This State Ranks Last For Fast Food Access In America

While states like New York, Hawaii, and Alabama are fertile areas for fast food consumption, there is one state that ranks lowest in terms of having easy access to a local food joint. According to a list compiled by Stacker, based on 2020 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor, Alaska is the most limited place to find fast food per capita. For every 10,000 citizens, there are only 5.6 restaurants for food convenience. The total tally of quick, non-sit-down eateries rounds up to 411, all serving Alaska's population of around 741,000. No wonder it's one of two U.S. states without a Chick-fil-A and one of seven without a Cracker Barrel.

Because the Last Frontier is less urban and more pastoral than other U.S. metropolitan territories, like Washington, D.C., or California, its food prices are more expensive and inflated. The costly meal items also stem from there being high shipping prices to transport produce across state lines between the contiguous U.S. and Canada. According to data from Ideal Tax, Alaskans drop about $300 per person monthly on quick burgers, fries, milkshakes, and chicken tenders (via Mashed).

In fact, both the Alaskan city of Anchorage and Honolulu, Hawaii, both fork over 18% more than the countrywide median for fast food, according to Net Credit. Despite the limited supply of fast food chains, Alaska residents appear to be happily ready to pay big bucks (about $10 to $30 more) for delivery services to bring fast food to their home, as certain regions are more remote than others.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, McDonald's is one of the most admired fast food joints in Alaska. As of 2025, there are 24 Mickey D's in the state. While it's the most popular place to eat, Alaska is the state with one of the lowest numbers of McDonald's locations, with North Dakota and Wyoming having the least. Anchorage has the most McDonald's restaurants in Alaska, with 15 individual locations. The icy state is also home to 49 Starbucks locations, most probably because the coffee chain's headquarters are in Seattle, Washington, the closest state to Alaska. Indeed, Anchorage is the state's most popular city, with Starbucks housing over 20 sites there.

Another iconic fast food stop in Alaska is Subway, with over 53 spots in the enclave. Additionally, Wendy's only has nine sites in the Last Frontier, while Taco Bell has 15 outposts across the area. Pizza chains like Pizza Hut, Domino's, Papa Johns, and Papa Murphy's also have a small presence. In addition to the national chains, Alaska is also home to its own regional fast food chains, such as the Great Alaska Pizza Company. This local pizza chain has 12 spots and serves hot and fresh deep dish pizza in Alaska's major cities such as Anchorage and Fairbanks, as well as in other areas like Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, and Settlers Bay.