Survey: What’s Your Favorite Fast Food?

ZAGAT surveyed 6,100 hungry fast-food and full-service restaurant patrons about their favorite places to eat, and has finally compiled and released the results for 2009.

The best fast-food hamburger, which should come as no surprise to anyone who has eaten there, is from IN-N-OUT BURGER.   Best burger from a full-service restaurant came from RED ROBIN.

The other fast-food winners included:

• Best fried chicken: KFC
• Best grilled chicken: Chik-fil-A
• Best fries:  McDonald’s
• Best fast-food salads: Panera Bread
• Best milkshakes: Ben & Jerry’s
• Best coffee: Starbucks
• Best breakfast sandwich: McDonald’s
• Best smoothies/frozen yogurt: Smoothie King
• Best fish: Long John Silver’s
• Best fast-food value: McDonald’s
• Best overall value menu: McDonald’s
• Most child-friendly: McDonald’s
• Best drive-thru: McDonald’s

Along with Red Robin, the other full-service restaurants winners showed an overwhelming showing by The Cheesecake Factory:

• Best value: The Cheesecake Factory
• Best coffee: The Cheesecake Factory
• Best salad: The Cheesecake Factory
• Best steak: Outback Steakhouse
• Best breakfast: IHoP
• Best appetizers: The Cheesecake Factory
• Best desserts: The Cheesecake Factory

Most Popular Chains

• Fast food, up to 5,000 locations: Panera Bread
• Fast food, more than 5,000 locations: Subway
• Quick service: Starbucks
• Full service: PF Changs

Other top rankings:

• Top food, up to 5,000 locations: In-N-Out Burger
• Top food, more than 5,000 locations: Wendy’s
• Top food, quick service: Ben & Jerry’s
• Top food, full-service: PF Changs
• Top facilities, up to 5,000 locations: Panera Bread
• Top facilities, more than 5,000 locations: Wendy’s
• Top facilities, quick service: Caribou Coffee
• Top facilities, full-service: PF Changs
• Top service, up to 5,000 locations: In-N-Out Burger
• Top service, more than 5,000 locations: Subway
• Top service, quick service: Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
• Top service, full-service: Carrabba’s Italian Grill