What is the worst fast food you have ever tried? / LJWorld.com

Asked at Massachusetts Street on April 20, 2010

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“McDonald’s pancakes … it had the consistency of cardboard, with syrup.”

— Lucie Goodhart, home schooler, Mission

“The McRib sandwich, it was just inedible, and that was 20 years ago.”

— Alex Hamilton, restaurant manager, Lawrence

“Hardee’s hamburger kids’ meal … the bun was hard, and the burger wasn’t even a burger.”

— Alicia Anderson, elementary education major, Prairie Village

“The fish filet sandwich at McDonald’s because McDonald’s should not serve seafood.”

— Courtney Jehle, business major, Overland Park

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When you go west of the Rockies, by all means avoid Jack in the Box. Gross, gross, gross. Not to mention they tried to pass off Kangaroo meat as beef in the burgers a few decades ago in California, then there was the big ecoli episode that sickened so many and killed some children in CA & WA. Do miss Campus Hideaway, Bobos, Cornucopia &above all Paradise Cafe. I'm trying to remember the name of that little burger shack that was on the South side of 6th St back in the 60's. It was between Illinois and Florida St. It had pretty good burgers; think it started with an "M". Joe's was THE place for donuts!

independant1 4 years ago

McD's only saving grace - those skinny fries. Can't mess up a potato.

Make mine super size!

CHEEZIT 4 years ago

Why all the hatin' on Mickey D's. Hands down the worse is Cici's pizza!!! Water with a little tomatoe for the sauce. I don't care if it's cheap. Its just bad!!!

Tom Miller 4 years ago

...and one time I did the drive-thru at a place called "Taco Rio" (...river of tacos...?) and on the menu board was an "all beef burrito" and the next item was an "all meat burrito"...I grimaced, shuddered at the various possibilities, and drove away food-less...if I'm gonna eat potential roadkill, I'm gonna be the one that cooked it!

Tom Miller 4 years ago

The hands-down WORST food I've ever tried to eat was at the Micky D in Morrilton, Arkansas...home to a pulpwood mill, which smells horrible in it's own right,, and seems to give ALL the food procured in that town a sort of rotting-turnips kind of flavor. Horrible!

Brad Maestas 4 years ago

autie, I believe those special ingredients are preservatives, sugar and sodium.

independant1, wholeheartedly agreed! Many a day has been ruined by those little buggers.

My personal worst fast food experience was at a McDonald's in Mexico City. Holy s***. My high school swing choir (about 14 of us minus chaperons) went on a tour in Central America. We flew into MC and one of the first days, some of us decided to brave a McD's. My sandwich's bun was hard as a rock. The meat was cold, flat and tasteless. The produce was limp and wilted. It was the sorriest burger I'd ever seen. The fries were no better, having sat around long enough to soak up a bunch of oil and turn into mush. Since then (1996) I have eaten McD's only a handful of times.

Other contenders for worst offender are: Burrito King (used to be a staple but eventually wore me out), Jimmy John's (don't bother eating your sub if you leave it in the fridge overnight, especially if you got tomatoes!), Taco John's (usually okay but I've had issues), Taco Bell (tied with McD's for the worst), Long John Silver's and Spangles. Back in high school I had a girlfriend that would insist we go through the drive through at LJS so she could order a "free" meal consisting of a cup of water and an order of "batter," basically the leftover batter bits left in the fryer. Most disgusting thing ever!

I was up in Buffalo, NY last weekend and tried a new place for the first time called Jim's Steakeout. My bandmates (who mainly hail from Buffalo) told us we had to try their buffalo chicken finger sub so we did. Great after-drinking food but definitely not something I'd order sober. One of the guys ordered "The Stinger" which is basically the chicken finger sub married with a philly cheese steak. I was the only one that didn't seem to pay for it the next day.

Oh one more little tidbit, I frequented several of the infamous Jack In The Box's in the Seattle area in the early 90's. Somehow I didn't get the E.coli and I'm grateful for that. Be careful out there folks!

ShePrecedes 4 years ago

Buffalo Bobs. Bad stuff!! Just horrible. Lived here almost 30 years now and I have been in there once in the last ten, maybe three times in the last twenty. I just never felt good about being in there. Something really bad regarding feng shui in that place. Didn't like the food. Just pretend that place doesn't exist most of the time.

