Iowa’s Go-To Fast Food Chains Land on America’s Unhealthy List

It's okay to "cheat" on that diet every now and again, right? I mean, it's not like we can all eat super clean all the time.

Fast food has become synonymous with being a cheat food. And, like anything, in moderation, it's fine.

But that doesn't mean it's ever healthy.

The folks at World Atlas have released an updated list of the 10 most unhealthy fast food restaurants, and many Iowa favorites made the list, including the worst offender.

Get our free mobile app

Fast Food: The Worst of the Worst

What's your favorite fast food treat? I love a good old roast beef sandwich from Arby's. Surprisingly, Arby's is not in the top ten of worst fast food restaurants.

Since most Americans eat fast food 1-3 times a week, it's essential to know the worst foods to avoid when choosing fast food.

Photo by Jacob McGowin on Unsplash

Here are the worst fast food options and a ranking of the worst fast food restaurants, plus the number of Iowa locations:

Rank	Restaurant	Notable Menu Offenders	IA Locations
1	Wendy’s	Triple Baconator, Frosty shakes (over 2,100 calories)	41
2	Sonic Drive-In	2,000+ calorie combos, giant milkshakes	10
3	Taco Bell	Crunchwrap Supreme combos (1,140+ calories)	42
4	Dairy Queen	Oreo Blizzard (1,080 calories) + chicken combos	*Many*
5	KFC	Fried chicken buckets with high sodium & fat	42
6	Quiznos	Toasted subs with 1,300+ calories	5
7	McDonald’s	Big Mac combos (~1,300 calories) + large fries	*Many*
8	Smashburger	Signature burger (830 calories) and >500-calorie salads	1
9	Little Caesars	Hot‑N‑Ready pizzas (2,000+ calories)	30
10	Chick‑fil‑A	Large “healthy” meals over 1,600 calories	20

Why It Matters

While those cheat days are probably okay, eating copious amounts of fast food isn't healthy.

These chains rank high because of their obscenely high calorie counts, saturated fat, sodium, and sugar. All of which exceed or come close to exceeding your daily allowance.

Still, hard to argue those calories aren't worth it... sometimes!

The Top 11 New Iowa State Fair Foods in 2025

Just last week, the Iowa State Fair officially revealed more than 60 new foods that will debut at next month's annual fair! Brain and I got the opportunity to try 11 of those foods yesterday at a special judging event in Des Moines!

Gallery Credit: Courtlin