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100 Shocking Facts About Fast Food You Never Knew

Honestly, we'd like to forget #28.
FACT CHECKED BY Meaghan Cameron

Roughly 50 million Americans eat at fast-food restaurants in the United States each day, and you may count yourself among them, but do you know the crazy statistics, ingredients, and histories behind the most famous fast-food chains?

The fast-food industry rakes in $110 billion in a single year, with no signs of declining popularity over the past 15 years, according to NPR. This trend is likely to continue as many fast-food giants pledge to clean up their act when it comes to the health of their customers and the planet. Whether you see burgers, chicken nuggets, and foot-long subs in your future or not, read on to learn 100 of the craziest fast food facts we could find. Plus, read up on the 100 Unhealthiest Foods on the Planet.

McDonald's is the World's Largest Toy Distributor

McDonald's Happy Meal
Shutterstock

The world's largest toy distributor is none other than McDonald's, thanks to their Happy Meals. And since transitioning to including more books rather than toys, McDonald's has sold more books to kids as part of happy meals than are housed in the Library of Congress.

A Photoshopped Ad Led to a New Arby's Sandwich

Arby's meat mountain
Courtesy of Arby's

A 2014 ad designed to showcase Arby's array of meat options, depicted a photoshopped sandwich stacked high with every variation available. When customers began asking for the exact sandwich they saw depicted in the ad, Arby's "Meat Mountain" sandwich was born.

Colonel Sanders Opened Another Restaurant After KFC

Claudia sanders dinner house
Carolynne M./Yelp

After perfecting his fried chicken recipe, Colonel Sanders saw KFC grow to be a billion-dollar company. KFC also changed their chicken and gravy recipes to something that didn't meet the Colonel's standards. Since the KFC founder hated the new food so much, he opened a new fried chicken restaurant to compete with the chain he started.

Subway Was Sued for Short Sandwiches

Subway italian bmt
Subway/Facebook

Customers who doubted the name of Subway's foot-long sub broke out the rulers and sued the sandwich chain for making sandwiches that were only 11 inches in length. Subway fought back, saying it was just a "descriptive term," but ultimately settled the suit and agreed to measure all their sandwich breads.

One BK Burger Was Made with Black Squid Ink

Burger king black burger japan
Courtesy of Burger King

In 2014, for a limited time only, Burger King customers in Japan could enjoy the Kuro (black) burger, which included black cheese made from bamboo charcoal and a black squid ink sauce on a charred black bun.

Cinnabon Bakes Empty Cookie Sheets to Entice Customers

Cinnabon baking tray
Cinnabon/Facebook

Wafting through many malls is the familiar smell of Cinnabon's buns. To keep you coming towards that seductive scent, the cinnamon bun maker bakes empty cookie trays coated in their signature sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Soda Fountains Sometimes Contain Fecal Matter

Soda
Shutterstock

A 2010 study found that 48 percent of soda fountains at fast-food restaurants contain coliform bacteria, commonly found in feces. Microbiologists from Hollins University don't know how it gets there, but suspect it may come from dirty cleaning rags or unwashed customer hands.

Taco Bell was Sued for Calling Their Taco Filling 'Meat'

Double chalupa
Courtesy of Taco Bell

In 2011, a law firm in Alabama sued Taco Bell, saying the chain's taco filling couldn't be called beef since it contained more oats, seasoning, and fillers than meat. Taco Bell fought back against the charges, along with slightly changed the wording of their advertising, and the case was dropped.

KFC's Secret Recipe is Super Top Secret

KFC extra crispy chicken
KFC

KFC ads are not exaggerating when claiming the 11 herbs and spices used to season their chicken are a secret. There are two separate plants that create half of the mixture, and then a computer does the mixing, ensuring that no single location has the full recipe.