Have had no problem with On The Border. Food was good, wait staff was attentive and kind.

I had problems with the Chili's salt their food tho, when I asked them not to. I mean it is salty. We don't eat there anymore. The manager didn't offer to replace the food, so that was the last time we have been in there.

Bad food experience at PepperJacks too.

sherbert 4 years ago

I'd have to vote for the asian sweet/sour chicken bites at Wendys. They looked so good on the commercial, and they were just chicken nuggets with sauce poured all over them. Yucky mess and they didn't even give me a fork! Nasty.

Kris_H 4 years ago

Nominees from Topeka:

Hardee's at 6th & Macvicar: While I was running in between jobs, with no time to go back or go anywhere else, made me a half-raw burger and grease-soaked fries. All the kids looked like they were on X or something.

Long John Silvers: Let's just say I don't eat there any more even though they are almost the most convenient place on my regular routes. One family get-together marred by food poisoning was enough.

McDonald's: Have never liked their burgers. WTF is in those things anyway?
Burger King: Ditto.

Taco Tico: Nothing is trustworthy. Nothing!

Spangles: OMG, salty to the point of inedible! They aren't getting a second chance, life is too short.

There are quite a few good places to eat in Topeka depending on what you like. I second the burgers from Cook's. But this was about bad fast food, so I digress.

independant1 4 years ago

the last hot dog on rolling grill at gas station

ralph!

bearded_gnome 4 years ago

hey there! Jenning's was great doughnuts! and just a wonderful place to sit and talk, drink coffee and see who else was there!!!

the Woolworth's diner was a very sweet little place and the last manager , she was a sweet little manager too.
had good pies. was fun to take my wife there. sad that woolworth's and jenning's are gone.

if the Colonel were alive today, he would be preaching against KFC on every corner!

the chicken sucks! it is terrible, has gone way downhill from 30-40 years ago.

and yes, ate one time at Boofalo Boob's, never I mean never went back. yuck! if he was gonna close one restaurant, it should've been that one and kept the Mass st. Deli going.

prairie room in the kansas union, yes not fast food, a wonderful sit-down restaurant with class and not too expensive. union should have something like that today instead of 58 different fast food/franchises.

A&W root beer downhill these days too.
you kids get off my lawn, ya' hear!

mdrndgtl 4 years ago

I can't think of the name, it's that place where everything on the menu is a fish flavored sponge soaked in grease.

whats_going_on 4 years ago

Not that I ever eat fast food to begin with, but...I think its safe to say that I'll be cooking at home for the rest of my life.

bliddel 4 years ago

Anyone over age 50 will have a hard time putting only one name to "the worst". It terms of blatant health violations (and consistently incorrect order preparation) by major national chains, the nod goes to Long John Silvers for raw fish still partly frozen. In terms of tasteless, the nod goes to Taco Bell. However, to this day I'll never forget the CBS 60 minute expose, with film of a fast food employee addressing a "personal itch" and not washing his hands afterwords. Nor will I ever forget the volunteer at Heartland Park racetrack putting hot dogs on the grill with her bare hands, and licking her fingers between every one. And to think I paid $4 each for those hot dogs, and had to wait 75 minutes in line for the privilege.

independant1 4 years ago

The worstest

Breakfast Sausage McDonalds style.

No small wonder it's the same size as petri dish.

Tom Shewmon 4 years ago

Anyone else had a bad dining experience at On the Border on S. Iowa? We ate there one night and it was horrible---and I'm being generous. The food just sucked; I don't know how else to put it. The service was as bad or worse than the food too! The sauce on my cheese enchiladas tasted as though it had been recycled and reheated a hundred times and had enough sodium in it to gag a maggot on a gut wagon at 40 paces.

Graczyk 4 years ago

I don't eat at McDonald's - except when the McRib is out. They should change the name to McCrack. I don't know why but I love that thing.

