11 Chains You Should Never Order Takeout From - Tasting Table

"Picture this: It's late. You're tired. You're hungry. You open up a delivery app, choose your go-to menu items from your favorite fast-food chain, and hit order. You sit back, relax, and your food arrives in less than 20 minutes. (Fun fact: Research suggests people start losing their patience with waiting for a food delivery at around 29 minutes.) But not only is your food delivered quickly, it's also hot and tasty, making you a satisfied customer."

"Dreamy, right? Sadly, as many of us know too well, this doesn't always happen. Sometimes, you end up with cold, soggy food that took hours to arrive (or more than 29 minutes, anyway). You're not satisfied, you're angry. And to make matters worse: You feel like you've wasted your hard-earned cash. Unfortunately, bad takeout is a universal experience. But which chains are the worst offenders? We scanned social media and review platforms to figure out which chains you should never order takeout from."

"Customers complain that its more than 4,000 restaurants are inconsistent in terms of food standards and customer service, with some even speculating that KFC workers aren't paid enough in the U.S. to care enough about quality. That said, it's not all bad. Some say they love a fresh, hot KFC, which, let's be honest, you're more likely to get when you eat in. When you order takeout, you might be waiting a while."

A late-night delivery can arrive hot and tasty within 20 minutes, but people often start losing patience with food deliveries at about 29 minutes. Sometimes orders arrive cold, soggy, or hours late, leaving customers angry and feeling like they wasted money. Social media and review platforms flag several popular chains as frequent takeout offenders, including McDonald's, KFC, and Five Guys. KFC, founded with its first franchise in Salt Lake City in the 1950s, faces complaints in the U.S. about inconsistent food standards and customer service across more than 4,000 locations, and some speculate low pay affects quality. Many customers report better results dining in; when takeout is unreliable, eating at the restaurant or cooking at home can be preferable.

Read at Tasting Table