The Dirtiest Fast-Food Chains In America You Should Avoid While Traveling

If you're a frequent traveler, you know that one of the most significant challenges of being on the road or away from home is figuring out where to eat. While some destinations are perfect for foodies, eating at fancy restaurants can diminish your budget faster than you might think. Fortunately, when traveling in the United States, fast-food chains offer quick, affordable meals to keep you satisfied until your next gourmet meal. Sure, fast food isn't one of the ways to sneak in fruits and vegetables while traveling, but when you're short on time and cash, it can satiate you in a pinch.

But high calories and fat content are not the only reasons why fast food isn't ideal for every meal. Depending on where you decide to eat, the chain may be dirty and unsanitary. While local health departments are supposed to flag eateries with unsafe cleaning practices, they can only do so much. Whether you're taking the most scenic road trip in America or just visiting a particular location, these five fast-food places are the dirtiest overall, determined by outbreaks of foodborne illnesses from the chains, violations of food handling practices, and failed health inspections. So you might want to think twice before grabbing a bite on your trip.

Since 1993, Chipotle has become a mainstay of the fast-casual restaurant industry. The premise is simple: build your own burrito with fresh, authentic ingredients. With over 3,800 restaurants in the United States, the brand has broad appeal, but you might have to worry about experiencing a dirty Chipotle during your trip.

In 2015, the burrito chain had a string of norovirus outbreaks, as well as cases of Salmonella and E. coli poisoning in several states across the country. Then, in 2018, another outbreak in Ohio sickened over 600 people. The scandal and subsequent lawsuits were so bad that the company had to pay out $25 million in fines in 2020 — the largest settlement in a foodborne illness case ever. The company also shuttered restaurants and promised to focus on retraining employees to prevent further incidents.

Fortunately, there haven't been any major outbreaks of diseases at Chipotle restaurants since 2018, but it's still a good idea to keep a sharp eye when visiting, just in case. Plus, as recently as 2024, the company was embroiled in a scandal involving smaller portion sizes, with many customers complaining that they were getting less food for the same price.

Founded in 1954, Burger King has claimed the spot as the second-highest-grossing burger chain in the United States many times, even as recently as 2019. However, while the King's problems have not been as public or financially damaging as Chipotle's, they seem to be more widespread.

Specifically, many Burger King restaurants throughout the United States have had many health violations over the years. In some cases, the results from inspectors are well below average. The chain has a long history of being unsanitary, as the chain topped Dateline's list of dirtiest fast food restaurants in 2003 (via NBC). The show looked at 100 locations, which had a combined total of 241 critical code violations.

Overall, Burger King has over 6,500 locations across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, so it's virtually impossible to travel in America without spotting at least one. However, given how consistently these restaurants fail inspections, you might want to think twice before grabbing a Whopper.

If you find yourself traveling along the California coastline and run into the small town of Pacifica (near San Francisco), you might run into what's considered the "world's most beautiful Taco Bell." This particular restaurant feels more like a local beachside cantina instead of the most popular fast-food chains in the United States, with over 8,100 locations.

While individual Taco Bell restaurants might be gorgeous and clean on the inside, the chain itself has a history of disease outbreaks and health violations. However, like Chipotle, these incidents have occurred in the past, meaning modern restaurants are presumably cleaner, at least in terms of foodborne illnesses. The two most recent outbreaks were E. coli in 2006 in five states and Salmonella in 2010 in Washington and Oregon.

While noroviruses haven't been tied to Taco Bell in recent years, the chain has still had a few food-related scandals. For example, in 2019, about 2 million pounds of seasoned beef were recalled due to suspected contamination with metal shavings, and in 2024, onions were recalled after an E. coli outbreak linked to a supplier. On top of all of that, Taco Bell has also had to fend off rumors and lawsuits alleging that it doesn't use real ground beef in its dishes.

As one of the largest fast-food chains in the country, it makes sense that McDonald's would run the gamut in terms of cleanliness and health. On one hand, there are almost magical locations, such as one of the most-visited and unique McDonald's, the UFO-themed location in Roswell, New Mexico. On the other hand, stores in the Boston area have received numerous violations, and the company has had to deal with its own set of viral outbreaks. In fact, the onion recall we discussed with Taco Bell stemmed from an E. coli outbreak that affected over 75 people who ate contaminated onions at various McDonald's restaurants.

Before that, the chain was implicated in a cyclospora outbreak in 2018, which led the FDA to launch an investigation. In that case, McDonald's salads were the culprit (as if you needed another reason not to order a salad from McDonald's). Overall, with over 13,000 locations across the country, the Golden Arches are impossible to miss on any travels. While high-profile incidents like the E. coli outbreak of 2024 should give you pause, some stores are worse than others.

Last, but certainly not least, is Wendy's. This chain has almost 6,000 locations across the country, overtaking Burger King as the No. 2 burger restaurant for sales in recent years. Unfortunately, Wendy's has also had disease outbreaks, including one in 2022. That year, the restaurant chain was tied to an E. coli outbreak in four states, affecting at least 84 people. This incident became even more notorious after the family of an 11-year-old girl in Michigan sued the company because she developed permanent brain damage after eating contaminated food.

As with other chains, individual Wendy's have also come under scrutiny due to health code violations. For example, one location in Las Vegas was the subject of a "Dirty Dining" news segment in 2019, and another in Fort Lauderdale experienced similar notoriety in 2023. These segments highlighted issues like insects in the restaurant, food on the floor, and cross-contamination between raw ingredients.

Again, with so many restaurants spread across the country, some will be cleaner and more hygienic than others. Unfortunately, most of the worst offenders are unknown until an incident occurs. However, if you're in states like California, restaurants are required to post health inspection results, giving you a better idea of what to expect before ordering.