Consumer News: Americans are eating 23% more than they did in the 1970s

McDonalds still rules, but rivals win on quality and value

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• McDonalds remains Americas most-considered fast-food chain, with nearly 40% of consumers saying it would be their next fast-food purchase, according to YouGovs latest Best Bites 2026 survey.

• Chick-fil-A leads on perceived quality, while Wendys ranks highest for value, showing that consumers often separate quality and affordability from overall brand preference.

• Five Guys tops the burger category, Taco Bell dominates tacos and burritos, Pizza Hut leads pizza, and McDonalds remains the overwhelming favorite for fries.

A new YouGov survey suggests that while Americans may have strong opinions about which fast-food chains serve the best burgers, chicken sandwiches, or fries, convenience and familiarity still drive where many consumers ultimately spend their money.

The survey comes on the heels of the 2026 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), showing sandwich chain Jersey Mike's has dethroned Chick-fil-As 11-year reign as the most satisfying fast-food chain.

YouGovs annual Best Bites 2026 report, based on responses from more than 40,000 U.S. consumers, found that McDonald's remains the nation's most-considered fast-food brand. Nearly 40% of respondents said McDonald's would be among their top choices when making their next fast-food purchase. Chick-fil-A finished second, followed by Wendy's, Burger King, and Taco Bell.

Top-of-mind awareness

The findings underscore the enduring strength of the Golden Arches, even as competitors outperform McDonald's in several key perception categories.

"One of the more interesting findings is that McDonald's leads all fast-food brands in consideration when Americans are deciding where to purchase fast food, despite ranking behind several competitors on best-tasting burgers," Ashley Brown, the Georgia-based senior director of YouGov, told Fox Digital.

According to the survey, Chick-fil-A earned the highest marks for quality among major fast-food chains, while Wendy's was viewed as offering the best value. Yet neither brand was able to displace McDonald's as the chain consumers are most likely to visit.

The things that matter

YouGov researchers say the results suggest that accessibility, consistency, and convenience continue to outweigh individual menu attributes when consumers decide where to eat.

The report also examined which chains consumers associate with specific food categories. Five Guys claimed the top spot for burgers, narrowly edging Burger King and In-N-Out. Taco Bell dominated the tacos and burritos category, while Pizza Hut led among pizza chains. Chick-fil-A remained the clear leader for chicken offerings.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, McDonald's maintained a commanding lead in the fries category. Nearly four in 10 respondents selected McDonald's fries as their favorite, far ahead of any competitor.

The survey also sheds light on broader fast-food habits. YouGov found that 70% of Americans purchase food or drinks from fast-food restaurants at least once a month, while 30% do so at least weekly. Value menus and discounts remain major drivers of customer visits, but consumers also place significant importance on cleanliness and overall dining experience.

For restaurant operators, the message is clear: consumers are looking for a combination of affordability, quality, and convenience. While brands such as Chick-fil-A and Five Guys may excel in specific categories, McDonald's continues to benefit from its vast footprint, brand familiarity, and ability to meet customers wherever they are.

All Clover Hill Dairy-brand cheeses currently on the market are included

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Clover Hill Dairy has expanded a recall to include all of its cheese products because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

• Federal health officials have linked the outbreak to nine illnesses, eight hospitalizations and one death across multiple states.

• Consumers in six jurisdictions, including Virginia, are urged not to eat the recalled products, which may also have been sold under several other brand names.

Clover Hill Dairy has expanded a voluntary recall to include all of its cheese products after federal and state investigators found evidence linking the Maryland dairy to a multistate listeria outbreak that has sickened nine people and resulted in one death.

The Mechanicsville, Maryland-based company announced June 18 that all Clover Hill Dairy-brand cheeses currently on the market are being recalled because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly among older adults, young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.

The expanded recall follows an earlier recall of the company's requesn, or soft ricotta-style cheese. Since then, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have broadened their investigation after laboratory testing linked multiple cheese samples and an environmental sample from the facility to the outbreak strain of listeria.

Nine illnesses in three states

According to the CDC, nine illnesses have been reported in three states, resulting in eight hospitalizations and one death. Health officials caution that the true number of cases may be higher because some infected individuals recover without seeking medical care or being tested.

The recalled products were sold directly through Clover Hill Dairy's retail market, at farmers markets and through third-party distributors in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Some products may have been relabeled under other brand names, including Kesso, Quesos La Ricura, Izalco, De Mi Pueblo and Rio Lindo. Consumers can identify affected products by looking for plant number 24-128 on packaging. The complete list is below:

The recall covers a wide range of soft, semi-soft and hard cheeses, including ricotta, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby and flavored varieties. State health officials previously suspended the dairy's operating license while the investigation continues.

What to do

Federal health officials advise consumers not to eat, sell or serve any recalled cheese products and to either discard them or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Surfaces and containers that may have come into contact with the cheese should also be cleaned and sanitized because listeria can survive in refrigerated environments and spread to other foods.