Subway's Bread Used to Contain a Chemical Also Found in Yoga Mats

Subway chicken bacon ranch
Subway/Facebook

Until 2014, Subway's bread contained azodicarbonamide, a chemical that can be found in yoga mats. The chain signed a pledge to discontinue its usage after food blogger, Food Babe, got 78,000 signatures on a petition demanding they remove the chemical from their food.

Almost Everyone Knows Ronald

Ronald mcdonald
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According to Fast Food Nation, 96 percent of children worldwide recognize Ronald McDonald, making him the most recognizable fictional character in the world, followed by Santa Claus.

20 Biggest McDonald's Menu Disaster You Forgot About

Trust You'll Get A Fresh Cuppa at Dunkin'

Freshly ground coffee

Hate the taste of burnt coffee? So do we. And apparently so does Dunkin. According to DD, the chain's coffee is freshly ground, freshly brewed, and—most importantly—freshly served. "If not used within 18 minutes, Dunkin' Donuts coffee is discarded and a new carafe is freshly brewed."

Does Fast Food Really Never Decay?

Burger rain
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You may have heard that the Big Mac from McDonald's can sit for as many as 12 years without any sign of decay, which many have pointed to as evidence of the fast food's unhealthy qualities. While you can't argue that a Big Mac is good for you, Serious Eats found out that homemade burgers also don't rot, given the right conditions.

McDonald's Uses Real Eggs in Their Egg McMuffin

McDonalds egg mcmuffin
Courtesy of McDonald's

Contrary to the rumors you may have heard, the famous McMuffin uses REAL whole eggs that are freshly cracked and cooked in restaurants without additives. McDonald's also recently moved from frying their eggs in margarine to using 100 percent real clarified butter.

Are Those Flies in the Tomato Sauce?

Pizza
Vita Marija Murenaite/Unsplash

According to the FDA website, it is admissible for tomato sauces to contain "30 or more fly eggs per 100 grams" and "one or more maggots per 100 grams." People all over the world eat insects on a daily basis and they likely won't harm you, but it's good to know you are getting that extra protein when eating a slice of Papa John's or Domino's.

Why Choose Between a Cheeseburger or Pizza if You Don't Have To?

Pizza hut crown crust burger middle east
Pizza Hut Middle East/YouTube

In 2012, Pizza Hut Middle East invented a pizza most of us would have a hard time dreaming up. The Crown Crust Pizza came with mini cheeseburgers in the crust. This specialty item was part of a bigger effort to produce, "the most royal pizza ever."

7 Foods You'll Never See at Pizza Hut Again 

Papa John's Ended a Practice That is Cruel to Animals

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Shutterstock

Papa John's may not share what is in their pizzas, but they have sworn to stop sourcing from farms that use gestation crates, tightly confining cages that keep pregnant sows from being able to turn around. It seems crazy that this has ever been standard practice, but the good news is McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's have also committed to stopping the practice. In fact, many fast food companies have even pledged to only serve cage-free eggs in the near future.

Subway Once Held the World Record for Sandwich Making

Subway sandwich
ValeStock/Shutterstock

Have you ever wondered what the Guinness World Record was for the "most people making sandwiches simultaneously"? It was held by Subway for two years when 1,481 people synced up their sandwich-making at their annual convention, ut was recently broken by TangoTab and friends with 2,586 sandwiches in 2016.

Getting into McDonald's Was More Competitive Than Harvard in 2011

McDonalds employees
McDonald's/Facebook

In 2011, Harvard accepted only 7 percent of applicants, while McDonald's accepted just 6.2 percent of those looking for a job with the fast-food chain.

IHOP Omelets Are Fluffy Thanks to Pancake Batter

IHOP cheeseburger omelette
Courtesy of IHOP

For the fluffiest omelet possible, IHOP includes a surprising ingredient with its eggs: pancake batter. You can find the recipe online and make it at home. Unfortunately, this means that those avoiding gluten have to avoid the egg-based dish, according to IHOP's allergen declarations.

