Today's hustle and bustle leaves almost zero time for cooking. It's not hard to understand why more and more people eat fast food: it's fast to make (obviously), it's cheap, and it definitely tastes really good. Despite the fact that fast-food restaurants have raised the quality bar of their foods, there are still rumors about some quite harmful dishes.
From expired shakes and weird sauces to veggie burgers full of calories, the foods below are going to make your jaw drop. Don't be fooled by their savory image; most of them might lead to serious health issues and definitely to weight gain! Let's start.
Chicken Fries - Burger King
Burger King hit the jackpot with the release of its famous Chicken fries back in 2005. Chicken fries are basically fried chicken strips dipped in bread, a dish that costs about $3. For some reason, the fast-food colossus decided to discontinue its release in 2012. That sparked a huge amount of displeasure among Burger King fans.
Amazingly, Twitter and other social media platforms were full of posts demanding its return on the company's menu. People even signed a petition to bring it back, and as a result, Burger King reintroduced it in 2015. Funnily enough, the chicken fries are packaged in a special box made to fit in a car cup holder.
Filet-O-Fish - McDonald's
Filet-O-Fish's story is kind of weird and interesting. It was the first non-meat dish ever added in the McDonald's menu, and it was created way back, in 1962 actually, by Lou Groen. The reason? Catholics didn't eat meat on Fridays, and burger sales dropped more and more.
The Filet-O-Fish was a huge success, and it's still on the menu, with an average price of $6. The fish burger is usually made from Alaska pollock or Irish hoki. However, if you're a fitness junkie, or you crave some fresh fish, this isn't what you would want to eat, to be honest.
Veggie Burger - Culver's
Culver's is one of the biggest fast-food restaurant chains, with most of its restaurants located in the Midwestern United States. It was founded back in 1984, and most people visit Culver's to get a taste of their delicious "Butterburgers", as they are called. In the last couple of years, the chain introduced a Veggie Burger, priced at an average $6.
However, the chain's veggie burger became an object of controversy, when a former employee shared some alarming details on Reddit. He claimed that, even though the burger is indeed made from vegetables, it's cooked on the same grill and with the same oil meat burgers are cooked. If that's true, Culver's might be in trouble!
Roast Beef - Arby's
Arby's currently counts almost 3,500 restaurants worldwide, being one of the biggest sandwich chains in the world. Its signature dish is the roast beef sandwich, which comes in many variations and costs an approximate $6. Just by looking at the pictures, you easily understand how delicious this seems. It might not be, though.
There are numerous former employees who took to Reddit to reveal that the roast beef does not actually arrive solid at the restaurants. It mostly looks like a meat paste stuffed in a bag, then it's frozen and solidified when roasted. If that's true, it means that roast-beef sandwiches might not be the best for your well-being actually.
Chicken McNuggets - McDonald's
Chicken McNuggets are a McDonald's fan-favorite, and it's not hard to understand why. They taste delicious, they look delicious, and they're relatively cheap, costing $4.5 on average. McDonald's first launched the dish back in the early '80s, and it's been a huge success since then.
However, the American Journal Of Medicine published an article stating that they are in fact very unhealthy. As they claim, the nuggets mostly consist of skeletal muscle, bones, and nervous tissue. That definitely means that, if you frequently eat some of these, your health might be at risk.
Beans - Taco Bell
Taco Bell is a renowned restaurant chain, based in California. Their food is based on Mexican cuisine, offering nachos, tacos, burritos and more. One of their most famous appetizers is a bowl of black beans, which you usually buy for about $1.5. Sounds fancy right? Well, not so much.
It is rumored that these specific beans are never cooked at the restaurant. They come frozen in a bag, and when they arrive, they're put to water, and then they're heated and served. Now, we don't know about your nutrition habits, but we wouldn't want to taste those if that's true.
Gourmet Veggie Club - Jimmy John's
Jimmu John's is another sandwich restaurant giant, operating since the mid-'80s. It currently counts more than 2,800 stores all around the US. It is known for its huge sandwiches and delicious club sandwiches. As the vegetarian movement got more and more popular in the last couple of years, the chain introduced its own "Gourmet Veggie Club", priced at $6.5.
