 4 every Friday or to "supersize" your fries (is that still a thing?), but almost all of us do it – 85 million of us, from Seattle to New York, every single day.
But, hey, let's not dwell on the negative, OK? We all have our favorites, from McDonald's golden, hot fries to the Popeye's chicken sandwich that sold out in a month, in the midst of a blazing "chicken war" with Chick-fil-A. Don't forget the Blizzard, the Frosty, McDonald's apple pies and Sonic's "Happy Hour" for drinks, too. (That's 2 to 4 p.m. every day, by the way.)
The real question is: How well do you know our fast-food favorites? Take a look at our "menu" and see how many of these restaurant creations you can name. We're only giving you one sentence to figure it out, though, so put on your thinking cap, pass your debit card (not really!) and get to work. Order up!
If you're old enough to remember Wendy's singular Frosty flavor – chocolate – you're old enough to remember the lean times. Today, Wendy's signature dessert is available in both chocolate and vanilla, with occasional special variations offered.
America's first fast-food burger joint coined the nickname, "sliders," trademarking it as "slyders" in the 1990s. White Castle has been serving the onion-heavy mini-burgers since it first opened in 1921.
We don't know who pioneered the idea of putting all of the meat on a pizza, but we're not mad about it. Pizza Hut has its own version that they call the Meat Lover's Pizza, stacked with pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon, pork and beef.
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Pumpkin Spice Latte fans might look forward to the arrival of this beverage more than the actual fall season when it makes its appearance. It's like the Great Pumpkin from Charlie Brown, rearing its delicious head once a year.
None of the doughnut chains offered as answer choices in this question will be a disappointment, but only one – Krispy Kreme – will beckon at you from your car with its illuminated red sign. When it's red, you know the doughnuts are hot and fresh.
As sure as McDonald's ice cream machine is likely to be broken, you'll also find the flaky apple pie on its menu. A staple for more than 50 years, this dessert features gooey apple pie filling wrapped in a flaky pocket, perfect for eating in the car ... or so we've heard.
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Snag a DQ Blizzard in one of its many flavor varieties and the attendant will serve it to you upside-down. It's a clever marketing gimmick for sure, but it definitely shows how thick and creamy these iconic treats are.
The only thing crazier than Crazy Bread is going to Little Caesars and neglecting to pick up a bag (or three). It will likely never eclipse Little Caesars' infamous "Hot-N-Ready" deal, but its parmesan and garlic goodness is worth savoring.
Some of us love you year-round, Filet-O-Fish. Others of us find comfort in you around the Lenten season, when many people give up eating meat on Fridays. As a result, McDonald's targets its advertising of the sandwich heavily during that time period.
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Order the infamous In-N-Out burger "Animal Style," and you'll get a sandwich loaded with mustard grilled patties, grilled onions and extra Thousand Island-like dressing. Doesn't sound like your jam? You can't go wrong with the traditional "Double-Double" either.
Whether you like savory (garlic parmesan) or sweet (cinnamon sugar), Auntie Anne's is here for you. Despite traditional mall complexes taking a hit thanks to online shopping, we'd still sneak into one for one of these delicious pretzels.
Every fast-food chains' fries are a little different, but Arby's went all the way left with its offering. Not only are they seasoned, but their unique, curly shape makes them delicious, as well as fun to eat.
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It only makes sense if you go to Steak 'n Shake that you'd end up with a Steakburger. In fact, the burger is what helped to create the fast-food restaurant's name, not the other way around.
Our only complaint about Raising Cane's isn't its limited, chicken-centric menu. It's that the fast-food chain is something of a regional presence, appearing mostly in the southeastern United States.
You'll find better drink options at Sonic Drive-In than at just about any fast-food chain around. And, it takes its responsibility seriously, offering a daily "Happy Hour" special every day from 2 to 4 p.m.
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You could get the mashed potatoes at Popeyes without its trademark Cajun gravy, but why would you want to? It's no replacement for the sold-out chicken sandwich, but it makes a nice side while you're waiting.
They call it "America's Favorite Burger," and while McDonald's might have something to say about that, Burger King's iconic Whopper HAS indeed been around a long time. Created in 1957, it started off with a 37-cent price tag.
It's simple but mighty and even earns a place in Chick-fil-A's marketing as "Home of the Original Chicken Sandwich." The No. 1 menu choice (no, literally, it's the No. 1) has two pickles and a toasted butter bun. Mmm.