1 in 8 American Workers Has Worked at McDonald's

Mcdonalds employees
McDonald's/Facebook

According to the book, Fast Food Nation, 1 in every 8 American workers has worked at McDonald's.

Some Salads Have More Calories Than a Big Mac

Mcdonalds bacon ranch salad
Courtesy of McDonald's

When ordering a salad over a burger at McDonald's you may be ready to congratulate yourself on staying healthy, but check the calorie count. Due to loaded fixings, some of their salads (the Bacon Ranch Salad with Buttermilk Crispy Chicken and dressing rings in at 680 calories!) have more calories than a cheeseburger. (For reference, the Big Mac has only 540 calories.)

The Best & Worst Fast Food Salads—Ranked! 

A Side of Onion McNuggets?

Mcdonalds chicken nugget
McDonald's/Facebook

Thanks to taste testers, we were graced with McDonald's Chicken McNuggets in 1983. Otherwise, we would be eating the slated Onion McNuggets today. (Unsurprisingly, McDonald's still served the Onion McNuggets, but they were short-lived.)

You Are Probably Less Than 100 Miles From a McDonald's Right Now

McDonalds exterior
Shutterstock

If you are anywhere in the continental United States, did you know you are never more than 115 miles away from a McDonald's? And the only place that is more than 100 miles away is an empty plain in South Dakota.

Possible Link Found Between Fatty Foods and Dementia

forgetful
Shutterstock

Beyond the physical health costs of eating fast food, recent studies have shown that fatty foods and sweets are also tied to an inability to create new memories, creating a possible link between unhealthy foods and dementia.

Who's Afraid of Ronald McDonald?

Pennywise
9 Media/YouTube

Burger King Russia filed a lawsuit against the movie It in 2017, saying the scary clown, Pennywise, violates advertising laws because he "is an exact copy" of Ronald McDonald, Burger King's rival mascot.

This Church Truly Feeds the Hungry

Baptist church subway
Screengrab of GoogleMaps

Have you ever found yourself hungry on the way to church with no time to eat? Head to Rev. Darius Pridgen's True Bethel Baptist Church in Buffalo, NY, which is also a Subway franchise, intended to provide jobs and feed those in need.

A Single Burger May Have Parts from More Than 100 Cows

cow
Shutterstock

Imagining the cow that became your burger may give you pause before the next bite, but can you imagine 100 cows? McDonald's confirmed that there are parts from more than 100 cows in just a single fast-food burger. Ew.

Arby's Holds the Record for Longest T.V. Commercial

Arbys 13 hour commercial brisket
Arby's/Youtube

The World Record for longest commercial ever aired belongs to fast food chain, Arby's. Their 13-hour-and-five-minute spot aired in 2014 in Duluth, MN and is a single shot of a beef brisket being smoked, proving to the public how dedicated Arby's is to their brisket sandwich.

Arby's Bought Pharrell's Hat

@Arby's/Twitter

After the Twitterverse noted that the hat Pharrell wore in his 2015 Grammy performance resembled the Arby's logo, the singer listed the hat on e-Bay to raise money for a charity. Arby's bought the hat for $44,100.

Chicken Nuggets May Not Be the Part of the Chicken You Expect

Chicken nuggets
Shutterstock

In 2013, researchers published a study in The American Journal of Medicine, looking at the age-old question, are chicken nuggets really chicken? The short answer is yes, but they found that nuggets contain very little meat and are mostly the birds' bones, fat, and tendons.

Some Fast Food Dyes Have Been Linked to ADHD

Dyes
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Brightly colored fast foods might help catch the eye and attention of young kids but that focus may be short-lived, as artificial food coloring common in some fast food has been linked to diagnoses of ADHD.

Some Red Food Coloring Comes from Crushed Beetles

Starbucks frap
Shutterstock

Carmine is another common ingredient with an innocuous name found in fast food milkshakes and fruit juices that you may imagine is created in a lab, but the truth is much stranger. This red food coloring is derived from crushing up cochineal beetles, a truth the FDA has required manufacturers to disclose just since 2011. As recently as 2012, Starbucks used carmine in their Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino, but they have since moved on to tomato-based lycopene.

