Maine’s Most Popular Fast Food Chain May Surprise You

Maine is unquestionably one of the best foodie states in the country.

We are fortunate to have a culinary scene that takes advantage of the state's fresh and delicious local ingredients. It's one we shouldn't take for granted. Believe me when I say there are many regions in this country that pale in comparison.

But even with Maine's incredible local restaurant scene, there is still a place for good ole American fast food. Hey, sometimes you just need something quick, or have a craving for that Big Mac and fries, or maybe a few drinks have led you to needing some sort of fried chicken.

Maine may not have the largest variety of fast food chains, but there are still enough. I'm sure you probably drive by a handful of them every day on your way to work, school, or whatever the destination.

The reason I bring this up is because I came across an interesting article that points out every state's most popular fast food chain. Found on the popular site Cheapism, this list is an interesting look at what chains do the best in every region in America, including right here in Maine.

Cheapism figured out every state's top five most popular chains by analyzing reports from TOP Data to determine the rankings. The data came from 2019-2020. So, let's take a look at Maine's top five.

5. Burger King - Interesting to see Burger King still hang on for a top five spot. It has floundered over the years to keep its footing. However, the home of the Whopper is still going strong in Maine.

4. Subway - No surprise to see this make the list. I'm pretty sure there's at least one Subway in every town in Maine. Hell, there's probably one in T2R9

3. McDonald's - I must admit, this ranking seems low to me. I was expecting this legend to, at the very least, be in the top two. However, a 3rd ranking is still very good for Golden Arches.

2. KFC - I mean, who doesn't love fried chicken? The Colonel would be proud of these Northerners being so into his chicken. I also think it takes advantage of the fact the state lacks a large number of Chick-fil-A's.

Now to number one. Drumroll, please...

1. Taco Bell - I must admit, I'm a little surprised. I expected Taco Bell to be on the list, but I didn't expect it to be number one. Just goes to show you there's nothing like a few tacos and a quesadilla to please that craving.

Congratulations to Taco Bell on its top marks. However, I think we need to talk about a few glaring omissions.

Jersey Mike's - This definitely should be in the top five, although I do understand it's still relatively new to the area. I'm not even sure there was one in Maine when the data was taken in 2019-2020.

Chick-fil-A - Was always going to be hurt by having just two locations in Maine. But it's such a heavyweight, so I thought it could carry more momentum.

Five Guys - I guess it's more polarizing than I thought. I just assumed this was the best burger and fries in the game. At least it is to this author.

Dunkin- I mean, we do live in New England.

Interested in what other state had for their top five? You can find it right here.

Now I am very hungry.