Which Fast Food Chains Have Won (And Lost) 2026 So Far?

The fast food business is brutal, and things can change very quickly. One day, a chain can be ruling the roost and in everyone’s favor; the next, it’s public enemy number one, its food quality waning and its service standards slipping (well, in customers’ eyes, anyway). This year, we’ve been tracking the rise and fall of some of the biggest fast food restaurants in the US in real time – so what’s the state of play, now that we’re a little over halfway through the year?

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Well, we wanted to check in on all that. We decided to do a mini roundup of the fast food chains that are faring the best and the worst so far this year. Who’s winning, and who’s losing?

Winning: Burger King

Burger King’s been working hard this year, and it shows. Since the start of 2026, it’s been trying to make things right and reverse years of declining public perceptions, and it’s been doing so in several ways, from revamping its Whopper to giving customers more opportunities to feed back to the business, all in a bid to improve their experience.

And…it’s been working. Over the last few months, we’ve seen a marked shift in how people feel about Burger King: The consensus is that it feels like it’s presenting a new and improved offer to its patrons, and it’s been winning back former customers. Impressive stuff. 

Losing: Wendy’s

2026 has not been especially kind to Wendy’s, despite its best efforts. Like Burger King, it decided that rejigging its menu items was the way forward this year; unlike that chain, though, its sandwich changes were a bust, with customers complaining that it had ruined a dish that was once working. Elsewhere, its diners have been feeling very vocal about its charmless interiors and the feeling that the chain has lost its way somewhat. In the court of public opinion, the verdict is in: Wendy’s is due for sentencing. 

Winning: Casey’s

This one’s almost a victory by stealth. Earlier this month, we performed a case study on Casey’s, which is now the fifth-largest pizza chain in the US. It’s got there through a combination of lower prices, pizza-by-the-slice, and a nimble footprint which combines convenience store and pizza service. 

Casey’s has been around since the 1980s, but given its extraordinary growth in the last decade and the sale of a prominent pizza chain (that one’s coming right up…), it’s poised to have a stellar 2026. 

Losing: Pizza Hut

In case you needed any reminding, Pizza Hut’s not doing so well this year. And that’s an understatement. Following the closure of hundreds of stores in February, it was announced this June that Yum! Brands had sold Pizza Hut to LongRange Capital and Yum China. The sale followed years of the chain struggling to keep up with its competitors and the other restaurants in Yum! Brands’ portfolio. 

The Pizza Hut name will continue – the restaurant’s going nowhere – but there’s no denying that 2026 has been tumultuous for the brand. Hopefully, though, it’ll mean that it comes back swinging in the years ahead.