Mel Briscoe 4 years ago

probably the last time i ate a big mac-- which was about 15 years ago. rubbery, the texture was the grossest thing ever. you shouldn't have to chew ANY hamburger that much. mcd's is overall mcnasty.

bobberboy 4 years ago

Anything at Chipoltes (sorry gen x,y,z.) and oh yea the McRib.

ozzynbn 4 years ago

If any of the pre-made food counts as bad "fast food", then the Merc wins an award. It's weird looking and weird tasting.

RogueThrill 4 years ago

I worked at a KFC in Hays, KS for a summer after my freshman year there.

DO NOT, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, eat KFC. You do so at your own peril.

Scattered 4 years ago

The worst fast food I had was a sandwich at Jimmy John's several years ago. Oh my...the bread was petrified and the cheese was like a small slab of an unknown lard-like substance. Ghastly.

I've also seen my share of used bandaids, flies, unkown insects, rocks, dirt wads (one yesterday from Tres Mexicanos beans), bones, and the worst: weird things in meat. Sick. I haven't touched ham since I saw something like an octopus tentacle in a hunk of the beast when I was in third grade. Yikes! No wonder all 3 of my children are vegetarian! One of my daughters was always has been a restaurant ick magnet....the dirt beans yesterday were hers, of course!

On the positive side....I loved Campus Hideaway! Henry's! Old old old Joe's. Original Lamer's, and of course, Paradise Cafe and Cornucopia.

Does anyone remember the Italian restaurant Treados on Mass? Mid 70's.

edjayhawk 4 years ago

Henry's on 9th street was actually pretty good. Even had a salad bar. sorry to see that closed. I also got good pizza at the Campus Hideaway (Located next to the Community building, across the street from the park). Later a joint called Harry Bears went in there. It had pretty good burgers and shakes.

spacehog 4 years ago

I like the Bird Soup at Godfather's.

bruno2 4 years ago

Chick-fil-a, basically inedible. Spangles, the commercials upset my stomach. Buffalo Bobs, just plain crap, making a decent rack of ribs is not hard Bobbie. Anything at KCI, you're a captive audience, I've tried them all.

Best fast food hamburger; In-n-Out Burger on the west coast. Actually pretty damn good and consistently voted the best fast food burger in blind taste tests, try one if you're ever in the neighborhood...

crosstownbytch1 4 years ago

One place that i loved their food and miss is Stricks in north lawrence

Richard Payton 4 years ago

Tofu turkey never tried it and never will!

bad_dog 4 years ago

The old Sambo's in Salina could be a pretty nasty gastronomic experience.

The worst fast-food meal I've ever experienced was at a Chile's restaurant in Portland, Maine.

Literally everything we ordered, from chips/dip to drinks to burgers, absoulutely sucked for all three of us. I don't ordinarily respond to survey websites, but this was so bad we couldn't resist. To Chile's credit, they removed the charges from our credit card.

scopi_guy 4 years ago

Vista was GOOD. Is the one in Topeka still in business?

I liked the Green Pepper's pizza. When we first moved here, would go there after church for dinner a lot. It was a few other different pizza places before Valentinos moved in. One had all these big pictures of WC Fields on the walls. I don't think it lasted very long. We'd also go to Godfather's when you got free pop on Sundays. I know it was a Lawrence landmark for years and years, but the only time I've ever gotten sick after eating at a restaurant was from eating at the Chinese place that was in the Malls at 23rd & Louisiana.

g_rock 4 years ago

And I also vote for anything at Applebees. I don't know why on earth Lawrence has the use for 2 of them.

spacehog 4 years ago

I miss the old joints: Griffs Burger Chef Sandy's/Bucky's A&W on 6th JB's Big Boy Mr. Steak Julie's Pizza Jennings Daylight Donuts Carol Lee Doughnuts The diner at Woolworth's The diner at Raney's Vista Sambo's Village Inn

whats_going_on 4 years ago

also, Pyramid Pizza when you haven't drank your weight in alcohol and can't taste it anyway.

spacehog 4 years ago

I didn't get to taste this, but it must have been yummy. Back in the early 80's, when Godfather's Pizza was still at the Malls, they had a buffet with a big caldron of soup at the end. A couple of friends of mine and I were goofing around outside and one of them found a dead bird on the sidewalk. He picked it up, went in the side entrance, and dropped it in the soup. I can only imagine the poor SOB who found it.

