Throughout the years, California has been the birthplace of many fast food chains. From the historic rise of Mexican-inspired fast food giant Taco Bell to the creation of Carl’s Jr., home of the best fast food breakfast sandwich, the Golden State is a breeding ground for greatness in the fast food industry. In fact, the industry wouldn’t be what it is today without the help of California’s beloved burger spot In-N-Out and its innovative speaker system.
With so many great contenders coming from California, one would imagine the most beloved fast food chain in the state would be one of the West Coast’s exclusive spots like In-N-Out. However, all of the state’s fast food chains are eclipsed in popularity by one chain in particular: McDonald’s. Over the course of November 2023 to November 2024, a study conducted by BetCalifornia revealed that California residents looked up McDonald’s using online search engines more than any other fast food chain.
In-N-Out was, in fact, the king of fast food in California for a long time. Still, its popularity wasn’t enough to keep the fast food giant that is McDonald’s from taking the No. 1 spot. Ironically, like so many other chains, McDonald’s also got its starts in California, originating in San Bernardino.
The most popular fast food chains in the Golden State
While McDonald’s is the most popular fast food chain in California based on search engine results, three chains tied for second place: Taco Bell, In-N-Out, and Jack in the Box. Still, the chain with the golden arches had nearly three times as much interest in comparison to the chains that placed second, according to BetCalifornia’s study. Funnily enough, all three of these chains were founded in the Golden State, too. With so many popular chains coming from California, competition for the top spot is undoubtedly tight.
However, what puts McDonald’s at the top of the list might simply be numbers. While the majority of In-N-Out’s locations are in California, McDonald’s has more locations overall, with nearly five times as many restaurants in the state as the exclusively West Coast-based burger chain. This could be the reason that McDonald’s finally overtook the throne from In-N-Out after all these years.
