Ranking 12 Fast Food Pickles From Worst To Best
One of the most versatile toppings and snacks is the pickle. Cucumber's vinegary counterparts can be prepared in many different ways and can also be paired with a variety of dishes. You can eat your pickles plain, fried, on sandwiches, in dips, on pizza, and even in cocktails. In 2020 alone, 245.85 million people in the United States consumed pickles. According to Business Yield, "the top-selling pickle brand in the Southeastern United States, where its market share is close to 70%, is Mt. Olive."
When it comes to fast food restaurants, the demand there is high too. According to Industry Week, in 2019, "Hausbeck Pickle Co. [produced] an average [of] 400,000 pounds of pickles or peppers a day for some of the world's largest fast food restaurants including Subway, Burger King, Domino's Pizza, Taco Bell, and KFC." That's a lot of pickles.
Each fast food restaurant uses pickles in its dishes differently, making some places and menu items better than others. Be it through fried pickles, slushies, or, most popularly, as a topping on a sandwich, we have found 12 of the best and worst pickles you can get at a fast food joint.
12. Burger King
In last place, but still, a viable option, is Burger King. Typically, when you get pickles from Burger King, you can find them on burgers, chicken sandwiches, and melts, or you may be able to get them as a side. Burger King — in some Canadian locations — also offers the dill pickle chicken nuggets, essentially regular chicken nuggets with pickles in the breading.
Though Burger King clearly has versatile uses for its pickles, most people think they are not the best fast food pickles you can get. One Twitter user said, "Burger King why would anyone trust your pickles." The pickles are often served pretty soggy, not giving their presence in sandwiches the desired impact of a nice contrast of texture.
Your best bet for pickles at Burger King is heading to the Canadian location and ordering the dill pickle chicken nuggets because those have a nice crunchy breading that can offset the lack of crunch in the pickle. Still, that can be quite the journey — especially if you're in the United States. So, this leaves Burger King at the bottom of our list.
11. Dairy Queen
Next up is Dairy Queen, its menu accommodates many uses for pickles. Nearly all of the sandwiches have pickles or can have them added on. This restaurant chain uses crinkle-cut pickles to provide even more texture than normal. Dairy Queen's burgers and chicken sandwiches taste the best with the pickles on top, but they are also very good as a side to a chicken basket. You can even put the pickles on top of your hot dog for an extra bit of crunch.
Some people feel that Dairy Queen's pickles are a great option, with one Twitter user saying, "dairy queen's pickles are the best." However, some feel that Dairy Queen's pickles can be too overpowering in smell and taste in several of the menu items. Often, people find there are too many pickles that are not evenly distributed. Either way, though, Dairy Queen still has a wide variety of uses for pickles and provides a different texture with the crinkle-cut supply.
10. Subway
Another fast food pickle option that ranks just okay is Subway. The sandwich shop chain is known for its build-your-own sandwiches, where you can either get a predetermined sub or create your own. One topping option is the pickles, which provide a nice crunch to contrast the soft bread, meats, and cheeses. Subway uses crinkle-cut pickles, a change that took place in November 2022, for more of an upgraded taste and texture. As a bonus, Subway often offers Lay's dill pickle chips for those who want more pickles with their meal.
Though Subway thought this change would be a great addition to the menu, most fans of the chain were underwhelmed with the new pickles. One Twitter user wrote, "I really hate change. Like. Why did Subway change their pickles to some burger crinkle pickles that don't even flow." These pickles lack the same appeal that the other kind had, which were not crinkle-cut and had more of a soggy, traditional pickle taste. Subway's pickles are a decent topping option but do not measure up to some of the other fast food chain pickles.
9. Jimmy John's
In a similar vein to Subway but with a slightly better supply, Jimmy John's takes the lead between the two. Jimmy John's offers predesigned subs with your choice of what ingredients to add, substitute, or take off. This sandwich chain does not directly release the name of its pickle vendor, but the restaurant does offer pickles as a topping on all of its subs. What sets it apart from others, though, is not only the fact that the pickles taste better but that it offers full kosher dill pickles as a side in addition to its pickle slices.
Jimmy John's pickles get a lot of hype on social media. One Reddit user wrote, "I go to JJ once a month and buy 2 buckets of pickles." Apparently, the hype got back to the Jimmy John's company, which prompted a release of an entire line of clothing based on its pickles. You can buy hats, socks, fanny packs, and even tree ornaments. Clearly, Jimmy John's pickles have a great crunch and delicious taste that makes for a great topping or side to any sub on the menu.
8. Carl's Jr.
It's the yellow smiling star that many people recognize as the Carl's Jr. logo. However, this chain also offers several notable menu items, like pickles. Carl's Jr. provides pickles to go on top of all of its sandwiches. Like other chains, these pickles are crinkle-cut to provide more texture to each bite. Carl's Jr. burgers, chicken sandwiches, and even chicken tenders pair well with these pickles. Though the pickle brand Carl's Jr. partners with is not disclosed, people can easily taste the flavor in each item.
Many people feel that the crinkle-cut pickles from Carl's Jr. are a lot better than some of the other options. One Twitter user wrote, "Carl's Jr. pickles are elite." But many other people still rank various fast food chains' pickles above Carl's Jr. However, these pickles are not soggy, have a great texture, and are pretty average as far as taste goes. Overall, they make a great option but still fall short of the standards for some.
7. Culver's
Culver's is known for many things — particularly the juicy, well-topped ButterBurger and the large list of milkshakes — but one part of the menu that can be hit or miss for some people is the pickles. Culver's uses crinkle-cut pickles that have a distinct taste to them. You might think these pickles taste a bit familiar, and that's because Culver's has a contract with Gordon Food Service, one of the most popular food suppliers in the country.
