If you’re a fast food fan like me, you know that some drive-thru windows can take a little longer than others. On rare occasions, you’ll have to wait up to 10 or 15 minutes just to get a chicken sandwich or cheeseburger. Fortunately, not all takeout orders are designed the same way, and some fast food chains are much faster than others.
A 2025 Study by Fast quality service Data was collected from the largest and most popular fast food chains across America to determine the fastest and slowest. The annual report, now in its 25th year, uses a network of mystery shoppers to analyze shopping windows for things like accuracy, availability, and, most importantly, speed.
This year’s study analyzed 13 of America’s most popular fast food chains, welcoming newcomers like Dutch Bros Coffee, Popeyes, Starbucks and Tim Hortons into the study for the first time. They join alongside staples like Burger King, Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s and many more.
Finally, the fast food restaurants collected data from 165 mystery shoppers who visited fast food restaurants between June and July, focusing on speed of delivery. The study also collected data from 120 other shoppers who focused specifically on companies that use AI help-seeking software. Let’s just say some series were much better than others.
What is the fastest engine in America?
Photography: Taco Bell
For the fifth year in a row, Taco Bell is the fastest growing restaurant in America according to QSR. The study indicates that customers spend an average of 256.8 seconds (or about 4 minutes and 17 seconds) in line at Taco Bell chains across the country, regardless of the time of day.
Taco Bell barely beats out KFC, which comes in second with an average wait time of 261.2 seconds (4 minutes, 21 seconds). In third place behind Taco Bell and KFC is Tim Hortons, which had an average order time of 265.9 seconds (4 minutes, 26 seconds).
According to QSR, “classic” fast food chains are the quickest on average, with a typical total service time of about 242.6 seconds (just over 4 minutes). The “beverage” chains fall in the middle of the pack with an average service time of 254.3 seconds (about 4 minutes and 15 seconds). Places chicken at the bottom of the package.
- Taco Bell – 256.8 seconds
- Kentucky – 261.2 seconds
- Tim Hortons – 265.9 seconds
- Arby – 272.3 seconds
- Wendy’s – 293.3 seconds
- Dunkin’ – 309.7 seconds
- Burger King – 361.1 seconds
What is the slowest drive in America?
Photo by: Chick-fil-A
While Taco Bell holds the crown for speed, on the other end of the spectrum, Chick-fil-A is the slowest drive-thru chain in America for 2025. Chick-fil-A’s overall average service time is 427.0 seconds (7 minutes 7 seconds) — nearly three minutes longer than Taco Bell’s.
Second only to Chick-fil-A on the slow scale is Popeye’s, which takes an average of 410.5 seconds (6 minutes, 50 seconds), while Raising Cane’s is the third slowest on this list, with a total service time of 383.3 seconds (6 minutes, 23 seconds).
Chicken restaurants took over the longest from other fast food chains in 2025. Together, these restaurants combine for an average service time of about 269.9 seconds (just under 4 minutes and 30 seconds) — about 30 seconds slower than any of the traditional burger chains.
- Chick-fil-A — 427.0 seconds
- Popeye – 410.5 seconds
- Cane lift – 383.3 seconds
- Dutch brothers – 382.0 seconds
- Starbucks – 373.0 seconds
- McDonald’s – 363.9 seconds
It’s not just about speed
While speed is certainly important — it’s literally in the name — it’s not the be all and end all for fast food chains. QSR also takes into account important factors such as order accuracy, friendliness, and overall likability.
Although Taco Bell may be the fastest, it’s not the friendliest or most likable of the group; It gets a rating of 78 percent on the “friendliness” scale and 88 percent in overall satisfaction. This places it in fifth and tenth place, respectively.
The friendlier fast food chain shouldn’t come as a surprise; Chick-fil-A ranks highest with a friendliness score of 93 percent. Dutch Bros came in second with 92%, while Raising Cane’s took third with 89%.
Chick-fil-A also took home an overall satisfaction award, with a score of 98 percent. Dutch Bros, once again, came in second with a score of 98%, and Popeyes came in third with an overall score of 96%. At the bottom of the satisfaction scale was McDonald’s, with a total score of 86 percent.
Order accuracy plays another important role in the fast food experience. According to QSR, Dutch Bros achieved the highest results for order accuracy, with an overall score of 96 percent. Dunkin’ came in second place with 91 percent, and Tim Hortons came in third with 90 percent. At the bottom of the accuracy scale, Kentucky scores just 79 percent.
Even with rising prices and uncertainty about how artificial intelligence will reshape the fast food industry, you can still count on at least two things at your next fast food stop: fast delivery times at Taco Bell and friendly faces at Chick-fil-A.