Eating Fast Food May Lead to Depression

Depressed man
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A 2012 study in the Journal of Public Health Nutrition found a link between the consumption of fast food and high rates of depression. It turns out that Happy meal might not leave you so happy after all.

Link Found Between Eating Fast Food and Breast Cancer

breast cancer support group
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In other news of scary links between fast food and long-term health costs, just as of the summer of 2016 medical researchers have also found a link between fast food consumption and breast cancer.

Living Near Fast Food Restaurants is Linked to Obesity

house
Shutterstock

Can just living near a fast food restaurant increase your chances of being obese? While it may still require eating the food, since we don't absorb calories through the air, studies have found that those living less than two miles from a fast food restaurant are more likely to have a high BMI.

Fast Food Ads are Linked to Overeating

girl watching tv
Shutterstock

Chances are you live within a short distance of a McDonald's, Subway or Burger King, but even if you don't pass by one every day, you surely encounter their advertising. Activists have been pushing for years to remove these ads in the same way cigarette ads have largely been banned, as studies have found there is a link between being exposed to fast food ads and overeating.

More Than a Third of American Kids Eat Fast Food Every Day

Child eating Mcdonalds happy meal
Shutterstock

As public awareness of the negative effects of fast food is on the rise, you may find it shocking to learn that 34 percent of American kids eat fast food on a given day.

Fast Food Linked to Poor Academic Improvement in Kids

Kid eating burger
Shutterstock

While it's important to take into account other systemic factors linked to poverty, the high number of children eating fast food on a daily basis is cause for concern. Eating those burgers and fries regularly has been linked to kids showing less academic improvement than their peers.

The Average American Spends $1,200 on Fast Food in a Year

Saving money
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We often associate fast food with being the most affordable option available, but this unhealthy option weighs on our wallets over time too. The average American spends $1,200 a year on fast food.

When it Rains, it's Time to Get a Free Sub

Subway sub
Subway/Facebook

It may not rain much in the desert climate of southern California, but did you know that when it does any Subway will award you with a free six-inch sub or hot soup when you purchase a foot-long sub and a 32-ounce drink? It's dubbed the "Rainy Day Special."

Would You Like a Baked Potato with That?

Wendys baked potato
Courtesy of Wendy's

There is only one major fast food chain in the United States that sells baked potatoes, Wendy's. Because they are the only player in the game, the popular chain sells one million baked potatoes per week, on average.

Couples Say I Do-Nut

Couple on wedding day
Shutterstock

In 2004, Dunkin Donuts ran a contest in the tristate area that gave couples the chance to win an all expenses paid wedding, at a Dunkin' Donut location. The two winning couples submitted their romantic proposal stories to win, though neither proposal happened in a Dunkin Donuts.

Pumpkin Spice French Fries in Japan

mconalds pumpkin pie spiced fries japan
@McDonaldsJapan/Twitter

For Halloween in 2016, McDonald's released an odd and delicious-looking dish: French fries covered in chocolate and pumpkin flavoring. Sadly, it was only available to customers in Japan.

McDonald's Has Had Some Strangely Awesome Promotional Ideas

Mcdonalds million dollar record youtube
Mark Davis/YouTube

In 1988, McDonald's gave customers a chance to win one million dollars by finding a vinyl record attached to a coupon where singers sang an original song about McDonald's food all the way through without making a mistake. Many copies of the record were made, but the chorus intentionally failed to make it through the entire song withing messing up—except for one record, who would have been the million dollar winner.

The Founder of Subway Got His Start at Seventeen

subway founder fred deluca
mynewsdesk/Wikimedia

Think back to what you were up to as a 17-year-old. Did you have any bright ideas that carried through into your adulthood? Probably not, so you may be surprised to learn that Subway founder Fred DeLuca was just 17 when he started his sandwich shop with $1,000 loan from a family friend.

