The Ten Most Notorious Fast Food Items

10. Original Sliders
White Castle

We start off the list small… really small. The White Castle sliders are known for their miniscule size. Its that one quality which sets it apart and makes the restaurant unique. And with the publicity from the hit comedy Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, these tiny burgers have enough popularity to make it onto this list.

9. Teen Burger
A&W

A&W had a strong presence back in the cruising days of the 50s and 60s. The Teen Burger was probably the most prominent member of their “burger” family, which also consisted of the mama and papa burgers.

8. A&W Rootbeer
A&W

Now, I don’t plan on putting popular drinks like Coca-Cola, etc. on the list since they didn’t actually originate in fast food restaurants. But A&W Rootbeer is entirely different, since it was created by Roy Allen and the entire A&W restaurant chain was built around it. It is certainly the most popular beverage originated from a fast food franchise.

7. McDonald’s Fries
McDonald’s

This probably seems like a cop-out, since the majority of fast food joints have french fries. But McDonald’s fries are very distinct and quite infamous, thus earning them a spot on this list. There is no mistaking the taste of a McDonald fry, and they say that no matter where you are in the world, the taste of their fries is always the same.

6. The Colonel’s Original Recipe
Kentucky Fried Chicken

Made with 11 herbs and spices, Colonel Sanders created his new fried chicken recipe back in the 30s, and it has since blown up into a fast food empire. The KFC bucket is now iconic and the chicken inside has satisfied many hungry people over the decades.

5. Chicken McNuggets
McDonald’s

Hitting the fast food market in the early 80s, the popularity of McNuggets exploded until it was not only one of the most popular items on the McDonald’s menu, but one of the most popular items in fast food period. They offer more variety to a burger-heavy selection and are to this day a tasty treat.

4. Quarter Pounder with Cheese
AKA Royale with Cheese
McDonald’s

Sure, its pre-cooked weight is 1/4 of a pound, but nonetheless, the burger has definitely made a name for itself. Its name is immediately associated with the clown-promoted restaurant which created it. McDonald’s certainly has a lot of items on this list. Why? Because its very good at giving its items a reputations and name recognition, and the quarter pounder is one of its all-time classics.

3. The Blizzard
Dairy Queen

Lets take a break from Burgers for a second and dip into a refreshing, cold treat. And really, its a simple concept: soft serve ice cream with bits of candy blended in it. But within that simple concept they created an ice cream masterpiece. Dairy Queen sold 100 million blizzards the year it was introduced, and the treat has been going strong ever since.

2. The Whopper
Burger King

Burger King’s slogan itself says it all: “Home of the Whopper”. And really, its just a regular hamburger. I suppose its the power of marketing which keeps the whopper as a household name. Its simply one of the most well-known burgers among the general public and ALMOST the notorious. But, in true Burger King style, it just falls short of number 1.

1. Big Mac
McDonald’s

And of course, the most notorious fast food item comes from the most notorious fast food chain. McDonald’s has dominated this list with four items (and a fifth in the wings at #11). But the Big Mac is the granddaddy of fast food burgers. Originating in Pittsburgh in the 60s, the Big Mac’s reputation is still going strong today.
The Big Mac’s double layer burger and its mysterious special sauce have made it a fast food legend. Economists even use the “Big Mac Index” to compare living costs in different countries. It seems that as long as there are fast food chains, the McDonald’s Big Mac will be around.