Vote now! Readers' Choice Awards Best Fast Casual Chain of 2026

Fast-casual dining has become a staple of the week for many of us, whether we're at the office, driving the kids to sports practices, or on a road trip. They're often a fresher and healthier option than the drive-thru when we want a quick meal.

Our panel of experts has narrowed the fast-casual field to the chains below. These are the spots they keep going back to. Now we need your help. Read through the picks, then vote for the ones you like best and help us crown the Readers' Choice Award winners.

Voting period ends on August 12, 2026. We'll announce the winners on August 20.

Vote for the best fast casual chain!

Nominee #1: Au Bon Pain

Au Bon Pain is a bakery-café in the French tradition, although it’s far from authentic. Its cornerstone is pastries, soups, and sandwiches designed for a quick lunch to-go. Established in Boston in 1976, it was one of the early U.S. bakery-café pioneers and a huge favorite of locals, who still remember its tarragon chicken salad sandwich and Orangina.

Today, it operates with a smaller footprint of around three dozen U.S. locations, mainly at universities, hospitals, and airports, although none are in its original hometown. Our panel included it for the range of baked goods—notably the fresh-baked croissants—and the café-plus-lunch flexibility. It's a place where you can grab a coffee in the morning and come back for a sandwich at midday, which many people do.

Nominee #2: CAVA

In an assembly-line format, CAVA serves up customizable, build-your-own Mediterranean-style grain bowls and pitas layered with proteins, greens, and dips like hummus and tzatziki, not to mention its signature Crazy Feta. Our reviewers were drawn to the fresh, fairly healthy ingredients, with a favorite order being the harissa-grilled chicken grain bowl.

CAVA grew out of a full-service Greek restaurant in the Washington, D.C., area; its first fast-casual location opened in 2011. It has since expanded to more than 440 locations across roughly two dozen states.

Nominee #3: Chipotle Mexican Grill

Popular among families and teens, Chipotle serves made-to-order Mexican food like burritos, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and salads, which are assembled right in front of you as you walk the line. Chipotle’s menu is famously built around swapping ingredients in and out until the plate is your own creation, or you can always order the favorite chicken burrito.

Founded in Denver in 1993, Chipotle helped popularize the fast-casual model that this whole category now runs on. It was one of the first to pair counter service and speed with responsibly sourced ingredients. Our panel pointed to that consistency again and again: as one reviewer put it, a meal in South Carolina tastes the same as one in Oregon.

Others singled out the freshness and the sheer number of choices, and at least one regular skips the famous burritos entirely in favor of the tacos. With roughly 4,000 locations, it's easy to find one nearby.

Nominee #4: Chopt Creative Salad Co.

If you love salad, you've likely been to Chopt Creative Salad Co.. Founded in New York City in 2001, the chain lets diners craft a completely personalized, chef-made salad or order from a rotating lineup of destination-inspired creations with a menu of house-made dressings to match.

Our reviewers described the salads as generous in size and had trouble finding a dressing they didn't like, which speaks to the range on offer. A popular order is the Mexican Caesar. The chain operates across roughly a dozen East Coast and Southern markets. If salads are your thing, our panel put this near the top of the list.

Nominee #5: Flower Child

The signature Mother Earth bowl defines Flower Child's health-focused philosophies, combining a breadth of unique and interesting vegetable-based ingredients that you wouldn't find at most quick-eat spots. In the bigger picture, the chain serves bowls, salads, and wraps with a deep bench of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.

It started with a single Arizona location in 2014 and has since grown to more than 40 locations across roughly a dozen states, plus Washington, D.C. Our panel most appreciates the consideration for special diets. Meals here may be wholesome, but they certainly don't feel like a compromise.

Nominee #6: Jason's Deli

Jason's Deli built its name on sandwiches, both customizable and specialty. Plus, it offers a salad bar that our reviewers rate as one of the best in the category. The panel highlighted Jason's clean-ingredient approach—the company was an early mover in dropping artificial trans fats, MSG, and high-fructose corn syrup from its menu—and framed it as a place you can count on for a satisfying midday meal.

