The Worst Fast Food Chain in America Has 175 Locations in New York

Americans love their fast food, but a new survey found people tend to avoid this once popular fried food chain the most.

The pandemic has had a bizarre effect on our fast food scene. It jacked up prices, shrank serving sizes, and slashed menu options, which explains why more people are abandoning the drive-thru.

A recent study found fast food prices rose an average of 20% since 2019 - but some states saw greater increases than other. It was found that New York had the highest fast food prices in the entire continental U.S., only to be outdone by Hawaii.

Read More: New York's Fast Food Most Expensive in the Entire Country

This could explain why more Americans are choosing to stay away from the drive thru and save money by cooking at home. Multiple establishments confirmed their quarterly ratings are in a freefall and that is forcing them to reconsider their menus.

In other cases, some chains are choosing to jack up their costs and cull their portions even more. Others are choosing to leave their stores understaffed, leading to short tempers on both sides of the drive-thru line.

And that may be why some chains are doing a lot worse than others. When it comes to the nation's least liked fast food stops, a once beloved franchise ranks as America's worst.

Casino experts at Jeff Bet compared America's 250 fast food chains to determine the most and least popular by pulling data and reviews from TripAdvisor. Establishments were ranked on a scale of 1 to 5 points, and the nation's least favorite was the only establishment to score in the twos.

That chain would be Kentucky Fried Chicken, which has 175 stores operating across New York State. The fried chicken establishment earned a total score of 2.95 out of 5 possible points.

Looking on a local level, the two closest KFC locations to Townsquare Media Utica have lukewarm reviews from their customer base. There also has been a steady rise of negative reviews in recent months.

The establishment in New Hartford has an overall score of 3.4 out of 5 stars, with recent reviews complaining about being served semi-raw meat or having no hot water in the men's room.

The KFC in Utica fares slightly better in customer reviews, with a current score of 4 out of 5 stars. However, a recent 1-star review complained of small, overcooked chicken pieces while another reviewer opined, "One piece was dry like the Sahara desert."

Whether or not KFC can turn itself around has yet to be seen, but it seems less people are inclined to eat there due to their surging costs and lackluster food. Why spend $40 on a 12 piece meal when you can buy almost 7 whole rotisserie chickens from your closest Walmart?

I'm sure Colonel Sanders would be livid to hear how far his franchise has fallen. Let's not wax poetic about how unaffordable the chain has become.

As for the nation's second-worst fast food restaurant, the honor goes to Burger King, with an overall score of 3.01. Respectively rounding out the top 5 was McDonald's, Church Texas Chicken, and Long John Silvers.

They respectively earned scores of 3.024, 3.151, and 3.166 out of five points.

As for the best fast food chain in America, the honor went to Andy's Frozen Custard, which earned 4.82 points out of 5. Said the study:

Andy's Frozen Custard is a chain of frozen custard stores in the United States, renowned for its consistent quality and friendly service. Andy’s ensures top-quality custard by making it fresh at each location. Additionally, they are committed to community involvement, with many locations actively participating in local events and supporting initiatives. 

Unfortunately, there's no franchises located in New York, so we just have to imagine how legendary their ice cream tastes. At least Central New York isn't lacking when it comes to reputable ice cream shops.

Read More: These Are the Top 10 Fan Voted Ice Cream Stands in Central New York

When was the last time you ate fast food? Where did you go and how much did you wind up spending?

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