While it sounds good if you're on a diet, many websites argue about the number of calories it contains. There are claims ranging from 500 calories to even 2000! An average amount would be about 800 calories per Veggie Club. It might sound healthy, but is it as healthy as you think?
Sandwiches - Domino's
Domino's became famous all over the world for their delicious pizzas and side dishes, but in the last couple of years, they added sandwiches to their menu. These sandwiches mostly share the same ingredients with pizzas, but they're actually placed in bread. A lot of things have been heard about the $5 sandwiches Domino's serve.
There's a rumor that a Reddit user revealed that the cheese they put on the sandwiches actually comes from pizza leftovers and that it's highly processed. On the other hand, another former employee claimed that Domino's actually have the best cheese-quality among pizza restaurants. Better be careful with those things folks!
Secret Menu - Starbucks
In case you didn't know, many restaurant chains have "secret menus", as they call them. A secret menu is a basic recipe of something, where the barista or chef adds a small twist or a secret ingredient. When it comes to Starbucks, secret menus are often priced at around $5.
However, many customers claim that secret menus don't actually exist and that they're actually just a marketing trick. They say that there's almost nothing different than the original beverage or dish and that they're not worth the money. Well, this is something that you can go out and check for yourself!
Orange Chicken - Panda Express
Orange chicken is the most famous dish Panda Express serve. Panda Express is a restaurant chain with a Chinese-cuisine-based menu. Their chef Andy Kao actually claims that he's the founder of the original American-Chinese orange chicken since the late '80s. It usually costs around $8.
Though this has never been reported, some customers complained that the orange chicken served to them wasn't fresh and that it was cooked way earlier, implying that the restaurant's chef just reheated and served it later. However, such a thing has never been reported, and we shouldn't judge restaurants on rumors.
Tacos - Chipotle
Chipotle and their Mexican menu are known all across the globe, with restaurants located in countries like Canada, Germany, and the US. There have been many complaints from customers about their tacos' size, which usually cost about $3 a piece. Customers claim that they're actually much smaller than images show.
While this is not something that might damage your health, there have been many reports about food safety issues when it comes to Chipotle. Many of the chain's restaurants have been blamed for disease outbreaks in the past, like a hepatitis outbreak in 2008 and a salmonella outbreak in 2015.
Tuna Sandwiches - Subway
Subway is currently the biggest sandwich restaurant chain in the world, and as of 2019, more than 41 thousand Subway restaurants operate across the globe. You'd expect some top-notch sandwiches from them, and they are indeed delicious, but there has been a lot of controversy regarding their quality. You can get one for about $6.
While a former employee claimed that the restaurants only use meat or fish strictly during the first 48 hours since their package has been opened, another one revealed that his boss tended to serve tuna sandwiches whose ingredients had already expired. This hasn't been officially confirmed, but if it's true, it's a one-way trip to the hospital.
Chili - Sonic
Sonic operates more than 3,600 restaurants all across the US, and they're all drive-ins. One of Sonic's most popular dishes is the Chili bowl, coming in many different variations and combos, and ranging from a price of $1.5 to $5. There are some alarming rumors about that chili though.
There are some people who claimed that the chili is never cooked at the restaurant, and that it instead arrives at it prepackaged and already cooked. Then, it's just heated with a warmer and served. If that's the case, then it doesn't seem like the perfect option for someone who's on a diet.
Milkshakes - McDonald's
McDonald's had always been famous for their burgers and combo meals, but a couple of years ago, they added ice creams, desserts, and milkshakes to their menu. In 2017, numerous customers were upset, as they claimed that, every time they wanted to buy a milkshake, the milkshake machine was broken.
They even signed a petition demanding that the restaurant chain repairs their milkshake machines. The company replied, claiming that they would do so, but they still haven't replaced many of them. Thus, many people still can't get their favorite $2.5-dollar milkshake!