If a good salad bar is what you're after, our experts flagged this as the one to beat, not to mention the stacked New Orleans-style muffaletta. Founded in Beaumont, Texas, in 1976, the reliable chain now operates in more than two dozen states.

Nominee #7: McAlister's Deli

McAlister's Deli is a counter-service deli known for sandwiches, soups, salads, and its oversized loaded baked potatoes—the Spud Max. Founded in Oxford, Mississippi, in 1989, it has grown to more than 500 locations across roughly 30 states, which is why our reviewers note you can find one just about anywhere now.

The sandwiches got solid marks, but the loaded spuds are where one of our panelists plants a flag—calling them the way to go for anyone who shows up hungry. The chain is also widely known for its sweet tea, sold by the glass or by the gallon.

Nominee #8: Mendocino Farms

Mendocino Farms takes the everyday sandwich and salad and kicks it up a notch. For example, the popular Not So Fried chicken sandwich gives roasted chicken the illusion of being fried with its Mendo’s Krispies coating.

Founded in Los Angeles in 2005, the chef-driven chain leans on creative flavor combinations and seasonally rotating ingredients, and our reviewers pointed to that as what sets it apart in a crowded field.

Mendocino Farms has grown beyond 80 locations, concentrated in California with expansion into Texas, Washington, and beyond, so more diners outside its home state are getting a look. For anyone who thinks a sandwich shop can't be interesting, our panel argues that the artisanal, produce-forward approach is clearly the work of people who care about the details.

Nominee #9: Moe's Southwest Grill

Moe's Southwest Grill serves made-to-order Tex-Mex in the form of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and nachos, plus house-made salsas and free chips that regulars expect.

Founded in Atlanta in 2000, the chain runs close to 575 U.S. locations and greets every customer at the door with its signature "Welcome to Moe's!" Our reviewers called out that welcome as part of the appeal, along with the everything-to-order approach.

Plenty of people come for the burritos (like the Homewrecker), but one of our panelists steers the truly hungry toward the nachos instead.

Nominee #10: Noodles & Company

Unsurprisingly, the main draw at Noodles & Company is noodle and pasta dishes inspired by global flavors—think Wisconsin mac and cheese next to pad thai and penne rosa. But you can also select from soups and salads.

Founded in Denver in 1995 and now operating in more than 30 states, it has become a nationwide option that our reviewers value for consistently delivering good quality quickly.

Nominee #11: Panera Bread

Another bakery-café construction, Panera Bread is built around soups, salads, and fresh sandwiches that can be ordered alone or as part of the signature You Pick 2 menu. Before lunch, though, crowds come for coffee and an orange scone, a chocolate chip muffin top, or an asiago bagel, just a few of the breads and pastries available.

The soup (broccoli cheddar, anyone?) drew the most affection from our panel. One panelist, who lives alone, praised being able to pick up a bowl or two without committing to a week of leftovers, and made a special case for the bread bowl, which somehow holds soup without turning into a mess in your lap. The sandwiches and scones (and the addictive mac and cheese) earned steady marks, too.

Panera traces back to the St. Louis Bread Company, founded in 1987, and today runs more than 2,000 bakery-cafés across the U.S. and Canada.

Nominee #12: Pei Wei Asian Kitchen

Pei Wei Asian Kitchen delivers wok-fired Asian flavors to diners quickly, a service that makes it fitting for a fast-casual restaurant. Launched in 2000 as an offshoot of P.F. Chang's, Pei Wei lets diners customize noodle and rice bowls with fresh vegetables and proteins. Everything is cooked to order in an open kitchen, which gives the space a livelier feel than the average quick lunch, according to our reviewers. Don’t miss the Mongolian beef or the Kung Pao chicken.

Our panel counts it as one of the early adopters of the fast-casual ethos, offering full flavor and a real meal without the wait of a sit-down restaurant. They also pointed to the mix of speed, customization, and atmosphere as what keeps it in the dinner rotation.

