Letting out your belt a couple of notches? Blame the economy. Americans are eating at fast food joints 11% more frequently this year.
According to a recent Experian Simmons study, Midwesterners are most likely to eat at quick service restaurants. McDonalds is the trough of choice nationwide, with Burger King second. The grown up, salad bar of Wendy’s has slipped from third to fifth place, deposed by bread-rich Subway and the ever greasy Taco Bell. Marketing Charts reports upstarts Jamba Juice is squeezing out rivals for 26th place and Panera Bread rises to number 18.
A National Institute of Health (NIH) study says eating at fast-food restaurants more than twice per week is associated with more weight gain and insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.