If the DQ Blizzard is the winter storm warning of frozen desserts, the McDonald's McFlurry is made of the gently falling flakes that turn your world into a beautiful snow globe. There's no better end to a McD's feast than M&M's or Oreos cascading through creamy soft serve (or at least through the upper third of the cup ... it's not a perfect system, OK?). Plus, the spoon is a marvel of modern utensil technology. 

 McFlurry McDonald's

I once had to drive from Fort Collins, Colorado, to Santa Cruz, California—a journey of roughly 20 hours—alone in a car with no radio. For the journey, I bought two CDs—Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by the Flaming Lips and Original Pirate Material by the Streets—and four tall cans of Rockstar Energy drink. Somewhere west of the Great Salt Lake, I pulled over at a rest stop that looked like it was the site of roughly 50 grisly sex-murders. That was the first time I stopped (not counting for gas). The second time was at the In-N-Out in Watsonville, California, just an hour from home. That’s how good In-N-Out is. 

 Cheeseburger In-N-Out

What does Southern California taste like? A bunch of things: salty air at the beach. Smog. But mostly a burger, griddled, topped with something like Thousand Island dressing and tiny grilled onions. Best eaten in the car. 

Animal Style Burger In-N-Out

It’s the James Harden of fast-food sandwiches. The dynamic blend of flavors and textures makes for a sublime experience. It's so damn good the nutrition label doesn't matter, much like Harden's defense. 

 Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich Whataburger

The only bad thing about Beyoncé is that she has a lifetime of free chicken at Popeyes but, being a vegan, can't take advantage of it. Imagine having unfettered access to that succulent meat and those perfectly crisp and savory flaps of fried skin every day. OK—so some of us are already practically living that life. But imagine living it for free. 

Chicken Popeyes

There are only a few things in life that are certain: death, taxes, an episode of Law & Order being on right now, and Chicken McNuggets being delicious. Whether it's the one shaped like a boot, or the oval McNugget that has the purple, rubber-band–like vein, they are the perfect food. I'd get into how incredible the breading on a McNugget is, but words can't do it justice. (P.S.: Do NOT go to YouTube and watch a video of how they are made!) 

McNuggets McDonald's

To come to terms with your existence in a capitalist society is to accept that nothing is good, fast, and cheap. Well, almost nothing. You can have two, but not all three—unless you buy a Frosty.

 Frosty Wendy's

Bacon cheeseburgers are great because beef is great, cheese is great, and bacon is great, and these things are all great together. But most fast-food hamburgers taste vaguely savory, seem to be made of ingredients that are only food-like, and have the texture of sludge once they're in your mouth. The burger at Five Guys tastes like an actual bacon cheeseburger made with beef and bacon, and that's why it's good. This isn't complicated.

Bacon Cheeseburger Five Guys

What does it take to really make a relationship work? Love, of course. Compassion. Trust. Sesame seed buns. Kindness. Two hamburgers. Understanding. A special sauce. Pickles. Onions. Cheese. Lettuce. Big Macs forever, man. 

Big Mac McDonald's

Taco Bell crunchy tacos are perfect drunk food and hangover food: The crispy shell distracts from what some say is gooey meat (I say delicious!) for maximum late-night consumption, and there's some sort of magic preservative in them that keeps the shell just crunchy enough for day-after eating. Separate, the ingredients are nothing: tasteless iceberg lettuce, mediocre shredded cheese, questionable meat, and a fried tortilla. Together, they are perfect. 

Crunchy Shell Tacos Taco Bell

 Go to the Google search bar and start typing “What is the sauce in the”—then let it hang. The very first suggestion is “Taco Bell quesadilla,” a cheesy creation with a tangy yet spicy sauce. Being the top result on a Google search is an anonymous consensus: This quesadilla is special. 

 Chicken Quesadilla Taco Bell

 Someone took a tender, juicy, and perfectly fried piece of chicken and made it easier to eat by sticking it on a sandwich (and adding cheese)! Add some Polynesian, ranch, or Chick-fil-A sauce if you like, but frankly, this sandwich is so simple and perfect and delicious that it must be a sin to eat it. That's why you can't get them on Sundays. 

 Spicy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich Chick-fil-A

Five Guys crafts their cheeseburgers, they don't just plain old make them, and yes, there's a difference—in flavor, quality, and number of drips of glorious grease. If your burger doesn't come in a bag so soaked it's transparent, you're doing it wrong, and Five Guys does it very right. 

 Cheeseburger Five Guys

The Steakburger is the Double-Double without all the hype. It's a great blend of taste and convenience, and it's exactly what you should be looking for when it comes to a fast-food hamburger. 

Steakburger Steak 'N Shake

The soft cookies at Subway are often overlooked, presumably because the stench of the bread overwhelms, but they are consistently delicious with just the right density and temperature. 

 Soft Cookies Subway

The McDonald's Quarter Pounder doesn't need a special sauce or its own jingle. It doesn't need to be done “Animal Style.” It is simple Midwestern cholesterol-coated perfection. This low ranking is a disgrace. 

