Fast food rankings usually follow the biggest national brands, but USA Today’s 2025 reader-voted list delivered a different result. Del Taco, a regional chain with locations in 18 states, finished ahead of McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A. The ranking points to customer voting rather than market size as the deciding factor.
Del Taco moved to No. 1 in USA Today’s 2025 ranking
USA Today’s 2025 best fast food restaurant ranking put Del Taco in first place, ahead of larger chains including McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A. The result was based on reader votes, according to the published ranking details, not on total revenue or U.S. store count. That matters because McDonald’s remains one of the country’s largest fast food brands by footprint, while Del Taco operates in only 18 states.
The same top-10 lineup also included Qdoba Mexican Eats, Jack in the Box, A&W, Golden Chick, Shake Shack, and Five Guys. Qdoba, which held the No. 1 spot last year, moved down to second place in the 2025 results. Del Taco also stood out in a separate fries ranking, where its french fries finished first.
The local impact depends on whether your state has a Del Taco
For readers in one of the 18 states where Del Taco operates, the ranking gives a regional chain a national spotlight. The company’s limited footprint means many Americans still do not have a nearby location, even after it took the top spot in a national 2025 ranking. That gap is part of what makes the result notable.
What is confirmed is Del Taco’s win and its 18-state presence. What is not publicly detailed in the source material is a full state-by-state breakdown tied to this ranking, and the company has not released a new expansion list in the material provided here. For customers in states without Del Taco, the ranking may raise awareness of a brand that remains less available than McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A.
Menu variety helped Del Taco stand out in a crowded field
Del Taco’s edge appears tied to menu breadth, according to the source material describing the result. The chain sells Mexican-inspired items like burritos and quesadillas alongside burgers, fries, and breakfast, giving it a wider range than chains centered on one category. The source material also notes vegan and vegetarian options as part of that mix.
Because the ranking was reader-voted, the outcome reflects customer preference rather than scale. The 2025 result suggests voters responded to variety, convenience, and cross-category appeal more than to national reach alone. For customers, that means the latest ranking is less about which chain is biggest and more about which one readers said they liked most in 2025.