Taco Bell Recalled Their Corn Shells For an Odd Reason

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Shutterstock

Lawsuits over the labeling of meat are not the only times Taco Bell has had to show up in court. In 2000, they had to recall their corn shells because they contained non-approved GMO corn.

Chick-fil-A Buys the Most Sunkist Lemons

Lemons
Shutterstock

The restaurant's lemonade is so popular that the chain squeezed more than 200 million lemons in 2013 alone. You know the saying: When life gives you more than 200 million lemons, make a lot of lemonade to wash down fried-chicken sandwiches.

Subway Can Be Found on the Fashion Runway

women shopping
Shutterstock

Did you know Subway doesn't only make sandwiches, but also designer clothing? The sandwich giant entered the fashion industry in 2013 with "Project Subway," a competition for designers to create clothing inspired by the Subway brand.

This Preservative is Linked to Pancreatic Cancer

Bacon
Shutterstock

While the healthy appearance of fast food meat may leave us thinking it's safe to eat, it turns out one ingredient found in McDonald's bacon, sodium nitrate, that keeps meat looking fresh is actually linked to pancreatic cancer.

There Are Almost 38 Million Possible Combinations at Subway

Subway meat
Courtesy of Subway Hong Kong

Have you ever found yourself freezing up at Subway when it's your turn to order, unable to make a decision? Don't feel bad. Believe it or not, the menu has nearly 38 million total possible combinations.

Wood Pulp Can Be Found in Some Fast Food

wendys spicy chicken sandwich
Wendy's/Facebook

What ingredients might you expect to find in shredded cheese besides, well, cheese? Probably not wood pulp, but you will find it listed as powdered cellulose in Wendy's Spicy Chicken Wrap. The cellulose is added to keep the cheese from sticking together.

A Man Found Human Flesh in his Arby's Sandwich

Arbys storefront
Courtesy of Arby's

In 2005, Arby's customer David Scheiding was eating a chicken sandwich when he found a piece of human flesh. It turned out a manager cut his thumb and hadn't thrown away the bin that contained lettuce and his skin. Scheiding sued Arby's for more than $50,000.

A Woman Planted a Fingertip in Her Wendy's Chili

chili
Shutterstock

Anna Ayala claimed she found a fingertip in her Wendy's chili in 2004, but it turned out she had put the severed fingertip there herself, after paying a man to provide his digit for the scam. Ayala got caught, but Wendy's alleged they lost $21 million thanks to the rumors her lie created. The woman was sentenced to nine years in prison with a peculiar condition to her release: she cannot step foot in a Wendy's again.

McDonald's Makes Singing Stars Of Their Employees

woman singing
Shutterstock

The Voice of McDonald's singing competition gives their more than one million workers a chance to compete, American Idol style. The winning singers have received $25,000 and other prizes in the past.

A Deadly E.Coli Cost Jack in the Box Customers Their Lives

Jack in the Box
Shutterstock

In 1993, four children died due to an E. coli outbreak at the burger chain, Jack in the Box. The restaurant was sued for $15.6 million in the resulting lawsuit.

Burger King Phased Out Trans Fat After a Lawsuit

deep fryer
Shutterstock

In 2007, the Center for Science in the Public Interest sued Burger King as a tactic for ending their use of trans fat. The burger chain eventually phased out trans fat by Nov. 1, 2008.

McDonald's Settled a Lawsuit with The American Heart Association

Doctor holding heart
Shutterstock

In response to a lawsuit saying McDonald's failed to let the public know about trans fat in cooking oil, the fast food giant gave $7 million to the American Heart Association for a campaign to educate the public about trans fats.

A Woman Found Coffee Pot Glass In Her Chicken Sandwich

mcdonalds chicken sandwich
Courtesy of McDonald's

Vjolla Lecaj sued McDonald's for $600,000 after eating a spicy chicken sandwich that contained glass from an exploding coffee pot.

