I Ranked Canada's Biggest Fast Food Chains From Worst To Best & One Truly Reigns Supreme

Subway

There was a time Subway was my favourite, but it's really fallen from grace in my eyes.

While I haven't had a sandwich from Subway for many years and have not tried it for the express purpose of a review article, I can confidently say it really doesn't do it for me anymore.

I think what gives this place such a low ranking is that, no matter what you put on it, everything you eat there tastes the same. The turkey, the ham, the salami — it's all the same!

And it's not even the cheapest or healthiest option any more, like they used to be known as.

Starbucks

Call me annoying or pretentious but I am just not the biggest fan of Starbucks. I think you can easily get better coffee from your local coffee shop.

Or, if you don't have one near by, in my taste test with three of Canada's top coffee spots, McDonald's coffee actually had Starbucks beat.

And with the higher price you're often paying, it's just not worth it.

Granted, I will say that they do some drinks, like their more indulgent offerings, better than anyone else.

Tim Hortons

I hate to rank Tim Hortons so low, but I need to be honest.

Tims is so famous in Canada because it's so convenient (you're probably within a few kilometres of one right now) and it is consistently passable.

If there are other options for lunch, dinner or sometimes even breakfast, I'll often go to that before I check out Tim Hortons.

In all the taste-tests I've done at Narcity, Tim Hortons is consistently middle-of-the-road, which is not a bad thing!

It knows what it does and it does it fine — but Tims will seldom truly blow anyone away.

Wendy's

I've not had the most experience with Wendy's, but the times I have gone in, I've been surprised by how good it is.

In my time as a taste tester, I've had the Classic Chicken sandwich from Wendy's and was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

And while I haven't gotten the chance to try much of the other food because there isn't a location super close to my house, I am planning on going hog-wild on my next trip to Wendy's to make up for lost time.

Harvey's

Growing up, Harvey's was sort of mythologized in my house. There wasn't a location within 100 km of where we lived, but I knew it was the place you can go to make your own burger.

Plus, it's Canadian!

After finally having had it a few times, I can say I really enjoy what Harvey's has to offer.

I tried their poutine for one of my taste tests and it was one of the better ones I tried, albeit a bit on the salty side.

And, the ability to choose all your toppings for your burger is still incredibly novel and fun.

To make things better, they have a pretty reasonable price point for the quality you're getting, in my opinion.

Popeyes

I went to Popeyes for the first time this year, and I have to say, I was truly blown away by how good it was.

Not only is it pretty affordable, but the items I've tried there have been some of my favourites in the world of fast food

When I tried french fries from a variety of fast food restaurants, the Cajun fries from Popeyes won out.

When I compared chicken sandwiches? You best believe Popeyes took home first place.

And while it's still a bit too early to put them higher on the list (I'm in a bit of a honeymoon phase right now), I think that grabbing some grub from Popeyes can't do you wrong.

McDonald's

What can I say? I'm a sucker for the classics.

McDonald's has consistently done amazing on all of the taste test rankings I've done. They have the best fast food coffee, breakfast sandwiches and have some great fries, too.

And I can't discount my own experience with the fast food giant. They're a go-to for treats, late-night eats and more.

Plus, they're still consistently one of the most affordable fast-food chains out there.

It's hard to deny the fast food supremacy of McDonald's, even in Canada.

Mary Brown's

As someone who grew up in Western Canada, my experience with Mary Brown's is honestly pretty minimal. Matter of fact, I only had it for the first time about a week ago.

But I was really blown away by how good it was.

The chicken sandwich I had was juicy and tasty. The "Taters" — what they call potato wedges — were nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and even the little dessert treat I had was pretty good.

And while they're a close second, they have their niche and sometimes you're not always feeling like fried chicken! But when you are? There might not be a better place (asides from maybe Popeyes).

A&W

If you're familiar with my previous writing, you'll know I'm an unabashed stan of A&W.

Not only is it distinctly Canadian — the Canadian branch broke from the U.S. one — but it is just so damn good.

If I'm getting a fast food burger, it's almost always from A&W, if I have the option.

And while in the few taste tests I've done they haven't come out on top, they're nearly always coming out on top in my own personal rankings.

The ingredients taste great and nothing I've had from there is ever bad. And they get bonus points for still giving out actual cups and dinnerware.

It is one of the most expensive fast food options out there, but I truly believe the food is worth the extra cash.