Craving fast food but worried about its freshness? You’re not alone. While many chains rely on pre-packaged or processed items, some fast food spots raise the bar by preparing everything fresh daily. From hand-chopped veggies to scratch-made sauces, these places are proving that the ‘fast’ in fast food doesn’t have to compromise quality. Here are 10 fast food restaurants that make everything fresh so that you can feel good about it.
10. Portillo’s
Portillo’s is a fast-casual restaurant that serves Chicago-style food. The chain prides itself on the freshness of their food. Their tomatoes are cut in-house while their cakes (yup, their Famous Chocolate Cake) are baked fresh daily. Portillo’s believes that commitment to excellence should start with their ingredients, so yes, their salads are hand-tossed and sandwiches are made fresh for their hungry customers.
9. Habit Burger Grill
While Habit Burger Grill may not be as popular as the leading burger chains like Burger King, they have a special method in their burgers that you can’t get anywhere else. They use chargrilling to make patties with a smoky edge and balance everything with fresh toppings. Guests who prefer dairy-free options can even enjoy most of their burgers and sandwiches.
8. El Pollo Loco
For El Pollo Loco, freshness is the key, as their tagline is “Made fresh. Made by hand. Made every day.” Their fresh salads are made from scratch, along with fresh-sliced avocado and salsa. As for their chicken, they’re never frozen and always fire-grilled. For El Pollo Loco, maximum freshness means maximum flavor of their food.
7. Raising Cane’s
If you notice, Raising Cane’s only sticks to a small menu as they guarantee they make everything fresh daily. The chain has certified “Bird Specialists” with hand-dipped bread and fresh chicken for every guest’s order. This means that Raising Cane doesn’t use a heat lamp to cook or maintain the heat on its food. Their crew members mix fresh vegetables into their creamy coleslaw dressing daily. Their popular Cane Sauce is also made fresh daily.
6. Whataburger
Whataburger has a manifesto page on their website, as they are committed to freshness. For them, they just don’t tell their guests that their ingredients are fresh; they prove it every day and 24/7. As for their specialty of burgers, they don’t grill until customers order them, and they have 100% fresh and never frozen American beef with fresh vegetables that are chopped daily.
5. Five Guys
This Virginia-based fast food chain has a dedication to fresh ingredients. They’re all hand-prepared from the fries cut fresh daily from whole potatoes. They reportedly get their potatoes from Idaho. Meanwhile, their lettuce is torn by hand for freshness and traction to hold their pickles on burgers better.
4. Qdoba Mexican Eats
If you’re craving good and fresh Mexican food, Qdoba will do the trick to satisfy your cravings. Qdoba prepares their Mexican-inspired dishes fresh daily. Their guacamole is made fresh throughout the day, and their salsas are prepared using fresh ingredients. The chain prides itself on hand-smashed guacamole and freshly grilled meats.
3. Shake Shack
Shake Shack takes pride in the from-scratch approach to its menu. Their burgers are made-to-order with freshly ground beef, and their popular ShackSauce is created in-house. Shake Shack gets its ingredients from premium suppliers, and the thing that sets it apart is its commitment to making its own sauces, dressings, and even its custard-style shakes from scratch.
2. Culver’s
This Wisconsin-based chain is famous for their “Fresh Frozen Custard” and ButterBurgers made with fresh beef. Their custard is made fresh in small batches throughout the day, while the burgers are never frozen. If you love their chicken tenders and Wisconsin cheese curds, then you’re in for a treat since they’re also made fresh daily.
1. In-N-Out
California’s beloved burger chain has built its reputation on a simple promise: never frozen, always fresh. In-N-Out Burger is always made to order with ingredients that are never frozen and of the highest quality and freshness. Their potatoes are cut fresh daily for fries, beef is delivered fresh (never frozen), and their “secret sauce” is made in-house. The chain’s commitment to freshness extends to their produce, which is delivered daily to each location.