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Col. Sanders wasn't playing when he crafted KFC's signature chicken dish, known as its "original recipe." He stuffed it full of 11 herbs and spices that, let's be honest, you just can't duplicate for your family's Sunday dinner.
It's hard to improve on perfection; we're talking about the Shack Burger here. But Shake Shack managed to do it, trading out the Shack's lettuce and tomato for the Smoke Shack's relish and bacon. Why? Because everything is better with bacon.
You know what would go good with a half-pound of beef? How about six strips of bacon? Add cheese, ketchup and mayo and you have what we like to call "perfection." (Wendy's just calls it the Baconator.)
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We don't know about you, but mornings are rough. Monster Biscuits with all their meats and cheeses, however, soften the blow of that whole "early riser" thing. Hardee's released these bad boys in 2007.
Taco Bell likes to toy with our emotions, giving us Nacho Fries and then taking them away, only to return them to the menu a short time later. Just give us the zesty seasoned Nacho Fries year-round, Taco Bell, and nobody gets hurt.
Craving a burger, but not really a burger? Maybe what you need is a Whataburger Patty Melt. It's beef patties, Monterey jack cheese and onions served on two thick slices of Texas toast. Who needs a bun anyway?
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If you've ever ventured inside a Five Guys, you've no doubt seen the bags of potatoes fresh from the field sitting all around the store. Order the amazing fries (Cajun or otherwise) and you'll get another bag – full of fries.
Who says McDonald's doesn't have any culture? Its Egg McMuffin bridges the gap between English, Canadian and American cultures, throwing food items from each into one quick and easy breakfast sandwich.
"Big. Meaty. Tasty." That's what Subway says about this sandwich, giving it its Italian B.M.T. name. Filled with salami, pepperoni and ham, we're guessing an Italian S.P.H. didn't have quite the same ring to it.
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Lest you forget that Dunkin' still has doughnuts, let this be your reminder. Not only can you get the full-sized doughnuts to accompany your Dunkin' coffee drinks, but if you're watching your waistline, you can opt for Munchkins, Dunkin's version of doughnut holes.
You don't have to skip fast-casual Mexican just because you're eating low-carb. Chipotle will let you take your favorite burrito and turn it into a burrito bowl. All the burrito flavors with none of the guilt (well, less guilt).
Jack In The Box understands math, touting its tacos with the tagline, "Because two will always be greater than one." You may not associate Jack In The Box with tacos, but maybe you should start. It is routinely one of the fast-food joint's most popular menu items.
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Created to advertise the burger in the mid-1970s, McDonald's brought the popular phrase back in the early 2000s. So, if you recognized it, you're either a pop culture master or old. We'll go with the former.
Paying homage to its "Z"-starting name, Zaxby's calls its version of Chicken Fingers, Chicken Fingerz. You can get it in a quantity of four, five or six, served with Zax sauce on the side.
Taco Bell and Doritos – a match made in faux-Mexican food heaven. The chip manufacturer lends its name and flavor to the Cheesy Gordita Crunch. Of course, Taco Bell has also had a thing with Fritos, creating a taco box combo as well as a Beefy Fritos burrito.
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It's the sandwich heard 'round the world! OK, maybe it's not quite that serious, but it is the sandwich that Arby's attributes its success to. You can add horsey sauce if you dare, but its two simple ingredients – beef and bread – are hard to beat as-is.
McDonald's Happy Meal has been around since 1979, raising an entire generation on the concept of delicious treats and entertainment going hand in hand. McDonald's has included everything from spinning tops to Beanie Babies in its meal for kids.
If there's one thing Popeyes is known for apart from its succulent chicken, it's these equally intoxicating biscuits. Pair them with butter or honey (or both) and be prepared to be transported to biscuit nirvana.
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If you only eat one thing at Chick-fil-A, make it the chain's glorious, cross-cut version of the french fry that is, dare we say it, better than any other fry in the fry game. Hey, Chick-fil-A, it's OUR pleasure to eat your waffle fries.
We know, we know, Subway is supposed to be healthy with that whole "Eat Fresh" motto. But, what we can't resist at this purveyor of subs and salads is the soft-baked cookies that beckon at you from the checkout line. Just one won't hurt, will it?
Wendy's recently brought its Spicy Chicken Nuggets back for what it says is a limited time. The resurgence of the popular menu item came after Wendy's secured a minimum TWO MILLION retweets on Twitter about its menu item. The power of social media, folks.
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