But let’s not forget that Fazoli’s Ultimate Sampler or Burger King’s onion rings… Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1.044 of The Daily Dirt

Welcome to a special edition of The Daily Dirt.

Today we present our favorite fast food chains in western Illinois and northeast Missouri.

And remember, we are only dealing with fast food restaurants here, not personalized family restaurants and/or small family businesses. That is something completely different.

I have divided our selection into three categories:

1. Sandwiches

This is pretty self-explanatory. Sandwiches are the heart and soul of the fast food kingdom.

Italian, Mexican, Chinese, fish, etc.: Obviously this is a pretty broad category, but it wouldn’t be fair to put this in the same breakdown as sandwiches. I think this is the fairest way to go about it.

Pages: Again, if The Daily Dirt wants to be anything, it’s fair, and that wouldn’t be the case if it mentioned dishes like French fries, onion rings, etc. in the same breath as sandwiches or Italian, Mexican, Chinese food and fish.

Special note: In this issue, we’re not covering desserts (those are for another day), soft drinks, shakes or smoothies. Oh, and one more thing – no breakfast items either. Those are for another day, too.

Let’s start the debate!

• 1. Culver’s ButterBurger: Are you surprised that this is No. 1? Don’t be. From the outside, it looks like many fast food burgers. It has cheddar cheese, onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard. But the secret here is the bun, which has been buttered to heaven and toasted on the griddle. A great bun makes the difference between a good burger and a phenomenal burger, and Culver’s ButterBurger is the latter.
• 2. Burger King Whoppers:Considered one of the most groundbreaking burgers in fast food history, the Whopper is typically a flame-grilled masterpiece that has been around since more than 1957. Today, it’s offered in special variations depending on the season, and there’s even the plant-based Impossible Whopper. But the original Whopper is simple: a wide, 4-ounce patty topped with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, and onion slices on a sesame seed bun.
• 3. Big Mac from McDonald’s: This double burger has been around for nearly 60 years and is probably one of the most famous burgers in the world. Most children born in the 1970s can still remember the jingle: “Two beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun!” It is probably the most famous fast food burger. McDonald’s reportedly sells more than 550 million Big Macs every year.
• 4. Arby’s Roast Beef:This not-so-humble sandwich—a stack of hot, thinly sliced ​​roast beef on a toasted sesame seed bun—was one of the few items on Arby’s first menu when it opened in 1964. This classic sandwich was the inspiration for the store’s other roast beef options, including a version with gyros and French dip.
• 5. Wendy’s Baconator: Although it seems like this half-pound beef burger with two square patties, cheese, ketchup, mayonnaise and six slices of bacon has been around forever, the Baconator is a relatively new invention. It was introduced in 2007 and helped Wendy’s establish itself alongside Burger King and McDonald’s.

Honorable Mention: Monster Thickburger from Burger King, Foot-Longs from Subway.

2. Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Fish

• 1. Fazoli’s ultimate sampler: Fettuccine Alfredo, penne with meat sauce, spaghetti marinara with meatballs, lasagne with meat sauce. And the two typical garlic breadsticks provide a perfect doughy note.
• 2. Taco Bell Nachos BellGrande/Supreme: Crispy tortilla chips with ground beef, diced tomatoes, refried beans, nacho cheese sauce and a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream, rounded off with a pinch of spring onions. Nachos Supreme contains the same ingredients as Nachos BellGrande, but in smaller portions.
• 3. Long John Silver’s Catch of the Day: The favorite dish consists of two pieces of fried white fish (which is always delicious!), two sides, and two hush puppies. The Eighinger family regularly drives to Hannibal, Missouri, to indulge in this.
• 4. KFC Chicken: KFC’s original chicken is still hard to beat. Its extremely crispy crust with spicy seasonings and juicy meat is unbelievably delicious. The chain made chicken a worldwide staple after it spread across the globe in the 1960s.
• 5. Papa John’s The Works Pizza: The Works is a hearty pizza topped with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, Italian sausage, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, black olives and mozzarella cheese, all on the company’s original dough baked with garlic sauce and Parmesan Romano cheese around the crust. (By the way, no black olives, please.)

Honorable Mention: Hard/soft tacos from Taco Bell, Meat Lover’s from Pizza Hut, Orange Chicken from Panda Express, Cassano’s Classic Deluxe.

3. Pages

• 1. Onion rings from Burger King: A crispy, golden brown outer shell with a tender, sweet white onion, the onion rings help Burger King stand out from the crowd in the side dishes department. Some fans feel that BK’s zesty sauce makes the onion rings an even stronger No. 1 choice.
• 2. Wendy’s Baked Potatoes: Wendy’s differentiates itself from the competition by offering a different type of potato: the baked potato. Wendy’s baked potatoes are considered a healthy alternative to French fries, but they can also be transformed into something salty and satisfying. Top them with sour cream and chives, cheese, or bacon. If you really want a unique fast food experience, order your baked potato with another of the chain’s signature dishes: the Wendy’s chili.
• 3. McDonald’s fries: If there was a guarantee that these fries would always be delivered hot – or at least comfortably warm – they would probably be #1. But with this particular order, there seems to be a quality control issue among the Golden Arches. (Just a week ago, I received a large portion of these fries that were limp and lukewarm at best. I really don’t understand what a problem is with serving a dish hot when it SHOULD BE hot. This doesn’t seem to be a recurring theme at any of the other burger shops.)
• 4. Culver’s Chili: This is arguably the most underrated dish on this list. Originally, the thick and hearty dish was only available during the winter months, but as Culver’s popularity grew, so did the popularity of chilis, and it is now available year-round.
• 5. Fazoli’s breadsticks: They are described as “warm and garlicky.” I described them as wonderful.

Honorable Mention: Chicken fries from Burger King, Chicken McNuggets from McDonald’s, chili from Wendy’s.

Steve’s thought of the day — Pass me the Pepto, please…

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. No doubt in his never-ending pursuit of quality control and science, he has tried every item on these lists dozens of times.