Fast Food Restaurants in the USA

Our guide to fast food restaurants

Burger joints and fast-food restaurants are built for speed: order at a counter, kiosk, app or drive-through and expect your food in minutes. The category ranges from national chains with identical menus everywhere to independent burger stands, regional favorites with cult followings and modern “better burger” shops that grind their own beef.

Because menus are standardized, the real differences between locations are opening hours, drive-through availability, how busy the lunch rush gets and whether the place takes mobile orders. Many locations stay open late or around the clock, which makes them a dependable option for travelers and night-shift workers.

Opening hours

Based on 29,507 fast food restaurants across the US with published hours, the typical weekday schedule runs from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. 98% are open on Sundays, 97% are open seven days a week and 75% stay open until 10 PM or later.

Prices

Across 255 menus from fast food restaurants across the US, the median item costs $8.13; half of all priced items fall between $4.50 and $13.18. The most common menu sections are Drinks, Salads, Sides, and Burgers.

Services

Of 259 fast food restaurants with detailed profiles in our guide: 94% list “delivery”, 93% list “dine-in”, 91% list “good for kids”, 69% list “kids' menu”, 67% list “takeaway”, and 64% list “wheelchair-accessible car park”.