Tom Shewmon 4 years ago

I stayed at a hotel one time a few years ago that had an adjoining Perkin's. I don't why I didn't think of this earlier, but hands-down, without a doubt, undeniably had the overall worst food I have ever eaten in my entire life. It was unpalateable (sp?)....and I can not underscore that enough! When I'm starving and can not eat the food.......it's gotta be pretty bad. BAD!!

Multidisciplinary 4 years ago

consumer1 (anonymous) says…

anyone remember Grirff's on 23 strreet? How about Smak's on Twenty third, where Allen's drive in used to be. During the 70's April 20, 2010 at 11:59 a.m. ~~ I stopped once at a Griff's in some small town in KS, hoping to satisfy my long lost need for a giant cheeseburger, no onion from back in the day. The kids were goofing off, completely ignoring their jobs. The food was awful. It was SO disappointing.

Similar, Taco Grande on 23rd, the later years when they altered serving portions to itsy bitsy, such as, if I've got the name right, the super sancho, the one in the boat, was now smaller in girth than the original one was, they no longer put two scoops of meat, and they stopped putting as much lettuce, stopped the tomato, and barely put any cheese on top, where it used to have a lot. And the price went up far beyond what any regular price increase justified. The counter help was ultra lousy then, they couldn't care less about the customers, no pride in having a job at all. The manager was ill during this time, the employees took advantage of this.

The new place had better help...at least some of them. I see there are still a couple, one in Wichita, but reading the online reviews, the prices are worse, help is worse too. I know how to alter regular sauces to make them taste close enough, and I know how they prepped their meat,I guess that will do for home cooking. The rest of the ingredients are standard.

Ricky_Vaughn 4 years ago

Does Quinton's count? The last couple times I've eaten that cheese soup of theirs I've ended up catching up on my reading if you catch my drift.

I ordered lemonade there once too. Guess what I got? Water, ice, and sour mix......talk about disgusting!

HomeSlice 4 years ago

Griff's was actually pretty good, as was Sandy's.

Was the other place called Smaks? I remember a place that started with an 'S' but didn't think it was Smaks.

These days, Wendy's is the most consistent and best quality if fast food has to happen. McD's is nasty. They never change their fry grease. Which even if they did, should stop all appetite right there.

scopi_guy 4 years ago

I remember Sandy's better than Griffs, but do barely remember it. The Pad in N. Topeka had dime burger nights, maybe on Tuesdays. It was next to the tiny DQ that only served ice cream. You walked up to order right at the window. They may have had a few benches outside to sit on, don't remember.

It's been a few years since I've been there, but you still turn your lights on for service at the Bobo drive in. Which has very good food.

missmagoo 4 years ago

Do I have to pick just one? I hate Bugger King. Okay, if I don't have to pick just one.. here goes. Panda Express, Burrito King, Spangles, 90% of the menu at McD's.. INCLUDING their coffee. McDonalds has the worst coffee on the face of the earth.. I'm really not a fan of the ice cream at Sonic, and A&W is nothing above average. I have high standards, what can I say?!

edjayhawk 4 years ago

Yes I remembers Griffs and Allen's drive in. "Thank you for coming to Allen's" when you pulled up. Griffs had 10 cent hamburgers. Not sure I remember Smaks. Of course Sandy's at 9th and Iowa.

edjayhawk 4 years ago

What about green eggs and ham?

Kontum1972 4 years ago

a freshly killed chicken....

Kontum1972 4 years ago

Courtney baby..that is not fish in those McBunns

Tom Shewmon 4 years ago

I found a tin can lid in one of the entrees on a Chinese food buffet once. And I can not count how many times I've found big thick black hairs in Chinese food. I didn't eat Chinese for years, but have started braving it again----but only at tried-and-tested places I trust, like Red Fortune in Bonner Springs believe it or not, has been one of the consistently best Chinese I've ever eaten. Been there numerous times and never one single complaint.

The worst as far as fries/tots etc. was an order of potato ole's at the Taco John's on 6th St. in Lawrence---tasted like they deep fried them in 25 year old grease that was used to cook about 300 lbs. of fish. Gross!

