Fast food is a popular option for folks in a hurry, those who don’t want to get out of their cars and interrupt their highway cruise, or just for anybody seeking something that picky children will eat.
But which fast-food options rule in Ohio? And where does one notable Ohio-born chain rank?
With Fast Food Day coming on Nov. 16, we at BetOhio.com – where real money Ohio sportsbook promo codes are always ready, just like the dining options on this list – wanted to find out which fast-food chain restaurants were the most popular for Ohio residents. The internet search data that we surveyed was from Nov. 7, 2023, to Nov. 7, 2024. We did not include coffee chains in this research.
Rank | Restaurant Chain | Interest Over Time Period |
1 | McDonald’s | 4 |
2 | Wendy’s | 3 |
T3 | Taco Bell | 2 |
T3 | Burger King | 2 |
T3 | Chick-fil-A | 2 |
T6 | Arby’s | 1 |
T6 | Chipotle | 1 |
T6 | Raising Cane’s | 1 |
T6 | Culver’s | 1 |
T6 | Wingstop | 1 |
T6 | Jack in the Box | 1 |
This research is exclusive to BetOhio.com, but if you’re hungry for sports wagers, Ohio betting app operators have plenty.
We’ll get to the top option on the list shortly – just pull up at the drive-through window and it will be ready in just a minute – but let’s start with the most famous fast-food brand that the Buckeye State has given to the world.
That would be Wendy’s, which was founded in Columbus by Dave Thomas. Wendy’s was second on our list with a search interest score of three during the year-long span where we studied internet searches in the land of Ohio sports betting.
The first Wendy’s opened in Columbus in 1969 and was named after Thomas’ daughter (no bonus points for guessing her name). Since then, Wendy’s has spread out to more than 30 countries and, according to its website, has more than 6,000 U.S. locations.
Its home state, also the home of Ohio State football, has 405 of those restaurants as of Nov. 8, 2024. Only Florida (520) and Texas (470) have more.
The only fast-food chain to drive more searches than Wendy’s in Ohio should come as no surprise. McDonald’s had a search interest score of four to top our list. According to brilliantmaps.com, McDonald’s has 611 locations in Ohio, even more than Wendy’s.
Tied for third on our list, behind McDonald’s and Wendy’s, are three more huge names in the industry, all with a search interest score of two.
Another burger-and-fries chain is in this spot, namely Burger King. But alongside that are two name brands that stretch America’s fast-food palate more – Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A. BK is the second-largest chain nationally behind Mickey D’s (with about 20,000 locations, according to Statistia) and has been in business since 1954.
Taco Bell offers a fast-food rendition of Mexican food (a very loose rendition, one might argue) while Chick-fil-A specializes in, of course, chicken.
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Author
Ohio native Jim Tomlin has 30 years of experience in journalism, mostly in sports. He lends his expertise to BetOhio.com as a writer and editor after previous experience at the Tampa Bay Times, FanRag, Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition.
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