We have a list you’ll want to keep in your back pocket when traveling.
Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel guidance platform, announced the winners of its 2022 Travelers’ Choice awards, and several major fast-food chains have made the list of the best Quick Bites spots across the nation. The rankings were calculated based on the quality and quantity of the reviews people posted on Tripadvisor from July 2021 through June.
“More than half of consumers in a recent survey told us that food is the most exciting component of their trip,” says Lauren Murphy, vice president and general manager of Hospitality Solutions at Tripadvisor in a statement. It then makes sense to know the most reliable places for cheap and easy food experiences when traveling.
Here are the national fast-food chains that have made the top 20 list.
Portillo’s
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This Illinois-based chain, with locations in Florida, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minneapolis, Michigan, Arizona, and California, is famous for its Chicago-style hot dogs (don’t ask for ketchup) and the cake shakes (yes, there’s an actual slice of cake blended into each shake).
At dinner time, the line at their typical drive-thru snakes around the block—but don’t let that scare you away.
Portillo’s operates 67 locations but it was its Chicago restaurant that got the Tripadvisor award thanks to rave reviews like: “On Holiday in Chicago and been here twice in 2 days,” and “The food lives up to the hype and I understand why there are queues.”
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Earl of Sandwich
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Customers go crazy for The Original 1762 (roast beef, cheddar, and horseradish sauce), the Tuna Melt, and others—because they simply make the best sandwiches here.
The Orlando-based chain has 34 domestic locations, with its Las Vegas location making Tripadvisor’s top 20 list. “We stayed at Planet Hollywood and this place was a fantastic spot to grab breakfast, lunch, or a quick snack. The food was delicious and affordable the service was terrific and it’s an excellent spot for coffee if you don’t care for Starbucks,” said one happy customer.
Shake Shack
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“Great burgers and fries. Love coming to Shake Shack. Always a busy location though and not too big. Portobello Mushroom Burger and strawberry shake is a personal staple,” wrote one Tripadvisor customer said the chain’s award-winning location in New York City.
This burger and shake joint was founded in 2014 with a kiosk in New York, and has since grown to 229 U.S. locations and 121 international spots.
Blaze Pizza
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Modeled after Chipotle’s made-to-order fast-casual dining approach, Blaze Pizza offers customers the choice of five crusts and more than 35 toppings on their house-made dough.
It’s no surprise that this spot, with more than 300 locations nationwide, made the list. “Was an amazing afternoon. Food was great and staff was lovely! This was the third place we tried in town and this was the only location that welcomed 6 of us at 3:00 pm. They were so welcoming,” said one customer of the chain’s Orlando, Fla. location.
In-N-Out
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Do some people fly to California specifically to try the famous In-N-Out burgers? We wouldn’t put it past them. The iconic burger chain, which also has locations in Arizona, Utah, Washington, Texas, and Oregon, prides itself on its high-quality meat and its addictive secret sauce.
“Burgers and fries animal style! So delicious and pretty cheap. We would definitely hit the Hollywood location near the walk of fame again. They were packed but the service was fast (just don’t plan on getting a table),” one person said of the award-winning Los Angeles location.
