7 Chain Restaurants That Don’t Use Fillers in Their Food
In a perfect world, every chain restaurant would avoid processed ingredients and fillers and use only real ingredients when preparing food. However, to cut costs and keep prices low, many of them skimp and use filler ingredients when cooking. Luckily, there are a handful of chains that pride themselves on using only wholesome, pure ingredients. Here are 7 chain restaurants using real ingredients, not fillers.
Five Guys
Five Guys uses fresh, never-frozen ground beef with no preservatives or fillers and clean ingredients, including buns made sans high-fructose corn syrup. The website clearly states that the chain uses fresh ground beef, hand-cut potatoes for fries, and “fresh ingredients hand-prepared.” Additionally, their buns, a “proprietary item,” are “baked fresh at bakeries five days a week.” There are no freezers in any of their restaurants.
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle strives to use only pronounceable ingredients. On its website, there is a page devoted to “53 REAL INGREDIENTS,” listing each one. “We have always been committed to preparing real food made with real ingredients. You know, the kind you can recognize and pronounce. In fact, we’ve listed every single one of them right here. We wish everyone would do the same,” they say. They also use good meats. “We currently source only Responsibly Raised birds, which in the U.S. means they’re fed a 100% vegetarian diet with no antibiotics, but we’re always striving to raise our standards even higher,” they say about the chicken.
Shake Shack
The biggest complaint about Shake Shack is the higher prices, but this is mostly due to the fact that the chain uses Angus beef and clean source ingredients. The burgers are made with 100% Angus beef that’s hormone- and antibiotic-free, a non-GMO potato bun, and American cheese without artificial ingredients. “No hormones and no antibiotics ever,” it declares on the website. “Our proprietary Shack blend is freshly ground and served on a non-GMO potato bun.”
Panera Bread
Panera Bread has a no artificial additives policy, clearly stated on the “No No List” on the website. “At Panera Bread, ‘Clean’ describes food that does not contain the artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors, and colors from artificial sources on this ‘No No List’. You won’t find any of these in our ingredient statements for our US bakery-cafe food menu and grocery products,” they write.
Culver’s
Culver’s uses “fresh, never frozen beef” for its famous ButterBurger, according to its website, including real butter. “It’s a promise that begins with sourcing the best ingredients and continues through to the way we prepare your meal: fresh, just for you.” As for chicken, it sticks to “”whole, white meat chicken from America’s family farms,” according to its website. “It’s a promise that begins with sourcing the best ingredients and continues through to the way we prepare your meal: fresh, just for you.” The tenders are made fresh to order, so they always taste like they are straight from the fryer. “Culver’s chicken tenders are fresh made,” says one.
Sweetgreen
Sweetgreen, a fast food brand dedicated to delivering health-conscious food to customers through salads and warm bowls, is a great place to eat delicious food without guilt. The chain only uses Antibiotic-free chicken, salmon, and grassfed steak for proteins.
In-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out makes its burgers with 100% USDA ground chuck with no additives, fillers, or preservatives. The meat is cooked fresh and served with hand-leafed lettuce, vine-ripened tomatoes, and their signature spread. The brand only uses “always serve only fresh – never frozen – high quality products,” they shared in a recent Instagram post. “In fact, we don’t even own a microwave or a freezer. We have always made our hamburger patties ourselves starting with fresh, high quality front-quarter beef chucks – no additives, fillers, or preservatives.” Even their iceberg lettuce is “hand-leafed” and buns are baked using old-fashioned, slow-rising sponge dough.” And, burgers are made “one at a time, cooked fresh to order. “