scorecardI eat fast food for a living. Here are my go-to orders at 10 popular chains.
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I eat fast food for a living. Here are my go-to orders at 10 popular chains.

Erin McDowell   

I eat fast food for a living. Here are my go-to orders at 10 popular chains.
One of my favorite fast-food orders is a Double-Double animal style at In-N-Out.Erin McDowell/Insider
  • I've been taste-testing my way through practically every fast-food chain for a couple of years.
  • But when I eat fast food off the clock, I often order different items than I've tried for work.

I've been writing about fast food for over two years, and I've taste-tested a lot of different menu items in that time.

I
The author holding the Megan Thee Stallion Popeyes chicken sandwich.      Erin McDowell/Insider

From comparing double cheeseburgers at different chains to trying famous regional chains like Raising Cane's for the first time, I've admittedly eaten a lot of fast food over the years. While I try to eat healthy when I'm not taste-testing, I do occasionally still eat fast food off the clock.

When I do, I've found I often order different items than I've tried for work. However, I do still order items I've discovered through my stories, and I enjoy them just as much the second or third time around.

MCDONALD'S: Double quarter pounder with bacon, fries, and a soft drink

MCDONALD
McDonald's double quarter pounder with bacon.      Erin McDowell/Insider

While I admittedly like a lot of things on McDonald's menu, from its chicken sandwich to its nuggets and iconic Big Mac, my go-to order usually consists of a double quarter pounder with bacon, fries, a soft drink like Diet Coke, and ranch or honey mustard on the side.

When I previously tried this item for a taste test, I found that the beef patties were juicy and flavorful, the bacon added a salty, savory taste, and the cheese was perfectly tangy and melted.

WENDY'S: Spicy chicken nuggets

WENDY
Wendy's spicy chicken nuggets.      Irene Jiang/Business Insider

While I've never tried Wendy's spicy chicken nuggets for work, I find that they're a go-to menu item for me when I'm in the mood for fast food. They're perfectly crispy, the right level of spicy, and pair well with Wendy's sauces, from classic barbecue to the chain's creamy sriracha sauce.

CHICK-FIL-A: Spicy chicken sandwich deluxe, waffle fries, and a soft drink

CHICK-FIL-A: Spicy chicken sandwich deluxe, waffle fries, and a soft drink
Chick-fil-A spicy chicken sandwich deluxe.      Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

I went to college in North Carolina for four years and, during that time, I definitely nailed down my favorite order at Chick-fil-A. While I also enjoy the chain's classic chicken sandwich, chicken tenders, and nuggets, my favorite menu item by far is its spicy deluxe chicken sandwich.

The sandwich comes with a perfectly juicy and crispy spicy chicken patty, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, and tomato. I also like to order at least two Chick-fil-A sauces on the side for my waffle fries and to smear on the sandwich itself for even more flavor.

POPEYES: Spicy chicken sandwich, Cajun fries, biscuit, and a soft drink

POPEYES: Spicy chicken sandwich, Cajun fries, biscuit, and a soft drink
Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich.      Business Insider/Dennis Green

Just like when I'm at rival chicken chain Chick-fil-A, I like to order a spicy chicken sandwich at Popeyes. While I don't think it packs quite as much flavor as the spicy chicken deluxe sandwich at Chick-fil-A, I nevertheless enjoy the super crispy and juicy chicken and the large, crunchy pickles that come on this famous sandwich.

I also really like the chain's Cajun fries — they practically always come in a generous serving and are seasoned well.

RAISING CANE'S: Caniac combo with fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, and a soft drink

RAISING CANE
Raising Cane's Caniac combo.      Erin McDowell/Insider

I recently visited Raising Cane's for the first time and was really impressed by its crispy, juicy chicken tenders and famous Cane's sauce. Though I haven't tried as many items from the chain as I would like, I thought the six-finger combo I ordered was a great deal and came with a lot of food.

I really enjoyed the crispy yet fluffy Texas toast and, while I didn't get a chance to try the chain's coleslaw, I would order it the next time I'm in a state with a Raising Cane's.

WHATABURGER: Double meat burger with cheese, fries, and a soft drink

WHATABURGER: Double meat burger with cheese, fries, and a soft drink
Whataburger double meat burger with cheese.      Erin McDowell/Insider

Whataburger started in Texas and has expanded to 10 other states across the South, Southwest, and Midwest. I've only been to the chain a handful of times, but I've tried a variety of items, from its chicken sandwich to chicken tenders. Of the items I tried, I enjoyed the double meat burger with cheese the most.

The burger came with a large bun, American cheese, grilled peppers and onions, pickles, and ketchup. The burger was a decent size and I could see the gooey cheese peeking out from underneath the soft potato bun. Compared to other double cheeseburgers I've tried, this was one of the most unique. The double meat burger had sliced jalapeño peppers that added quite the kick and tons of flavor.

BURGER KING: Whopper

BURGER KING: Whopper
Burger King Whopper.      Hollis Johnson

Compared to other fast-food burger chains, Burger King is probably the one I order from the least. However, there are a few items on the chain's menu I really enjoy.

I love the chain's signature Whopper, which comes with one flame-grilled beef patty, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles, mayonnaise, and ketchup. This classic burger has never failed me with its simplicity and is often just what I'm looking for in a fast-food burger.

I also enjoy Burger King's nuggets, which I've found to be crispy and flavorful.

SHAKE SHACK: Chick'n bites with Shack sauce and honey mustard

SHAKE SHACK: Chick
Shake Shack chicken bite dipped in honey mustard.      Irene Jiang / Business Insider

I might get some heat for this, but my favorite menu item from Shake Shack isn't a burger. Though the chain's burgers are undeniably good, I personally really enjoy the chain's chicken nuggets. I find them to be perfectly crispy, juicy, and pair well with the chain's dipping sauces.

WHITE CASTLE: Double cheese sliders, fries, and a soft drink

WHITE CASTLE: Double cheese sliders, fries, and a soft drink
White Castle double cheese sliders.      Erin McDowell/Insider

I only recently tried White Castle, but I haven't looked back since. These sliders may be small, but they're packed with flavor from the onions that White Castle grills its burgers on. The onions, condiments, and pickles are all really fragrant and flavorful, but it's the beef that really impresses me.

IN-N-OUT: Double-Double animal style, extra-crispy fries, and a soft drink

IN-N-OUT: Double-Double animal style, extra-crispy fries, and a soft drink
In-N-Out Double-Double animal style burger.      Erin McDowell/Insider

Without a doubt, my favorite fast-food menu item of all time is a Double-Double animal-style burger from In-N-Out. The Double-Double comes with two beef patties, two slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, and spread, but animal style is slightly different.

If you order your burger animal style, the beef patties will be cooked in mustard and come with all the toppings plus pickles and extra spread, and the onions will be grilled. I find this adds a ton of flavor to the burger, without causing it to become soggy or heavy.

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