Love it or hate it, fast food is everywhere. From cheeseburgers to chicken nuggets to burritos and back to cheeseburgers, the American landscape is dotted with quick, cheap, mass-produced meals. But not every major city’s residents have the same favorites.  

Even though the big chains like Taco Bell, KFC, and McDonald’s can be found from coast to coast, there are plenty of regional chains that simply don’t exist outside of certain parts of the country. These include beloved chains like the West Coast-based In-N-Out and Bojangles in the South – both among the most successful restaurant chains in America. 

As you travel the country, you’ll find that there’s no such thing as a city with no fast food chain restaurants (though a few small communities around the country do ban them). Fast food is so popular for a reason: it’s convenient, quick, reliable, and tasty. But seeing a McDonald’s right next door to a Burger King makes it obvious: when it comes to fast food, everyone has their own personal favorite chain.

Fast food preferences tend to be regional. This, for instance, is the most popular fast food chain in every state. It turns out that individual cities have their clear favorites, too.

To determine the most popular fast food chain in 30 major American cities, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the cityu breakdowns in “Most Popular Fast Food by State,” published by Top Data, part of the international branding, marketing, and public relations firm Top Agency. Top Data analyzed consumer tracking data as an indicator of visits to each chain’s locations in June 2022. 

Click here to see the favorite fast food restaurants in 30 U.S. cities