California’s beloved burger chain came up short in a poll ranking the most popular food chains in the United States… versus a completely unexpected rival.
In-N-Out Burger is a famous eatery that started on the West Coast and has not yet made its way east, despite advocacy for East Coast locations.
Famous for its secret menu featuring ‘animal’ versions of the classic three-option menu, the fast-food restaurant turned out not to be as popular as it seems in a poll by YouGov.
The poll ranked the most popular restaurant brands in the fourth quarter of 2023 – and the results were surprising.
While the iconic California food chain didn’t finish anywhere near the top of the rankings, another California-born fast food company took the top spot for most popular.
The beloved burger joint on California’s west coast fell short in a poll ranking the nation’s most popular food chains
In-N-Out Burger is a notorious eatery offered exclusively in a handful of West Coast states
Famous for its secret menu featuring ‘animal’ versions of the classic three-option menu, the fast food restaurant turned out not to be as popular as it seems
In-N-Out Burger now has stores in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado and Idaho
The American food chain that took the top spot was surprisingly Baskin-Robbins, a family favorite spot for ice cream scoops and birthday cakes.
Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 in Glendale, California, by American brothers-in-law Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins.
The 79-year-old ice cream shop, originally known as Burton’s Ice Cream Shop, is known for its “31 flavors” tagline that goes along with the idea that a customer can have a different flavor every day of the month.
Baskin-Robbins now has a flavor library with at least 1,400 options, including the top five bestsellers: Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, Pralines ‘n Cream and Chocolate Chip.
In the 1970s, Baskin-Robbins went international, opening locations in Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Australia.
Baskin-Robbins gave the American public what they wanted in 2014 and began offering its iconic creative and classic flavors for sale in grocery stores.
The chain now has nearly 7,700 stores worldwide in at least 52 countries and 411 locations in California alone.
The American food chain that took the top spot was surprisingly Baskin-Robbins, a family favorite spot for ice cream scoops and birthday cakes
Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 in Glendale, California, by American brothers-in-law Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins.
The 79-year-old ice cream shop, originally known as Burton’s Ice Cream Shop, is known for its “31 flavors” tagline that goes along with the idea that a customer can have a different flavor every day of the month
Baskin-Robbins gave the American public what they wanted in 2014 and began offering its iconic creative and classic flavors for sale in grocery stores
Meanwhile, California’s other iconic fast-food restaurant In-N-Out Burger – which ranked 61st in the poll – was founded in 1948 in Baldwin Park, California, by Esther and Harry Snyder.
In-N-Out Burger now has stores in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado and Idaho.
The current owner is Lynsi Snyder – the only grandchild of Esther and Harry, the original creators.
In-N-Out chose not to franchise its operations or go public to maintain its reputation for ensuring food quality and customer consistency, which could be jeopardized by rapid business growth.
The burger joint’s customer base is very loyal and consistently rated well in customer satisfaction surveys.
Die-hard In-N-Out enthusiasts are even willing to wait for hours at the franchise’s iconic drive-thru or stand in line while listening for their number to be called.
Dairy Queen came in second place in the popularity poll, which shows that Americans love their ice cream because ‘DQ’ is best known for its take on a milkshake: the ‘blizzard’.
Wendy’s came in third – also highly regarded for milkshakes ‘frosties’ – but also famous for fast food classics such as burgers and fries.
Americans proved their love for desserts by ranking Cinnabon, known for its decadent cinnamon dessert treats, and Krispy Kreme, the iconic donut shop, as the fourth and fifth most popular food chains.