Quarter Pounder McDonald's

Popeyes chicken tenders are an extremely satisfying meal, and not just because their airy, crispy coating packs such a perfect crunch. Their long, thin shape is precisely engineered for optimal dipping into those tiny tubs of Bayou Buffalo or Blackened Ranch, making for a spicy and delicious synergy between finger food and condiment. 

Chicken Tenders Popeyes

I have written at length about my intense admiration for the McDonald's apple pie, a.k.a. mankind's most perfect creation, in the past. To sum it up: (1) sweet, (2) not too sweet, (3) filling, (4) not too filling, (5) SOLD IN FREAKING PAIRS. There are many great fast foods, but the Golden Arches' twin dessert is the greatest of them all. 

Baked Apple Pie McDonald's

The Chick-fil-A spicy chicken sandwich is iconic, and it isn’t even a decade old. Believe it or not, the spicy option was first introduced in 2010. It took more than 50 years to arrive, but there’s joy in knowing they got it right. Strip away the promotional gimmicks from its competitors and you’ll find that Chick-fil-A has the best, spiciest chicken sandwich in all of fast food. 

Spicy Chicken Sandwich Chick-fil-A

The Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich is transcendent. The perfect combination of a generous portion of breaded chicken, soft bun, and tart pickles, it's enhanced by only one thing: Polynesian sauce. 

Chicken Sandwich Chick-fil-A

In-N-Out's fries are just fine. Nothing special. But order them “Animal Style” from the not-so-secret secret menu and get them doused in sauce, drenched in cheese, and sprinkled with caramelized onions. Then grab a fork or get your hands dirty. The ordinary is now decadent, and it's a delicious mess. 

Animal Style Fries In-N-Out

It’s juicy and has just the right amount of zesty flavor—it’s like a flattened, elongated chicken nugget. Most importantly—the mayonnaise. Burger King is not afraid to liberally spread mayo on both sides of the long bun. I’m guessing it’s like three tablespoons worth of sweet, sweet mayo. My scientific theory: The almost excessive amount of mayonnaise not only adds an extra dose of umami, but also acts as some sort of flavor sealant. I don’t see a Chick-fil-A offering such scientific advances, that’s all I’m saying. 

 Original Chicken Sandwich Burger King

Where to start? How about that no other fast-food item is known for having its price in the title—because it's THAT good. You could feed yourself for a week for like $10 with these tacos. Next there's the quantity, which happens to be TWO. I don't need to sell you on the number two—the gods Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston have done that for us. Lastly, and this is key, we're talking about tacos. Find someone who doesn't like a greasy, mysterious, delicious taco, and you've found yourself Beelzebub incarnate. 

Two Tacos for 99¢ Jack in the Box

(1) Limeade is the greatest beverage, if not engineering achievement of any kind, in human history. (2) Sonic cherry limeade is not limeade as such, but with the flirtation of sweet-and-sour between cherry and lime juice, and a hint of carbonation, it's nearly as piquant as the genuine article. (3) Your teeth and pancreas might not thank you for mainlining Sonic cherry limeade, but we think with our brains and feel with our hearts, and our teeth and pancreases can shut the hell up. 

Cherry Limeade Sonic

I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, where the mark of a good party was a Chick-fil-A nugget platter on the coffee table. The humble Chick-fil-A nugget is the best portable chicken product on the market, and it is still a reliable indicator of whether a social gathering is worth your time. As Martha Stewart once said, “No nuggets, no party.” Believe her. 

Trending Today

Quarter Pounder McDonald's

from Kate Knibbs

$4.85

Chicken Tenders Popeyes

from Katie Baker

$7.41

Baked Apple Pie McDonald's

from Claire McNear

$1.27

Spicy Chicken Sandwich Chick-fil-A

from Danny Chau

$4.21

Chicken Sandwich Chick-fil-A

from Hannah Giorgis

$3.9

Animal Style Fries In-N-Out

from Jordan Conn

$3.4

Original Chicken Sandwich Burger King

from Allison P. Davis

$5.24

Two Tacos for 99¢ Jack in the Box

from Jason Gallagher

$-1

Cherry Limeade Sonic

from Michael Baumann

$2.55

Chicken Nuggets Chick-fil-A

from Amanda Dobbins

$3

Popular Today

McFlurry McDonald's

$3.06

Cheeseburger In-N-Out

$2.81

Animal Style Burger In-N-Out

$2.45

Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich Whataburger

$6.31

Chicken Popeyes

$6.77

McNuggets McDonald's

$5.75

Frosty Wendy's

$2.55

Bacon Cheeseburger Five Guys

$11.12

Big Mac McDonald's

$5.11

Crunchy Shell Tacos Taco Bell

$1.52

Chicken Quesadilla Taco Bell

$4.34

Spicy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich Chick-fil-A

$4.98

Cheeseburger Five Guys

$9.84

Steakburger Steak 'N Shake

$6.39

Soft Cookies Subway

$0.83