A Cop was Injured by a Big Mac Full of Glass

big mac
Courtesy of McDonald's

New York City police officer John Florio bit into a Big Mac full of glass in 2005, and sued McDonald's for $5.5 million, with the worker who prepared the sandwich being charged with a felony. The case was eventually settled in 2014 for $437,000.

Vegetarians Won a Lawsuit Over McDonald's Fries

Mcdonalds french fries
Courtesy of McDonald's

When vegetarians found out they had been eating McDonald's fries cooked in beef tallow instead of vegetable oil as advertised, they sued. In 2002, McDonald's doled out $10 million to groups affected by the incorrect labeling.

McDonald's Fries Still Not Fit for Vegans

Milk glass woman
Shutterstock

But McDonald's may have been too quick to claim that their fries were safe for all diets, once they stopped using beef. The frying replacement was revealed to contain milk in 2006, meaning vegans and those with allergies had still been misled.

The Infamous Hot Coffee McDonald's Case

mcdonalds mccafe
Courtesy of McDonald's

Stella Liebeck sued McDonald's being burnt by a hot coffee in the most infamous fast food lawsuit in 1992. The media mocked this as a frivolous lawsuit, but Liebeck was severely burned. Later records revealed that more than 700 people filed claims that they had been burned by McDonald's coffee from 1982 to 1992.

A Man Sued Papa John's for Texting Him Too Much

Smartphone
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Papa John's was sued by a man for texting him too often. Jonathan Anozie claimed he suffered "anxiety, frustration, and annoyance" when the automated texting service ignored his "STOP" texts.

A Couple Sued Burger King for $17

Stack of money
Shutterstock

A Pennsylvania couple asked for a refund after being charged twice for the same meal at a Burger King. The refund failed to be processed, so they sued, and won, the $17.35 they were owed.

A Man Sued Popeye's Over a Spork

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In 2016, Popeye's was sued by a man who said he choked on his chicken because he hadn't been provided a fork and knife, but only a spork.

Starbucks Sued For Ice in Iced Drinks

starbucks iced coffee
Shutterstock

A case against Starbucks for ripping off their customers by not filling their iced coffees all the way to leave room for ice was dismissed by a U.S. District judge who wrote that, "if children have figured out that including ice in a cold beverage decreases the amount of liquid they will receive," customers should be able to do the same.

Fast Food Really Can Be Deadly

Woman clutching heart
Shutterstock

A recent study found that those who eat fast food four times a week or more are at an 80 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease.

Chick-Fil-A is Always Closed on Sunday

Chick fil a mercedes benz stadium
Courtesy of Chick-fil-A

While they may be one of the most popular fast food chains in the country, the Chick-Fil-A official statement of corporate purpose doesn't make mention of food at all. Ascribing to a higher purpose it reads, "To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A." Their faith-based leadership is the reason every Chick-fil-A is closed on Sunday—even the one located in a Football Stadium.

Fast Food Marketing May Make You Change Your Mind

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Shutterstock

Have you ever gotten into a fast food line with every intention of ordering a salad, but then find yourself asking for a greasy combo meal instead? You are not alone. Food marketers design the menu with descriptive terms like "hot n' juicy" to get you to crave those for addictive menu items, and it works.

The Filet O' Fish Was Invented For Catholics

McDonalds filet o fish
Courtesy of McDonald's

McDonald's Filet O' Fish sandwich was born in 1962, not as a healthy alternative, but as a religious one, for Catholics who didn't eat meat on Fridays. Sales of this sandwich are especially high during Lent.

Wendy's Founder Has An Important Cause: Adoption

kids snack
Eat This, Not That!

Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy's, is more than a fast food kingpin. He started the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 1992 because of his own experience as an adopted child born from a one night stand in Atlantic City.