However, it is clear that Gordon Food Services is not for everyone. Some people love them, with one Twitter user asking if anyone had "ever ordered 3 or 4 side cups of pickles from Culver's just in case you get snackie later?" On the other hand, some people felt the food at Culver's was better than its pickles. One Twitter user wrote, "Culver's is amazing but the pickles are low tier." Whether or not the pickles are your personal preference, in general, they go a lot better with the food from Culver's than some of the other fast food pickle options.
6. Wendy's
Another great fast food pickle, but not quite breaking the top five, is Wendy's. This chain is known for its meal deals, burgers, and chicken sandwiches — all of which leave opportunities for pickle pairings. Wendy's uses burger pickles that are fermented for a long time for extra flavor. Wendy's changed its pickles a few years ago, and these new pickles pack a heavy bite but are still great for those who are not a fan of spice.
One Twitter user said it best, "Wendy's pickles do slap." The pickles go on every menu item really well and have little to no complaints from fans of the restaurant. One comment that Wendy's eaters say is that the chain often overuses pickles on the sandwiches in particular. However, if the flavor becomes too overwhelming, you can always take them off the top and save them as a snack for later. Wendy's pickles have a great flavor profile and a good reputation among fans but don't quite measure up to some of the other great pickles at other fast food chains.
5. Chick-fil-A
To kick off the top five fast food pickles, Chick-fil-A takes the slot. Chick-fil-A is known for its chicken sandwiches, and the pickles that come on top are a part of what makes the sandwiches so popular. This fast food restaurant has a wide variety of pickles as sides and toppings. Chick-fil-A pickles come from Paradise Farms and have a special history with the restaurant dating back to when the owners created the first original chicken sandwich.
Fans of Chick-fil-A agree that the pickles in the sandwich set this chain apart from others. One Twitter user wrote, "Extra pickles on my Chick-fil-A sandwich is a must." Not only are the pickles on the sandwiches and on the side extremely delicious, but the quality of food and service at Chick-fil-A really stands out from its competitors. However, there are other restaurants that have slightly better pickles, which is why Chick-fil-A isn't at the very top of this list.
4. Sonic
In fourth place is Sonic. This fast food chain has many staples to the brand -– i.e. rollerskating waiters –- but the one that puts it in fourth place is its dedication to pickles. Sonic uses pickles as a main topping for its burgers and chicken sandwiches, and also as a great side for a bit of an extra crunch. The chain partners with Hausbeck pickles to offer its wide variety of products. From dill pickle burgers and nuggets to pickle fries and, of course, the famous pickle juice slushie, Sonic is about as expert with pickles as they come.
Sonic does not offer all these delicious pickle products year round, though. Often, these products will cycle through different time periods and make grand returns when fans miss them the most. One Twitter user wrote, "I didn't appreciate the sonic pickle slush until it left me." Many voice their love for Sonic's products online, while also begging the fast food chain to bring back those that have left the menu. Check out Sonic's menu for what pickle products they are currently selling in the restaurants.
3. McDonald's
In third place, a fan favorite and possibly a surprising option is McDonald's. This global fast food chain does not officially disclose information about its pickle supplier, but they are very similar to Heinz or Albertson's Signature because of their texture, look, and taste. McDonald's puts its pickles on all the burgers and chicken sandwiches, as well as the Filet-O-Fish if you just ask. Pickles can also be served as a side dish per your request.
The pickles are not crinkle-cut but good old regular-cut dill pickles. They have the perfect texture to spice up any regular sandwich. They are not too soggy but not too dry, either. One Reddit user put it plainly, saying, "it's the best thing on their burger." Only a few fast food chains can outdo McDonald's pickles, and out of all 12 on this list, McDonald's pickles are the easiest to access because of the amount of locations.
2. In-N-Out Burger
In the second place, barely missing out on the first-place slot, is In-N-Out Burger. This fast food chain has long been available only on the West Coast of the United States — but that may be slowly changing. Nevertheless, In-N-Out has pickles available for all the burgers but also has a specific menu option called Animal Style, which adds many ingredients to your burger — with pickles as the crown jewel. Though In-N-Out's pickle supplier is not directly mentioned, the chain takes pride in getting its ingredients delivered fresh to its varying locations.
In-N-Out burgers and fries, at that, are simply made better with the addition of the crinkle-cut pickles. The juicy, crisp texture balances out the soft meat and cheese, and the vinegary taste mixes with the In-N-Out special sauce quite nicely. One Twitter user explained, "I got pickles on my burger from [In-N-Out] and this changes literally everything."
1. Five Guys
And finally, the undisputed first-place winner of fast food pickles is Five Guys. This fast food joint sits at the top of our list because of its flavor, texture, and accessibility. This fast food chain specializes in burgers and fries but also offers grilled cheeses and a couple of other menu items that all accommodate the inclusion of crinkle-cut pickles. Though it might sound silly to eat pickles with Five Guys' tasty french fries or grilled cheese, you would be surprised how impressively the flavors blend together.
Five Guys pickles are truly delicious and easy to get hooked on. The burger chain's pickles exceed expectations for what a fast food pickle should be, given how well they are paired with different menu items. One Facebook user went on to say they liked the pickles at Five Guys so much they get "at least three layers of pickles" on their burger. Another big fan said, "I like to cover my burger so I get the flavor and the crunch." Needless to say, these pickles are definitely worth trying.