Deja Coffin 4 years ago

Panda Express by the Legends.... I swear the sweet and sour pork was either meant to be dog food or came from one of those prepackaged meals (MRE's?) that hikers heat up on the fire.

consumer1 4 years ago

anyone remember Grirff's on 23 strreet? How about Smak's on Twenty third, where Allen's drive in used to be. During the 70's

DB Ashton 4 years ago

A large orange juice from Lawrence Burger King. It had a huge green bug in it as large as my son's hand, there since it had been packed by an outside supplier. It didn't bother the store manager, nor the customers in line. I've not returned.

CWGOKU 4 years ago

Oh, yeah, forgot about Pizza Hut, thanks... that stuff is horrible. If I eat it I am up all night drinking water because of the salt level. I either make my own pizza or buy local vendor pizza.

scopi_guy 4 years ago

Egg Rolls at Hardees. For some reason, for a brief time a few years ago, they thought that was a good idea. And for some reason, when driving thru Leavenworth to get up on I29, I thought it sounded like a good idea too. But it sure wasn't.

Spangles burgers (and Sonic too) have a funny taste to them.

Worst/most annoying commercials: Spangles. Have they really ever sold a banana milkshake? Who would order that on purpose? I think whoever writes the scripts tries on purpose to try to get as many words that start with "S" in the lines because the announcer sounds like Sylvester the Cat. "Stop at Spangles for the new Super Swiss burger with Seven Selections of Steak Sauce" Before they actually opened up shop in Lawrence, their commercials were run non-stop and made me really not want to go there. But their shakes are pretty good.

freestatehawk 4 years ago

Krusty Burger, the Official Meat-Flavored Sandwich of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games

George_Braziller 4 years ago

Coffee at any McDonald's anywhere. It tastes burned and weak at the same time even when it's fresh.

Pywacket 4 years ago

We cook at home a lot, but once in a while do the convenience swoop through a fast-food place. I can't think of anything, offhand, that stands out worse than anything else.

When I was 16, I worked at a McD's for about 3 months, which is all I could take of the creepy fakeness. I'd be at the shake station, where customers could not see me, and a manager would come by, study me with a serious expression for a moment, then very gravely ask why I wasn't smiling. McD's employees were supposed to paste on the beatific grin for their whole shift. Also, they pressured us kids to work longer hours, later at night, than we were legally supposed to work. No open threats, of course, but those who complied got better days off, better work assignments, etc. Place creeped me out. And the food sucked, of course.

I decided to take a stand against McD's and the way they infiltrated their way into our society. I have not bought anything there since about 1977 or 78. Literally. Even while traveling. Even while raising 3 kids. They knew not to ask Mom to take them there. Maybe it's silly--they are probably no worse (in terms of exploiting young employees, serving crappy, greasy, high-sodium food, etc) than Burger King, KFC, Taco Bell, Hardee's, or the rest of them, but I just decided not to buy into the brand.

I won't pitch a fit if we're traveling and my husband (who thinks their fountain Cokes are well mixed) wants to go there--and our son chimes in and hubby buys him a burger--but I will not order anything. I'll use their toilet (haha! how symbolic is that?) then walk over to whatever else is nearby--sandwiches at a big service station or what have you.

My two kids who are grown and out of the house don't go there, interestingly. Maybe b/c I never preached about it--I just didn't go. I let them go there with friends' families, and I know their dad took them from time to time, but they now avoid it almost as completely as I do. Being raised mainly on home-cooked meals with lots of fresh (often home-grown) ingredients probably has a lot to do with that.

GliUltimiZombi 4 years ago

Braaaaains

KansasPerson 4 years ago

Whoa, who got removed?! I had just read them all and didn't see anything TOSs-worthy. Of course they're all nauseating, but that was the whole point of the question, wasn't it?

KansasPerson 4 years ago

This page should be required reading for someone trying to cut back on their food consumption. I think these descriptions would put you off your food for quite a while -- not just fast food, but anything!

I agree with whoever said all fast food was gross. I admit I have enjoyed the Chicken Berry Salad over at Runza, but it was more a matter of convenience -- I used to work in that area and don't now, and haven't had one of them since. The only thing I ever liked from McDonald's was the Egg McMuffin, but I haven't even had one of those for almost a year.