Dave Thomas and Colonel Sanders Used to Work Together

Wendy's exterior
Shutterstock

Dave Thomas worked for KFC for years and was close with Colonel Sanders. In 1967, he invented the now famous revolving sign. When he sold his KFC franchises he used the money to start Wendy's.

Wendy's Founder Inspires Kids To Stay in School

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Shutterstock

Dave Thomas went back to school to get his GED after meeting high school kids who questioned staying in school because they saw how successful he was without the degree. He even attended the high school prom with his wife at the age of 61.

Taco Bell is American Food in Mexico

Taco bell
Shutterstock

"Taco Bell is something else" is the oddly vague slogan the fast food giant used to open new restaurants in Mexico, where they label their signature fare "American food."

The Not-So-Secret Quesarito

Chipotle burrito new tortilla
Chipotle/Facebook

Chipotle's "secret" menu item, the quesarito (a burrito wrapped in a quesadilla) isn't a secret at all, but the invention of one creative customer who saw both items on the menu and decided to request this combo.

KFC For Christmas in Japan

Couple giving gifts on Christmas
Shutterstock

KFC may not be what you think of when asked to name traditional Christmas fare—unless you are in Japan. Since 1975, KFC in Japan has offered a Christmas meal, and its $40 Christmas Barrel has become so popular that they often sell out before the holiday arrives.

WTC Workers Eat from a Mobile Subway Shop

subway
Shutterstock

Would you eat at a Subway hanging in mid-air? Construction workers at the World Trade Center building did just that in 2010, when a pulley system was constructed to pull the mobile Subway shop between floors, helping workers keep to schedule with quick lunch breaks.

Pizza Hut Used to Buy All the Kale

Kale in colander
Shutterstock

Before kale became the hottest, healthy shopping list item in 2013, its biggest purchaser was Pizza Hut. But not for the pizzas, the fast food chain used solely to decorate its salad bars.

Pizza Hut in Space

pizza hut
Shutterstock

When Pizza Hut delivered a pizza to the International Space Station in 2001 as a promotional stunt they added extra salt and spices to the slices because space travel reduces the sensitivity of astronauts' taste buds.

First 100 Customers Win Big at New Chick-fil-A Stores

Chick fil a fried chicken sandwich
Courtesy of Chick-fil-A

Have you ever spotted customers camping out in front of a store, not for iPhones or Black Friday deals, but for a chicken sandwich? It's a regular, all-night party when a new Chick-fil-A is set to open, with the first 100 customers winning a meal once a week for a year.

The End Of Domino's 30 Minute Guarantee

Domino Pizza
Shutterstock

Domino's 30 minute or less guarantee remains alive and well in pop culture lore, but the potential promise of free pizza ended as a company policy 25 years ago after a lawsuit was brought against the fast food pizza chain when one woman was severely injured by a speeding delivery driver trying to keep the Domino's guarantee.

Denny's Locks Its Doors For The First Time– And Needs Locks

Dennys
Shutterstock

"Always open," 24/7 Denny's stores never closed until 1988, when the fast food chain decided to give employees off. The only complication that arose was how to make sure the place was locked up while empty. Because many stores had never closed in the company's 35-year history, they had to hire locksmiths to install new locks or replace very old ones.

Outback Steakhouse Isn't Really Australian

Outback steakhouse bloomin onion
Outback Steakhouse/Facebook

Despite their marketing campaign, casual dining chain Outback Steakhouse doesn't have any Australian food on their menu. In fact, the founders of the restaurant purposefully never visited the country as they didn't want to be influenced by its culture in the creation of their menu.

The Secret Suicide Burger

Burger King double quarter pounder king
Courtesy of Burger King

The secret-menu option at Burger King is potentially just as dangerous as it sounds. The Suicide Burger includes four burger patties, four slices of cheese, bacon, and special sauce, coming to a whopping 800 calories.

