7 Fast Food Chains That Actually Have Made-From-Scratch Menu Items

When it comes to food, fast and fresh are concepts not typically associated with each other. Today, convenience is king, and the pace and predictability relied upon by fast food consumers is often the result of mass production. Fast food chains are less restaurants and more assemblage points where pre-packaged and frozen items are reheated and served with an efficiency that mostly overrides quality. 

This kind of mass production can be attributed, in part, to chains like McDonalds that pioneered assembly line systems and the standardization of food preparation in fast food kitchens. However, as consumers have become more conscious of nutrition, ingredients, and sustainability, many fast food chains have responded accordingly. 

While it seems to contradict everything we know about fast food, several chains have reimagined preparation by offering made-from-scratch items, even boasting fresh ingredients and on-site production as core tenets of their marketing. From freshly baked biscuits, homemade sauces, and unprocessed ingredients, to hand-breaded chicken and daily made salsas, these chains prove that convenience and quality can coexist harmoniously. These are the seven fast food chains that actually serve made-from-scratch menu items.  

The In-N-Out slogan offers a simple promise: "Quality you can taste." The brand, with its California cool aesthetic, is centered on making food the old-fashioned way, pledging that its food is never microwaved, frozen, or pre-packaged. While many fast food chains offer only a few made-from-scratch items, if any, In-N-Out's quality promise spans the whole menu. Notorious for having a limited menu, with secret items, this limitation actually works in the chain's favor, allowing for a consistently high standard across the board. And, the recipes have remained in-tact for over 60 years. 

Starting with the burgers, each patty is made from whole chunks of choice beef. In a Forbes interview, the president of In-N-Out, Lynsi Snyder, explained that the chain's meat is carefully selected from the highest quality cattle. After selection, the meat undergoes an inspection process ensuring there are no unwanted bits, and is delivered fresh from In-N-Out patty facilities, where it has been ground in-house. 

The buns are freshly baked using slow-rising sponge dough. Each burger is made from scratch, in-house, one at a time, and to order. The fries are made with 100% sunflower oil after being cut in-store, and the shakes are made using real ice cream, and very little else. The franchise even goes as far as to have formally banned all microwaves, freezers, and heat lamps from every In-N-Out location.

A shift at Five Guys starts, in accordance with the brand's motto, "Prepared with purpose." Employees slice tomatoes, peppers, onions, and jalapeños, and hand-shred lettuce into burger-perfect pieces. Buns are toasted until golden, to prevent the burger from turning soggy, and patties are formed from scratch after the fresh meat shipment is inspected and approved. 

For the fries, potatoes are washed and sliced daily before being double-fried in 100% peanut oil. Their process starts with only real, high quality potatoes sourced exclusively from Idaho, which is known to produce the best potatoes for golden, crunchy french fries. 

Milkshakes at Five Guys are hand-spun. Meaning, the vanilla base of each milkshake is made-from-scratch. However, from there, additions are included, resulting in an array of flavors to choose from, and the milkshake flavors and toppings do not compromise on quality either. Fruit flavors like strawberry and banana are made by adding a simple fruit syrup to the vanilla base, while the peanut butter milkshake uses all-natural peanut butter and is sweetened with honey; truly living up to its motto "Fresh, Simple, Five Guys."

Unlike other famous fast food chicken spots, Chick-fil-A is not your classic chain. Meaning, several of the menu items are hand crafted, made in-house and from scratch. Notably, the chain's principal ingredient and star player, fried chicken breast. The chain uses a decades-old recipe and method to ensure high quality and consistency for each made-from-scratch fried chicken sandwich. 

When it arrives to stores, the chicken is defrosted in a thawing cabinet and then carefully inspected for defects. Next, it is hand-dipped into a milk and egg wash, then covered in seasoned flour, and deep fried. Finally, each chicken sandwich is hand-assembled. 

Still, of all its fresh menu items, the Chick-fil-A biscuits are a standout. Most Chick-fil-A chains make their biscuits from scratch daily, so long as the chain is free-standing. The biscuits take 30 minutes to make, and the staff members who make them start prepping them around 5:30 a.m., continuing until the breakfast rush ends. The biscuits can be ordered as the breakfast alternative to popular menu items, like the spicy chicken biscuit. In 2022, Chick-fil-A sold nearly 170 million biscuits, clearly illustrating that making food from scratch produces great results.  