I guess I'm getting weirdly paranoid lately, because I feel a bit apprehensive about eating "raw food" (salads) in any restaurant (not just fast-food ones) these days. I just don't feel sure that it's handled correctly all the time, and I figure, at least the cooked food has had a chance to have its germs cooked out of it.

But all in all, we're eating at home more than ever these days, both for economic and general health reasons.

acg 4 years ago

I also can't stand to eat at McD's anymore. It's so greasy and salty it makes me ill just thinking about it. I can't stand the food at the Sonic and BK in N. Lawrence (those are the worst stores, ever!). I hate Taco Bell, gross. The last two times we got KFC is was soggy on the outside and undercooked. The only place I even consider going anymore is 5 Guys. Is that considered Fast Food? They sure have one helluva burger. Mmmm.

volunteer 4 years ago

KFC, which gave food poisoning to my family.

windchimes 4 years ago

i would agree with the first poster -- but i haven't been to an Arby's since the 1980's it was so bad!

whats_going_on 4 years ago

BURRITO KING.

oldvet 4 years ago

C-Rats... especially Ham and Eggs, and equally as bad, Ham and Lima Beans... ugh! You could get laid for 2 boxes of C's, but even they wouldn't take the Ham and Eggs...

autie 4 years ago

dulcinea, you might enjoy the razorblade chicken wrap they have at the Sonic in Oathe. Not really...but they did have an incident...guy was lucky.

Adrienne Sanders 4 years ago

The only good fast food is Sonic. Everything else is gross.

BigAl 4 years ago

Undercooked chicken from the Colonel. Not much worse than seeing red slimey meat inside a chicken leg.....

Tom's 'zit experience' is also pretty bad.

Kontum1972 4 years ago

fishheads and rice on a banana leaf..."nookmam'..with a side of baked mongoose, and a big bottle of Tiger beer...and a zippo lighter.

Chu Hoi BB..!

autie 4 years ago

I am convinced they put a secret drug in fast food. So even if you don't like/vomit/puke/diarreha whatever...two or three months later you will crave it again. No one knows what this drug is except the CIA. They use it in massive doses to gain mind control in certain covert operations. No sir, I'll stick with my frog legs, snails and really thin pancakes.

Tom Shewmon 4 years ago

You mean the worst fast food I almost tried?

Yeah, that would at the Oak Grove, Missouri McDonald's when the kid working the fries and McNugget bins was standing there picking at his zits (and then inspecting his fingers for the contents of the zits) and without tongs or plastics gloves or anything, proceeded to box up the stuff.....I informed the manager and walked out.

hip_gma 4 years ago

Steak-n-Shake!!! No matter what time of day or night, terrible food. Even complained once, got coupons, went back. Even that was terrible. Can't believe they're still in Lawrence.

trinity 4 years ago

anything's good for late night intoxicated fast food. but the regret lives on for days.

Flap Doodle 4 years ago

The ham and lima beans in old-fashioned C-rations. Total horror in a can.

prospector 4 years ago

Yes

BruceWayne 4 years ago

Buffalo Bobs...yes it is fast food. yes it is the worst food in Lawrence.

CWGOKU 4 years ago

Anything from McDonalds, that place is horrible, I haven't been there is years, going there is worse than a t trip to Columbia, Missery.

Liberty275 4 years ago

30% of anything my wife cooks.

somedude20 4 years ago

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

parrothead8 4 years ago

I always feel sick after I eat Taco Bell. And then, like an idiot, I go back and try it again a few months later.

edjayhawk 4 years ago

Hands down Taco Bell. I can't even stand smelling the stuff. Not sure what is in the meat.

gccs14r 4 years ago

So do they mean fast food ill prepared, or fast food ill designed? For bad prep, I have to go with g_rock on mall Chinese. For bad design, Spangles. I tried them twice, just after the name change. I tried it a second time because I couldn't believe they meant for it to be that bad the first time. Boy, was I wrong. Maybe it's better, now that 20 years have passed, or maybe it isn't. I'm disinclined to find out.