Fast, affordable and safe food options have never been more important than in this COVID-19 era.   One-hundred and fifty students were surveyed through an Instagram poll on what their favorite local fast food restaurant was. Among the restaurants chosen are Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, Chipotle and Taco Bell, with Chick-fil-A at the lead with an overall approval rating of 9.5/10. Some students shared their favorites with The Prowl.

Freshman Hannah Riolo says her favorite has to be Chick-fil-A. Riolo says, “I go there 1-2 times a week. If it is a busier week with sports, I usually have it more often.” This has been a common theme among athletes. 

Freshman Jack Brinker says, “I usually get a chicken sandwich, fries and a chocolate milkshake.” This order was uncommon as only 28% of students claimed to order chicken sandwiches. The other 72% said they prefer Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets. 

Sophomore Meghan Magoon is among the latter. She always has her meal with Chick-fil-A sauce. She expressed her love for their signature condiment, saying, “You always need Chick-Fil-A sauce.”

Another fast food restaurant that has a high approval rating from Indy Students is the nationwide chain of Mexican-inspired restaurants, Chipotle. Chipotle gained its spot in Indy’s top five after it got an approval rating of 9.3/10. 

Sophomore Stella Forbes gave Chipotle a 9/10. She believes “the food is great, and the service is usually pretty good.” Forbes goes to Chipotle a few times a month and orders a burrito bowl with white rice, black beans, tomato salsa, corn, sour cream, cheese and guacamole. Chipotle is famous for their bowl style instead of the traditional tortilla. 

Taco Bell and Popeyes were tied as third place in the rankings.  Each scored an 8/10 in the polls. Junior Margelit Aguilar Tinoco was interviewed about her personal favorite, Taco Bell. She loves their chicken quesadilla with a baja blast freeze on the side. 

Sophomore Swara Kaoray suggests Popeyes over Taco Bell. At Popeyes, she praises their quarter-pound Popcorn Shrimp platter. Kaoray mentioned, “I usually order Popeyes about once every two weeks just to be safe during the pandemic.”

Staying safe and distancing from others is a priority nowadays, which is why fast food chains have taken precautions that protect everyone’s safety. This has caused an increase in sales and appeal for the fast food industry. 

Fast food chains have always enjoyed a strong following but especially as people become more and more busy in their daily lives.  Fast food offers the convenience of safety and with the pandemic and the reluctance of people to go into restaurants to eat, this has given fast food chains an even better opportunity to gain popularity.