USA TODAY 10Best
From burgers to bowls: 10 best fast casual restaurants in the US
Best Fast Casual Restaurant (2024)
Fast casual restaurants have become more popular than ever in the United States, thanks to their convenience and affordability. Diners especially love these 10 eateries — selected by an expert panel and voted by readers as the best fast casual restaurants in the U.S. — that offer quick and easy access to food without sacrificing quality.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill
- Portillo's
- Five Guys
- Culver's
- Mendocino Farms
- Tropical Smoothie Cafe
- The Halal Guys
- BurgerFi
- Torchy's Tacos
- QDOBA Mexican Eats
No. 10:
At Chipotle Mexican Grill, often referred to as simply "Chipotle," you'll enjoy fast, fresh, and never-frozen Mexican food made only with "ingredients you can pronounce." The menu features burritos, bowls, tacos, and salads, all made to order.
Photo courtesy of Portillo's
No. 9:
Portillo's is a staple for their Italian beef, served dipped in gravy, splashed with gravy, or with the gravy on the side. No matter how you take your Italian beef, Portillo’s has become known as one of the best in Chicagoland, as well as around the country, with its original recipe served on freshly baked French bread.
Photo courtesy of Five Guys Press
No. 8:
You know any place that has sacks of potatoes stacked up out front takes their fries seriously. Fried twice for a crispy outside and soft inside, Five Guys gets it right. Partner those fries with a made-to-order burger, hot dog, or meatless sandwich option with unlimited toppings and you can't go wrong.
Photo courtesy of Culver's
No. 7:
It's hard to say no to a crispy-edged ButterBurger at this Midwestern stalwart that's now expanding south, west, and east. Throw in Wisconsin staples like gooey cheese curds and fresh frozen custard, and you've got yummy from start to finish. Their turtle sundae, with caramel, hot fudge, and roasted pecans is a sure winner.
Photo courtesy of Mendocino Farms
No. 6:
There's a massive array of options for guests to enjoy at Mendocino Farms, a polished restaurant chain that debuted in Southern California in 2005. Sandwiches span from all corners of the globe here, with choices ranging from the aji amarillo-marinated Peruvian Steak to the Chimichurri Steak & Bacon to the Mendo’s Original Pork Belly Banh Mi.
Photo courtesy of Tropical Smoothie Cafe
No. 5:
Sure, you can find fruit and veggie smoothies of multiple varieties at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, but it doesn't stop there. A wide selection of wraps, flatbread sandwiches, and salads round out the menu for lunch and dinner. For breakfast, try the peanut butter banana crunch flatbread (which is sort of a smoothie sandwich).
Photo courtesy of The Halal Guys
No. 4:
The Halal Guys began as a New York City food stand in 1990 by three Egyptian immigrants who moved to the U.S. in hopes of a better life. And now, you no longer have to travel to the Big Apple to enjoy these American Halal favorites, like chicken, gyros, and fresh falafel. The Halal Guys now ranks among the fastest-growing chains in the United States.
No. 3:
BurgerFi makes their burgers and sandwiches with high-quality Angus beef, premium Wagyu beef, cage-free chicken, Beyond Meat, or their award-winning VegeFi patty. Burgers are served alongside made-to-order sides, like fries and beer-battered onion rings, and you can end your meal with their frozen custard desserts.
Photo courtesy of Brad Hill
No. 2:
Torchy's Tacos is spreading the love of Austin tacos across the United States. The tacos at Torchy's have always been experimental, with options like the Mofaux, cowboy-style Beyond Beef with grilled corn, green chiles, peppadew peppers, avocado, and Diablo sauce. And their green chile queso is some of the best in the nation.
Photo courtesy of QDOBA Mexican Eats
No. 1:
Just about everything on the menu at QDOBA, from the guacamole to the flame-grilled steak, is prepared in-house. Diners build their own Mexican masterpieces in the form of tacos, burritos, grilled quesadillas, bowls, salads, or nachos.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Allison Levine
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate,... Read More
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique agency specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. With over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event planning, Allison is passionate about the world around her and the diverse people in it. Allison holds a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service and holds a WSET Level 3 Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world. She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain, and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and, as a freelance writer, Allison communicates her experiences in articles, as well as in her blog. Allison is the US Host for the international podcast Wine Soundtrack where she interviews winemakers and gets to know them in 30 questions, and she is co-host of the YouTube wine series Crush On This. Her website is www.pleasethepalate.com and you can follow her on Instagram @plsthepalate.
Allison Levine
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique agency specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. With over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event planning, Allison is passionate about the world around her and the diverse people in it. Allison holds a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service and holds a WSET Level 3 Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world. She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain, and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and, as a freelance writer, Allison communicates her experiences in articles, as well as in her blog. Allison is the US Host for the international podcast Wine Soundtrack where she interviews winemakers and gets to know them in 30 questions, and she is co-host of the YouTube wine series Crush On This. Her website is www.pleasethepalate.com and you can follow her on Instagram @plsthepalate.
Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50... Read More
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at [email protected].
Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at [email protected].
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
