7 Fast-Food Chains Fans Say Have Gone Downhill Since the Pandemic
The impact of lockdowns on the restaurant industry cannot be exaggerated—many brands went downhill if not shutting down completely, and the consequences are still being felt today with restaurants struggling to regain their pre-COVID glory days. While some fast-food chains managed to recover somewhat and forge ahead in the face of low profits and rising inflation, others have never been the same, customers say. Here are seven fast-food chains fans are convinced have sharply deteriorated since the pandemic lockdowns.
Panera
Panera recently announced it would no longer be making bread in house, one of many issues customers have with the chain of late. “They most notably very recently got rid of fresh bread so there’s really honestly no reason for Panera to even exist anymore tbh,” one Redditor said. “It’s sad. Never mess with the thing you’re famous for!” another agreed.
Zaxby’s
Zaxby’s food is no longer worth the money thanks to issues like shrinkflation, guests complain. “Have y’all seen the size of Zaxby’s chicken tenders? It’s pathetic. What a waste of money,” one Redditor said. “Zaxby’s is the smallest, and I have stopped going, but all the chicken finger places are shrinking. Huey Magoo’s was the last holdout, but they have started shrinking now, plus they give you fewer fries now. Even when I sub the coleslaw for extra fries, I get less then you use to get with the slaw,” another agreed.
Wendy’s
Wendy’s fans are concerned about quality issues like the recent switch to shredded lettuce from romaine. “I hate to say this, because I used to really like them, but Wendy’s is not nearly as good as it was just a few years ago. I have no idea what happened. It was not like this when Dave was still around,” one Redditor said. “Wendy’s benefitted greatly from the romaine (when they actually put a correct amount of it on there and not just the first small piece they grab because most Wendy’s used precut romaine),” another commented.
Jack In the Box
Like other chains, Jack In the Box is much more expensive than it used to be—the problem is the food isn’t worth that price now. “I’d say Jack in the Box is up there with how different the food is today compared to 20 years ago,” one customer said. “The sandwiches were just bigger, I know it in my gut.. I just don’t have the sources to prove it. But around ten years ago I could buy one ultimate breakfast sandwich and be full for the morning, now you need to eat two of those suckers.. and they cost 3x as much as they used to!”
Raising Cane’s
Fast food fans say Raising Cane’s chicken has shrunk while prices have gone up. “Definitely Cane’s, they went from selling chicken tenders to now chicken fingers as their chicken size and prices have doubled this past decade,” one disgruntled customer said. “5 years ago a box combo would leave me full for a day, and it cost less than 9 bucks. Now they give you tiny bite-size chicken that leaves me hungry an hour later and it’s like $13,” another complained.
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is nothing like it used to be, customers say, both in terms of quality and taste. “I hadn’t had Pizza Hut in more than a decade, so I decided to try it a few months ago. It was the grossest pizza I’ve ever been served, including the elementary school cafeteria. Idk what the hell happened but that place is a train wreck,” one Redditor said. “I used to love Pizza Hut and it’s inedible now. Upsets my stomach and I don’t have a weak stomach,” another agreed.
McDonald’s
McDonald’s fans are convinced the burgers, including the Big Macs, are smaller while prices have skyrocketed. “A Big Mac bun can actually fit in the palm of your hand now. It didn’t use to be like this,” one Redditor commented. “I think it’s safe to say that McDonald’s food quality has seriously deteriorated over the past 2 decades or so,” another unhappy customer said. “Not just the quality, but the value of the meal too, I saw a graph showing the effects of inflation on the US dollar compared to the price of a burger at McDonald’s, and you can see they’ve jacked prices way up.”