Breadsticks - Little Ceasars
If you want some quality pizza, then you should probably try Little Ceasars. The only pizza restaurant chains bigger than Little Ceasars are Pizza Hut and Domino's, and it's been operating since the late '50s! One of the fan-favorite foods they serve are the breadsticks, who cost an average of $3.
While there have been claims that the butter used on them is fake, and that it's actually just a synthetic imitation, a Reddit user commented that Little Ceasars never claimed it was butter in the first place. In fact, it's more like vegetable oil with some added ingredients. This will definitely not cause you any health problems.
Chili - Wendy's
When it comes to burgers, Wendy's is one of the must-go places in America. With more than 6,700 restaurants over the country, it's one of the biggest fast-food chains. Apart from their signature burgers, Wendy's offer some dishes inspired by Mexican recipes, such as the chili bowl. You can get one for about $2.5.
Some clients actually believe that the chain's chili is just overcooked beef, nothing compared to the original recipe. They also claim that it can be kept in the fridge and then heated for several days. Though we don't know if that's true, we probably wouldn't risk by including this one in our nutrition list.
Barbecue Chicken - KFC
No other fast-food company has been so closely tied to chicken and its recipes. KFC have been the absolute chicken king since 1952. They serve an array of chicken dishes, and one of the most popular ones is the Barbeque Chicken, which you can get for an average of $6 to $8, depending on the bucket's size.
Despite its taste, the barbequed chicken was allegedly bashed by a former employee, who claimed that the chicken served is often cooked about a month earlier, and that it's the least fresh thing you can buy.
Smoothies or Milkshakes - Jack In The Box
Another fast-food restaurant chain specializing in chicken is Jack In the Box. Most of the company's restaurants cover the American West Coast. The chain also serves milkshakes and smoothies, with many customers complaining about the blender not being clean, and bits of previous shakes falling into their own smoothies.
Even if that's not true, Jack In the Box have been criticized at least twice in the past. Back in the '80s, it was discovered that some of their burgers were made from horse and kangaroo meat, while an E.Coli outbreak in 1993 damaged their popularity and validity.
Wisconsin Butter Burger - Steak N' Shake
Though Stake N' Shake are famed for their burgers, they look more like an ordinary restaurant and less like a fast-food chain. In any case, their menu looks a lot like other fast-food giants' one. One of their most popular dishes is the Winsconsin Butter Burger, which you can get for about $5.
Don't get us wrong, there's nothing harmful with it, and it's rather delicious, but it comes with tons of butter, and that definitely won't help your diet or blood pressure. You should give it a try though, just for the munchies.
Pasta - Panera Bread
Unlike other companies on our list, Panera Bread mostly specialize in breakfast-like dishes, but they also serve pasta. They serve an array of pasta recipes, which start from a $7 price on average. However, people are not that satisfied with the pasta's quality.
More than once, there have been complaints about the pasta's taste, which led many people to speculate that these dishes are not actually cooked on the spot. Instead, customers believe that they are just frozen, and then they're either put in a microwave oven or heated again. Would you add that to your diet?
Oven-Roasted Chicken Sandwich - Subway
As we mentioned before, Subway restaurants are famous for their sandwiches, which come in various recipes and sizes. This 12-inch monster is the Oven-Roasted Chicken Sandwich, and it's among the chain's most popular sandwiches. It includes chicken, tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables.
The chicken is supposed to be cooked in an oven, and that might actually be true. Rumors though want it to be made inside a microwave. This is just speculation, but if it's true, this thing is definitely not good for your health, even if it looks absolutely savory.
Bagels Eggs - Einstein Bros. Bagels
Einstein Bros. Bagels are famous for serving some of the best bagels out there. The restaurant chain provides a more breakfast-oriented menu, primarily consisting of various coffee types and bagels. Their bagels are quite affordable, with prices ranging from $2 to much more.
Customers have complained about their eggs though. They say that many bagels don't have fresh eggs in them, and the chain keeps their eggs in a warming bin after cooking them in a microwave oven. However, this hasn't even been reported officially, and it truly sounds like what it probably is: a rumor.
