Introducing Fast Food Reviews

Food critics have long been a staple of American culture, but for the most part, they report only on the upper-scale establishments that only a fraction of Americans may frequent. For the average consumer, information and unbiased grading of a large majority of eateries is clearly lacking. Here's where I come in.

Introducing Fast Food Reviews, a series where I, along with a guest, will be reviewing the cuisine at the establishments that matter - America’s fast food joints. We will document and rate the entire process, and order enough to get a glimpse of the entire menu.

Grading will be done on a 100 point scale, with 10 categories scored 1-10, as seen below:

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Ambiance
Service
Price
Entrees
Sides
Aesthetic
Nutrition
Drink Selection
Drive Through
Bathrooms

Ambiance refers to the overall feel and atmosphere of the restaurant, how the seating is constructed, and the cleanliness of the establishment.

Service quite simply evaluates the assistance the patron is given by the employees of said restaurant. Points off for impatience or, on the other end of the spectrum, counter abandonment.

Price, being self-explanatory, refers to the affordability of the common menu items; how much food, in both volume and calories, on gets for their money.

Entrees grades the taste of the main menu items, that, depending on the restaurant, could be burgers, sandwiches, burritos, or whatever a place may specialize in.

Sides, much like the previous category, grades taste of the secondary menu items, such as fries or chips.

Aesthetic is the underrated quality of presentation, not of the restaurant but of the food itself. Ideally, items should be consistent with their appearance on the menu.

Nutrition is very likely the least important category when looking at fast food, but it's still important to note what kind of hole the consumer is digging themselves into.

Drink Selection focuses on variety, not particular tastes. No points off for Coke vs. Pepsi, and a Coca-Cola freestyle is an automatic 9+.

Drive Through rates the entire process of the classic American drive-thru, from the wait times to the handoff of food.

Bathrooms may be the most underappreciated aspect of fast food joints, and a clean one goes a long way towards securing a good customer experience.

It's important to note that we are judging each restaurant against other fast food places, not other more expensive and "higher-quality" places. My purpose is to provide a reliable guide for the consumer on the go.

On each visit, I and my co-host will fill out a rubric, ending up with a score out of 100. We will also take notes on our experience that will be transcribed in the review.

Any suggestions for restaurants or elements of review can be directed in the comments below.

Previous Reviews:

Taco Bell