Apart from the crinkle cut fries, Shake Shack makes all of its menu items fresh and in-house daily. The chain boasts that each item is made to order, prioritizing high-quality sustainable ingredients.  At the heart of the menu are, of course, the burgers. The classic Shack Burger starts with a patty made from beef that is 100% hormone and antibiotic free. The patties are formed and then smashed into the griddle, seared until crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and covered in a slice of real American cheese. The burger is assembled from scratch on a toasted and buttered potato bun, then garnished with lettuce, onion, and tomato. 

Notably, the chain also boasts an array of made-from-scratch drinks and desserts. The "Shack-Made" lemonade is made fresh daily from a mixture of lemon juice and cane sugar and is used as the base of several other drinks, such as the pomegranate sweet basil lemonade and the raspberry popping boba lemonade. The shakes are handspun, and desserts like the frozen custard are made in-house daily using premium dairy products and come in chocolate and vanilla.

Chipotle prides itself in "being real" with a culinary ethos centered on doing things the right way even if it is slightly more difficult. The brand associates a connection between quality ingredients, how food is prepared, and, ultimately, what it tastes like. This means that freshness is tantamount, and the chain makes its food from scratch daily. 

According to the Chipotle website, the chain only uses 53 ingredients across all available menu items, only uses pronounceable ingredients, and does not require fridges or can openers. These operational and equipment standards emphasize a commitment to fresh food. 

The morning food preparation at Chipotle generally takes about four hours before the chain opens for lunch. A typical morning shift starts with the staff hand slicing onions, lettuce, and cilantro, with only the tomatoes being machine sliced. The guacamole, tortilla chips, and salsa are made in house daily, as is the chicken, rice, and beans. While the carnitas and barbacoa are prepped in a central kitchen, after shipping, its hand shredded in house daily after being defrosted. Clearly, Chipotle lives up to its marketing offering convenient, speedy, yet wholesome meals made from scratch. 

Wendy's is your classic fast food chain. With its drive-through, vast menu, and speedy service, it seems unlikely you'll find anything made from scratch. However, the chain opened in 1969 and has been committed to serving fresh, affordable food ever since. In fact, in 1985, the chain included made-from-scratch omelets on their breakfast menu. Sadly, the omelets took too long and the chain scratched the items from their menu. 

Still, unlike many other fast food chains, Wendy's does not serve frozen patties. The chain has fresh beef transported to each location multiple times per week, ensuring the burgers are made from scratch and to order daily. The chain also prides itself on serving fresh salads made daily. WEmployees hand-chop fresh produce and assemble the salads every morning. 

Finally, Wendy's most unique made-from-scratch menu item is a customer favorite. The Wendy's baked potato is enjoyed by around a million people weekly. The potato is generally served with grated cheese and a melty cheese sauce. Unlike most other fast food chains, Wendy's use of convention ovens allows the chain to serve the wholesome option despite the made-from-scratch item typically being a logistical nightmare. 

Because the Popeyes franchise is centered around fried chicken menu items — and the chicken is prepared fresh daily — the chain actually offers a surprisingly high number of made-from-scratch items. Popeyes prides itself in serving fried chicken that is marinated and breaded daily, and this commitment to freshness might be why the chain is so beloved. For the fried chicken, Popeyes begins the process by marinating fresh chicken for 12 hours. The marinade, made from a mix of Louisiana herbs and spices, is what gives the chicken its classic Cajun flavor. 

Aside from its made-from-scratch chicken, what sets Popeyes apart is its frying process. Popeyes fries its food in beef tallow, which adds a significant depth of flavor to the already flavorful Cajun coating. Overall, this dedication to premium quality fresh fried chicken, marinating, hand-breading, and batch frying in beef tallow, illustrates the chain's commitment to its star menu item. Still, it is not the only item made fresh. Other notable made-from-scratch menu items include the Popeyes biscuits, which are made fresh daily, and the red beans and rice, which are slow-cooked in broth.