Pastries - Panera Bread
Like we mentioned above, Panera Bread serve a variety of baked goods, bagels, coffee and other breakfast foods. The company brags about having the freshest ingredients, which suit a healthy lifestyle perfectly, but is that entirely true? Someone probably doesn't agree with that.
Back in 2017, one of their former employees talked to MyRecipe, claiming that nothing is actually baked at the restaurant. Bread and pastries are actually cooked somewhere else, then frozen and shipped to every Panera Bread store. However, one of the company's representatives denied that, claiming that everything is freshly baked and cooked.
Chicken Sandwich - Sonic
We talked about Sonic's chili before, but now, it's time to talk a bit about their burgers. Chicken Sandwiches at Sonic's will cost you about $5, and, to be honest, they're quite savory. They might come with a lot of carbs, but at least you'll get to enjoy a good, juicy burger. Or not?
As always, it is claimed that a former Sonic's employee didn't speak with the kindest words about the chicken's quality. No details were revealed, but it was said that it's not fresh at all, as people tend to eat beef more.
McCafe - McDonald's
In case you didn't know, McDonald's, your beloved fast-food company, serves coffee as well. After the burgers, wraps, milkshakes and ice creams, McDonald's implemented coffee into their menu as well. It's called McCafe, and it will cost you from $1.5 to $4 usually.
Clients have complained about the McCafe, claiming that the company's coffee is not worth its money. Moreover, as we mentioned before, they claim that McCafe machines don't always work and that they're not that clean either. We guess that's what you get for buying coffee at a fast-food restaurant!
Donuts - Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts are kings when it comes to donuts and coffee. They own places all around the world, and of course, they make a lot of money for making some of the tastiest donuts out there. You can usually buy a donut for $1, while there are other combo packages coming with coffee and other treats.
The company has been accused of often not having fresh donuts, with some customers claiming that they arrive each day at each store frozen. Moreover, it has received criticism for various controversial advertisements, while in 2009, the company was under speculation for a possible salmonella poisoning.
Fries - Wendy's
Wendy's again on our list? Well, it's fast food we're talking about, there have to be some complaints! Just like every other fast-food restaurant does, Wendy's sell french fries. They used to cost about $1 but now the small package costs approximately $1.69.
Reddit always comes with the best stories out there, and it's said that employees usually say "they aren't old until they're sold" when it comes to Wendy's french fries. We have to admit though that we didn't expect premium french fries from a fast-food restaurant. In Wendy's case, they seem to be pretty decent.
Original Chicken - KFC
When it comes to legendary fast-food dishes, few beat the old Chicken Bucket from KFC. People all around the world gather to get a taste of KFC's famous chicken buckets, even if they're not that cheap. In fact, an average one costs about $15, while others might get much more expensive.
Allegedly, the chicken used by KFC is of quite mediocre quality. Moreover, rumor has it that employees serve chicken that might be under heating light for many hours, while there's an even more extreme rumor claiming that they sometimes serve chicken that's even fallen on the floor! That's like an instant visit to a doctor if you ask us!
Dipped Ice Cream Cones - McDonald's
Dipped ice cream cones used to be among the most popular McDonald's treats. You could usually buy one for $0.5, and they looked colorful and tasty. They came in many different flavors, though most people ate the chocolate one. They're now discontinued, although the company releases them again for a limited period of time every now and then.
There have been unflattering comments about them though by many McDonald's customers. They used to say that the fudge dip where the ice cream was put was always a mess, while a McDonald's trainer stated that they were really hard to make, and they eventually cost the company a lot of money and time.
Shakes - Burger King
Burger King are famous for their juicy burgers and savory sandwiches and steaks, but, just like McDonald's, they've added a lot of treats to their menu. One of them is the milkshake, which usually costs around $3 at most Burger King restaurants.
It seems that every time, customers keep complaining about the shake machines. Just like in every case above, many people claimed that the shake machines are anything but clean, and that Burger King shakes also come with many calories. It's rather obvious that it would take a lot of gym time to burn this one!