The Best Fast Casual Restaurants, Ranked (2024)

Fast casual restaurants are one of the most ingenious innovations in dining in recent history. No time for a sit-down restaurant, but don't want fast food either? Enter fast casual, often presenting the opportunity to build your own meal with an ambience that encourages you eat in without a lengthy, drawn out dining experience. Fast casual restaurants are typically affordable and present plenty of options for people with all different dietary needs and food allergies.

But not all fast casual restaurants are created equal. While some of them will keep coming back time and time again, others are less likely to win your repeat business. Keeping reading to see which fast casual restaurants are ranked the best and which ones fall short.

With nearly 3,000 locations across the United States, Chipotle is undeniably one of the most popular fast casual restaurants in the country, and for good reason. Chipotle's menu offers burritos, tacos, salads, bowls, quesadillas, and homemade guacamole, and not only is the food tasty and reasonably priced, but there are vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, and gluten-free options, ensuring there is truly something for everyone.

Nearly everyone loves pizza, and at Blaze Pizza the possibilities are endless. Blaze Pizza was modeled after Chipotle; guests line up along the counter as the staff customize each individual pizza to each guest's liking. Guests can go for the classics or get creative, and there are plenty of vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free choices.

Sweetgreen is proof that eating healthy, whole foods doesn't have to be bland or boring. The fast casual restaurant specializes in salads and bowls, and guests can choose from a rotating menu of seasonal salads or create their own. All of Sweetgreen's ingredients are fresh and made from scratch.

Shake Shack got its start in Madison Square Park in the heart of New York City, where a line of hungry patrons wrapped around the park day-in and day-out, only shrinking as more locations opened up across the city to accommodate the demand. Today there are hundreds of Shake Shack locations around the world serving up consistently excellent burgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, and vegetarian-friendly mushroom burgers.

Chopt is a national fast-casual salad chain known for its fresh ingredients and thoroughly chopped salads, served with tasty dressing mixed in. Chopt offers healthy meals made with whole foods and caters to vegan and vegetarian diets as well as those who are glute-free and dairy-free. There aren't as many Chopt locations as some of the other fast-casual chains on this list, but that is likely to change as the restaurant picks up steam and gains more and more loyal customers.

Five Guys has been an American staple since 1986, but in the last two decades it has become one of the country's fast-growing burger chains. The menu at Five Guys is simple: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and fries, so it may not be super friendly to those with dietary restrictions, but their burgers and fries sure are tasty.

Panera is one of the most successful fast casual restaurant chains in the country, and though the restaurant began with a focus on its bakery items the menu has grown to encompass salads, sandwiches, soups, and sides. Panera delivers a multitude of healthy options as well as vegetarian fare, but those with gluten allergies may be limited to Panera's salad options.

Founded in Philadelphia, Honeygrow is a fast-casual chain that specializes in customizable salads and grain bowls made from healthy, whole ingredients. Additionally, customers can enjoy menu items like soups, ramen noodle bowls, and bone broth.

Known for its signature orange chicken, Panda Express is the largest fast-casual Chinese food chain in the United States. The menu delivers plenty of savory Chinese dishes and while many of the classics aren't exactly nutritious, there are several healthy entree options available as well as steamed brown rice and mixed vegetables.

Smashburger is national fast-casual restaurant chain that offers all-natural, antibiotic-free burgers as well as an assortment of other delicious sandwiches and sides like fries, onion rings, and sweet potato fries. Smashburger takes pride in serving high-quality, all-natural ingredients, and when you've finished your meal you can enjoy a mouthwatering milkshake for dessert.

Pret A Manger has more than 500 locations around the world where customers can pick up moderately healthy, reasonably priced sandwiches, salads, and coffee drinks. The menu items at Pret A Manger aren't particularly noteworthy, but they are fresh, easy to grab, and use high-quality ingredients, making it a reliable choice when you're short on time.

Au Bon Pain is a fast-casual restaurant that offers coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and desserts. The lunch and dinner options at Au Bon Pain leave a lot to be desired, but for a quick coffee or snack this is definitely the go-to spot.