Quick service restaurants play an important role in British people’s daily lives, but in a competitive market shaped by tighter household budgets, strong brand consideration matters more than ever.

YouGov’s latest report, Best bites 2026: UK quick service restaurant ranking, explores how brands are performing, and which foods consumers believe each brand does best.

Fast food is a regular part of British life

Fast food remains a routine purchase for many Britons. Just over half (51%) buy food or drinks from fast-food restaurants at least once a month, while 14% do so at least once a week.

That weekly audience is skewed towards younger and more affluent consumers. Among weekly fast-food diners, 51% are under 40, 59% are men, and a third (33%) are higher income.

When it comes to what drives choice, quality of food ranks first (46%), followed by convenient location (44%) and value (40%). On the flip side, high prices (60%), poor value for money (53%) and long wait times (50%) are the biggest deterrents.

Which QSR brands are winning with Brits in 2026?Download the full report

Britain’s top burger, chicken, chips, coffee spots

While overall rankings matter, Britons also strongly associate certain brands with doing specific foods particularly well.

For burgers, Burger King comes out on top, with 18.7% of Britons naming it as the best, ahead of Five Guys (16.1%) and McDonald’s (14.7%).

KFC dominates chicken even more decisively, with 35.7% saying it has the best-tasting chicken, far ahead of McDonald’s in second place on 6.2%.

In coffee, Costa takes the top spot (20.3%), ahead of Starbucks (11.3%) and Caffè Nero (10.9%). For pizza, Domino’s leads with 22.8%, followed by Pizza Express (13.4%) and Pizza Hut (13.3%).

Explore the full rankings

These highlights are just a snapshot of YouGov’s latest UK QSR rankings report.

Download the full report to explore:

  • The most considered QSR brands in the UK
  • Rankings by quality and value
  • The brands Britons believe do specific foods best
  • Profiles of weekly fast-food diners and their habits
  • Differences in preferences by age and gender
  • Delivery trends and the brands winning in this space

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