Symptoms of listeria infection can include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, nausea and diarrhea. In severe cases, the infection can spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract and become life-threatening. Pregnant women face an increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and other serious complications.

The FDA said its investigation remains ongoing and additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Mark Zandi, of Moodys Analytics, says energy prices are the key

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Moodys Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi says inflation pressures are likely to ease in the near term if energy prices stabilize and geopolitical tensions subside.

• Despite recent price increases, Zandi does not expect a sustained inflation surge, though he warns that higher oil prices could temporarily push consumer costs higher.

• The economist says the Federal Reserve remains focused on inflation risks, making near-term interest-rate cuts less likely until price pressures show clearer signs of cooling.

Inflation may remain elevated in the coming months, but Americans are unlikely to face a prolonged resurgence in price pressures, according to Moodys Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi.

In an interview with ABC News, Zandi said recent inflation concerns have been fueled largely by higher energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty, particularly tensions involving Iran and their effect on global oil markets. However, he suggested that if those pressures ease, inflation should gradually moderate.

But, he warns, it wont happen overnight.

Energy prices will dictate the future

The key issue is energy, Zandi said, noting that higher oil prices quickly ripple through the economy, increasing transportation and production costs that eventually show up in consumer prices. While those effects can temporarily lift inflation, they do not necessarily signal a long-term inflation problem.

The outlook comes as policymakers and consumers continue to monitor inflation after several years of unusually high price growth. Although inflation has accelerated in recent months, economists generally expect energy-related price increases to have a limited duration if global oil supplies remain stable.

Zandi warned that the Federal Reserve faces a difficult balancing act. Higher inflation would typically argue for maintaining or even raising interest rates, while slower economic growth could justify lower borrowing costs. According to Zandi, the recent inflation backdrop makes it less likely that the Fed will move quickly to cut rates.

Given the Fed is already clearly focused on inflation, this war would make it less likely they would cut rates further, Zandi told ABC News. He added that policymakers could eventually shift their attention toward employment and economic growth if the economy weakens significantly.

Cautiously optimistic

Despite the uncertainty, Zandi's overall assessment of the economy remains cautiously optimistic. He has said that economic growth continues, supported by business investment and other underlying strengths, even as consumers face pressure from higher prices and elevated borrowing costs.

For consumers, the short-term outlook suggests that inflation may remain uneven, particularly in categories tied to energy costs. But absent a major escalation in global conflicts or a sustained surge in oil prices, economists expect inflation to gradually move lower over time rather than reaccelerate sharply.

Zandi summed up the current environment as one marked by uncertainty but not alarm, emphasizing that the trajectory of energy prices will play a decisive role in determining whether inflation continues to cool in the months ahead.

Study participants reported it was easier to follow and maintain

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• New research suggests intermittent fasting may help chronic dieters lose weight without the constant calorie counting required by traditional diets.

• Study participants using intermittent fasting lost about the same amount of weight as those on calorie-restricted diets but reported fewer behavioral changes.

• Researchers say intermittent fasting could offer a more personalized approach for people who struggle to stick with conventional weight-loss plans.

New research from Adelaide University in Australia has uncovered some weight-loss advice. Researchers found that people who repeatedly lose and regain weight may find intermittent fasting easier to maintain than traditional calorie-restricted diets.

The study examined the psychological and behavioral effects of intermittent fasting compared with standard calorie restriction, looking beyond the number on the scale to assess eating habits, mood, sleep quality, and overall well-being. Researchers found that while both approaches produced similar weight-loss results, participants following intermittent fasting reported that they did not need to make the same level of conscious effort to control their eating.

By contrast, those assigned to a calorie-restriction plan said they spent more time thinking about limiting food intake, avoiding overeating, and monitoring their eating behaviors. Researchers estimated that these behavioral changes accounted for roughly 15% of the weight loss achieved by participants in the calorie-restriction group.

Addresses a major challenge

The findings are significant because long-term adherence remains one of the biggest challenges in weight management. While intermittent fasting has grown in popularity over the past decade, most research has focused on physical outcomes rather than how the diet affects people's daily lives and relationship with food.

Professor Leonie Heilbronn, one of the study's researchers, said future research should focus on identifying individuals who have difficulty improving eating behaviors, as they may be better suited to intermittent fasting programs. Such an approach could help tailor weight-management strategies to individual needs rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all model.

The study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that intermittent fasting's primary advantage may be its simplicity. Previous research has found that fasting schedules often produce weight-loss results comparable to traditional calorie-reduction diets, but some people find them easier to follow because they focus on when to eat rather than tracking calories throughout the day.

Researchers cautioned that intermittent fasting is not necessarily more effective for weight loss than other dietary approaches. However, for people who struggle with the demands of constant calorie monitoring, it may offer a practical alternative that is easier to sustain over time.