Link to template: https://tiermaker.com/create/teds-fast-food-and-pizza-tier-list-835609

The general methodology here is as follows:

Taste, atmosphere, workers (service and attitude), and value are all taken into consideration. A tier list based on quality alone would look wildly different.

S: Best of the best. To be here you have to look good, taste good, and have decent bang-for-the-buck. I don’t give this out easy. The locations earn my full recommendation.

A: This is good food. It excels in some combination of taste and/or value. These are a part of my restaurant rotation and I would recommend them if they serve what you’re craving.

B: The in between-ers. These chains are good. Usually. I would have no issue eating here, I just find I rarely do. For whatever reason, be it value or being outclassed in their cuisine by another chain, I just do not find myself in these places often. But they’re good, I promise.

C: These are places I would never go myself if there were other options. I would generally not recommend these places, however, if someone else really wants to go, or it’s just too convenient, okay I guess, I’ll eat it…

D: If you ask to go here, I would say, “Can we please go somewhere else.” If you said no, depending on how much I like you, we may be eating separately. Their food is not worth my money. However, If it was free, and I was hungry, I would eat it. Probably.

Shadow Realm: Gross. I would not eat this unless I was 5+ days without food/water. This “food” is not fit for animals. They lower property value around them.

Notes on results: This year’s update saw even more changes than previous iterations. Last tier list I did was before COVID. I think the lock-down and subsequent “supply-chain issues” and “shrinkflation” had a big effect on the restaurant industry – even fast food – that persists to this day. Chipotle has fallen yet again. Once an S tier mainstay, it is down to B. Their portions continue to shrink and their innovation has stalled while prices soar. Their guacamole “serving” is an insult. I occasionally get a glimpse of their past glory, but they are simply outclassed in the very genre they pioneered (see: S tier Moe’s). Taco Bell on the other hand is getting their mojo back. Their menu is starting to look like its old self and as competitor’s prices have soared, Taco Bell has been doing it’s best to fight inflation.

Another big gainer was Jersey Mike’s. I’m not sure what happened here. I really thought of this place as the most generic, boring, and uneventful sub place one could imagine. But man, have my eyes opened. They do good work in there. Both their cold cuts and toasted subs are made with care and love. Its price keeps it from climbing any higher, but I admit I was wrong about them before. Moving in the other direction is Tom & Chee. This grilled cheese based restaurant fell 2 levels. The initial A-Tier this received, I believe, was not based in reality. I liked the idea of Tom & Chee and that clouded my judgement. It’s not a great price and it’s not great food. To C tier it goes.

We see a lot of trading between B and C tiers as well. I’d say this is mostly reflective of changing prices and quality in the last two years. Those that, to my eyes, kept up quality and didn’t let that affect the customer’s tab too much kept their spot or moved up. Those restaurants that cut menus, used lower quality ingredients, and raised prices to boot, lost a level.

Last installment, I said “Chipotle in truth has inspired an entirely new class of restaurant. These up-scaled fast food/casual eateries that tend to do choose-your-own-adventure menus are everywhere and in every flavor … I expect this trend will plateau soon, but I hope we get a few more gems such as these in the meantime.” I am impressed by my clairvoyance. This genre did indeed plateau, and we did indeed see some real gems emerge. Moe’s is an MVP, and places like Currito and Qdoba keep the spirit of the early chipotle days alive. However, the rate at which these chains were expanding has indeed slowed down and maybe even regressed. I think people are starting to tire of the choice paralysis heaved upon them every time they go to lunch.

Finally, some new additions. I had the pleasure in the last few years to try for the first time staples such as Culver’s, Del Taco, Whataburger, Citybird, and Zaxby’s. The latter two are chicken tender places that naturally compete in the shadow of Cane’s. While both good, they simply do not come close. They try their best with their respective blends of spices, they fall oh so short in almost every aspect. However, I do not think this reflects poorly on them – it is simply indicative of the beauty of that Baton Rouge eatery. Del Taco, likewise, has to compete with Taco Bell. I respect their so-cal twist on things with fries a much larger part of the menu as is tradition in cali-mex as opposed to tex-mex. I just wasn’t impressed. I like what T-Bell does more, and I will not elaborate. Speaking of Texas, Whataburger sees its introduction this year. The In-n-out vs Whataburger debate is a hot one. Die-hard fans on either side. And like with a lot of things, the Texans are out of their minds. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good burger place. I’d rather eat there than Wendy’s or Maccas, but compete with the west-coast king, it does not. Culver’s on the other hand, I was impressed by. Their substantial menu at first looks bloated and microwaved, but man does it deliver that midwest goodness. Their curds are excellent and butter burgers scrumptious.