Burgers For Life For the Chosen Few

jennifer hudson
Shutterstock

If you didn't already think celebrities like Jay Leno and Jennifer Hudson were living the good life, know that they are also the lucky owners of the Burger King Crown Card. This prestigious card entitles the holder to an endless supply of burgers and fries at any Burger King.

Hungry Jack's: The Australian Burger King

hungry jacts
Hungry Jack's

When Burger King decided to open up chains in Australia they were initially delayed when it turned out there was already a Burger King in the country, and they had trademarked the name. In the end, they opened with the familiar menu items, and a new name, Hungry Jack, which is still the name they go by down under today.

The Other Burger King

Burger king mattoon
Clarissa M./Yelp

Australia is not the only place Burger King has run into a restaurant that had the name first. There's a Burger King in Mattoon, Illinois that has no relation to the chain but did trademark their name in 1960.

Burger King Has Its Own Cologne

burger king cologne
CorbininJapan/YouTube

Have you ever wanted to smell like a mouthwatering burger, carrying "the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat?" Back in 2015, you could purchase the limited-edition cologne for $55 in Japan.

McDonald's Has More Money Than Mongolia

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Shutterstock

Should McDonald's every decide to become a sovereign nation, they would probably have the money to do it. With $8.7 billion in revenue from franchise stores alone, the fast food king has more money than the entire country of Mongolia.

Subway is the World's Largest Fast Food Chain

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Shutterstock

You may assume McDonald's is the largest fast food chain in the world, but it's actually Subway. In 2017, there were 44,608 Subway stores worldwide.  As a comparison, McDonald's only had 36,899 stores worldwide as of 2016 statistics.

The Golden Arches Are More Recognizable Than the Cross

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Shutterstock

According to the well-known book, Fast Food Nation, a survey discovered that 88 percent of respondents worldwide could identify the golden arches of McDonald's, while a only 54 percent recognized the Christian cross.

A Chicken Nugget That Looks Like George Washington

chicken nuggets
Shutterstock

A chicken nugget resembling George Washington was once sold on e-Bay for $8,100. The seller, Rebekah Speight, used the money to fund local kids attending summer camp.

Usain Bolt Loves Chicken Nuggets

Mcdonalds nuggets
McDonald's/Facebook

Usain Bolt ate 1,000 chicken nuggets during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Many of us might have a hard time walking eating that many nuggets, but clearly it didn't slow him down.

The World Record for Eating Big Macs

McDonalds big mac
Courtesy of McDonald's

The Guinness World Record held for most Big Macs eaten belongs to American Donald Gorsky who has eaten one of the burgers at least once a day since May 17, 1972. As of 2016, he's eaten 28,788 Big Macs over the course of his life, and he has had one in every state.

Get Married at a McDonald's in Hong Kong

Mcdonalds wedding party
Courtesy of McDonald's Hong Kong

Do you live in Hong Kong and are searching for the right wedding venue? For just under $10,000 you can have your ceremony and festivities in the form of the Love Forever party, brought to you by McDonald's.

A Ski-Thru McDonald's in Sweden

mcski sweden
Jörgen L/TripAdvisor

Are you on the go with no time to stop for your burger and fries? You're in luck. A ski resort in Sweden, Lindvallen, has been home to a ski-thru McDonald's since 1996.

McDonald's Feeds Homesick Olympians

Mcdonalds cheeseburger
Courtesy of McDonalds

During the 1968 Olympics American athletes in France were feeling homesick, and they had one request to cure their blues: burgers from McDonald's, which the fast-food chain happily provided.

One Percent of the World Eats McDonald's Every Day

McDonald's takeout
Shutterstock

Every single day, almost one percent of the global population eats at McDonald's. That translates to 69 million people with 75 burgers being sold every second on average.

The Monarchy and McDonald's

royal family
Shutterstock

Who is the most famous McDonald's franchise owner? It just might be the Queen of England. Queen Elizabeth's Crown Estate is home to the fast-food chain, along with some castles and racecourses. Speaking of famous families, find out exactly How Every Trump Eats—Revealed!

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