Nominee #13: Portillo's

Hot dogs, Italian beef, Maxwell Street Polish, and a chocolate cake—Portillo's is Chicago street food done at scale, with a following all its own. It started in 1963 as a single stand in Villa Park, Illinois, and has since grown past 90 locations across about 10 states, though its heart remains in the Chicago area.

Our reviewers pointed to the hot dogs specifically—a must-try is the Chicago-style with everything—noting they land equally well with parents and kids. Another signature must is the dipped Italian beef sandwich.

Nominee #14: Qdoba Mexican Eats

Qdoba Mexican Eats offers fast-casual Mexican staples such as burritos, bowls, tacos, and nachos. One perk that came up repeatedly from our panel: guacamole and queso are included rather than charged as extras. And this pairs excellently with the loaded queso burrito.

The chain traces back to a single Denver restaurant that opened in 1995 and now runs roughly 800 locations across North America, which helps explain its reputation among our reviewers as a dependable road-trip stop. Fresh food was the recurring theme, and the chicken earned praise—one reviewer swears it's seasoned with adobo.

Nominee #15: Sweetgreen

Sweetgreen deals in customizable salads and warm grain bowls with a seasonal, locally sourced emphasis. Founded by three Georgetown grads in 2007, with its first store in Washington, D.C., it has grown to roughly 250 stores across about two dozen states, helping define what premium fast-casual healthy eating looks like.

Our reviewers credit it with setting a high bar as the build-your-own bowls and fresh ingredients drew strong praise. We love the Harvest Bowl.

Vote for the best fast casual chain!

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Our Experts

Our experts

Susan Lanier-Graham

Lanier-Graham is an award-winning food, wine, and travel writer with more than three decades of experience exploring destinations around the world. She has visited luxury resorts, boutique properties, and hidden gems across six continents, bringing a discerning eye to every stay. As publisher of Wander With Wonder, she leads an award-winning digital publication that inspires readers to discover exceptional travel experiences. Her work blends firsthand insight with a passion for storytelling, offering trusted recommendations on where to stay, dine, and explore. Susan’s expertise helps travelers confidently choose destinations that transform trips into unforgettable, experience-rich journeys.

Joelle Machia

Joelle Machia is a travel writer, podcaster, photographer, and co-founder of Wanderers Compass, a multi-platform travel brand dedicated to immersive, culturally respectful storytelling. As a United Nations ECOSOC Representative and award-winning content creator, she focuses on sharing deeper travel experiences that go beyond the surface. Through Wanderers Compass, Joelle produces destination guides, long-form articles, a digital magazine, and a podcast that explores history, culture, food, and local communities.

Jo Clark

Clark has often been heard to say, “I’ll eat anything that doesn’t eat me.” A travel writer, photographer, podcaster, and food-and-wine enthusiast, she explores destinations one bite, sip, and story at a time. Her work appears in a variety of publications, including RecipesTravelCulture, where she shares discoveries ranging from roadside gems to unforgettable culinary experiences. She keeps her passport up to date, her suitcase close at hand, and her camera ready. Follow her adventures at @JoGoesEverywhere.

Nancy Monson

Monson is a writer, artist, and teacher who frequently writes about travel, wellness, spas, and creativity. Her articles have been published in over 30 national magazines and websites, including AARP, Glamour, Saturdayeveningpost.com, USA Today, Woman’s Day, and Women’s Health. She is also the author of "Craft to Heal: Soothing Your Soul with Sewing, Painting, and Other Pastimes," which explores how creative hobbies improve mental health. Connect with her at @NancyMonson and see her work at Nancy Monson Art.

Reviewed Editors & Experts

Reviewed editors and experts have hard-earned insight from a broad range of backgrounds, and our nomination panel includes independent researchers, subject matter experts, and editorial team members. We provide unbiased, experiential editorial coverage on products, brands, and companies across the U.S.