9 Fast Food Chains Customers Think Will Disappear Soon

Once upon a time, going out to eat — even to a fast food restaurant — was a relatively pleasant experience. You could basically guarantee that you'd get the opportunity to try a new, novel dish, or at least you'd trust that your old favorites would be as delicious as ever. But these days, that's not always the case. Many consumers are witnessing obvious drops in quality and value at restaurants across the board in the last several years, despite seemingly never-ending price increases. This is especially evident in the fast food sphere, perhaps because these restaurants are supposed to be known for their reliability and consistency.

In light of these quality and value issues (and because many are pinched for money at the end of every month), some consumers are choosing to forgo fast food entirely, contributing to the struggles many restaurant chains have faced amid the compounding challenges of the pandemic. These are just some of the reasons so many fast-food restaurants are closing in 2026 ... and why many fast food customers think other chains aren't far behind.

We've scoured several Reddit threads to take a closer look at the fast food restaurants customers think are going to go out of business soon. Whether they actually will or not remains to be seen, but it's certainly not a good look for these chains to be so obviously struggling.

When you're craving fast food seafood, what's the first restaurant you think of visiting? A lot of people will immediately think of McDonald's iconic Filet-O-Fish, or perhaps they may dream up another fast food fish sandwich. But Long John Silver's might seem sort of niche — after all, it's a place that focuses on seafood specifically instead of randomly having a fish-centric item on the menu alongside the more common burger and chicken sandwich lineups. 

And it's this perceived lack of popularity that has one Redditor wondering if anyone even eats there at all. In a thread questioning users about which fast food restaurants they thought would go defunct soon, this user said they believed their local Long John Silver's was actually a money-laundering operation because they hadn't seen any cars there for literally decades.

Others are similarly dubious about what Long John Silver's is still doing on the market. Another Redditor asked how this restaurant was still in business in 2025, questioning who the customers were and what appeal it even had. Other comments echo that same sentiment. While many are apparently awaiting the seafood chain's decline, one poster said that, despite their curiosity about how the chain is still in business, they think that "the heat death of the universe will be the only thing to actually kill Long John Silver's."

It's no secret that Quiznos has been struggling for a long time. In fact, there were articles dropping well before the pandemic describing the decline of the restaurant chain. It only makes sense, then, that there are plenty of fast food customers who think that this sub chain is one of the next fast food restaurants on the chopping block. 

In a thread about chains customers think will be closing soon, Quiznos is cited as having already closed many of its stores, although some still remember the food there fondly, with one commenter saying that the chain was "fire" when they were a kid. Another Redditor in a different thread said this store is likely to close soon because of its high prices, after complaining that a meal at the chain would come to almost $25 — arguably a high price for a fast-food restaurant.

But it seems like fast food customers might be onto something here. By early 2026, Quiznos had closed over 4,500 of its restaurants, despite only having around 5,000 at its height. The Great Recession definitely affected the chain, but so did many mistakes from its leaders. If you still live near a Quiznos at this point, enjoy it while it's still around. Customers might just be right on this one.

There are countless different fast food burger chains out there to choose from, ranging from the super-established burger behemoths to the smaller, more regional chains. But there's no doubt that Burger King is among the most recognizable of these brands. It's considered one of the most popular chains in the country, and it's home to one of the most iconic fast food burgers of all time: the Whopper. But just because Burger King has been around for a long time and has a lot of name recognition doesn't mean customers don't perceive it as struggling. 

One Redditor commented on a thread about popular fast food chains that are likely to go out of business, saying that they weren't even sure how Burger King was still in business, since they never seemed to see anyone there. "The fast food burger market is just too saturated for them to stand out, I think," they wrote.

On another thread, a different Redditor suggested that they thought Burger King would close soon, too. They said that the food was just bad and that they hadn't seen many people eating there either. However, this poster said that they thought Burger King could hold onto its spot in the international market, even if its reign would end in the U.S. And still another Redditor said that their local Burger King looked like there was never anyone there either. Sounds like this restaurant may not be as popular as it once was.

If there's one fast food dessert spot that customers love to hate, it's Crumbl. First of all, many consider it to be exorbitantly expensive for what you get there. Others simply aren't fans of the brand because of the wildly high calorie count that you'll find in these desserts. (But really ... how do they possibly get that many calories into a single cookie!?) Despite this hate, though, it's hard to deny Crumbl's popularity. But there are now some who say that the restaurant might be disappearing soon. It's one of the chains mentioned in a Reddit thread about which fast food restaurants customers thought would be closing soon. Commenters agreed, saying that they found the cookies too sweet.

Fast Company's Reddit account started a thread linking one of its articles claiming that Crumbl as a company was falling apart. A commenter on that thread attributed this to the fact that the cookies aren't technically that good, even though they may have unique toppings. Another pointed to larger economic trends, suggesting that customers' discretionary income is dwindling and that companies like Crumbl will feel the effects. And still another said, "Every time I tried Crumbl, I was almost always disappointed."

In another Reddit thread, a poster claimed that a Crumbl in their town closed after just three and a half months of being open. Someone else commented and said that they believe all Crumbl locations would be closed within five years. That certainly doesn't sound like a vote of confidence.

Another classic fast food burger joint, customers seem to think that Wendy's will meet its demise soon. A Reddit user asked others what restaurants they thought would be going out of business, and one commenter responded that they thought Wendy's would be closed soon. They didn't give any concrete reasoning behind this assertion other than the fact that the chain hasn't been doing very well. Others chimed in, agreeing that the restaurant had taken a turn for the worse. One commenter said that they'd considered the food good until recently, but still another said that the quality hasn't been good for an entire decade.

In another thread, a Redditor said that, at Wendy's, "the quality nosedived while the prices skyrocketed." In yet another Reddit discussion, Wendy's is mentioned among a list of other chain restaurants that the commenter believes are likely to close soon. Apparently, many perceive this once-popular fast food joint as struggling these days. Whether Wendy's can successfully shake this image and regain its hold on the fast food landscape is yet to be seen.

A chain known for its incredible array of different burger styles, Steak 'n Shake is struggling in the eyes of many customers. But this isn't some brand-new chain that can't get off the ground — this is one of the original fast food burger chains. It was founded on Route 66 all the way back in 1934, and it's managed to stay a part of the fast food landscape for a long time. But could that time be coming to an end? Some customers seem to think so. 

This restaurant was mentioned by a commenter in a Reddit thread about fast food restaurants that could soon go defunct. They said that Steak 'n Shake will close "if there's a benevolent god." Someone who responded to this comment said that they had seen a decline at their local Steak 'n Shake location in recent years, with a dirty space, bad service, and just overall bad vibes making it a less-than-desirable place to grab a meal.

On another thread, a commenter said that they imagine that Steak 'n Shake will be done soon, and that Culver's will fill its place in the market. A respondent said that they can't believe that the restaurant hadn't already closed a decade ago, since that's when the price started to rise, and quality began to decline. For a restaurant that was previously known for being exceptionally cheap, those price hikes certainly aren't a good sign.

If you're looking for a full-sized burger, there are basically countless fast food restaurants you can go to. But when you're craving sliders, Krystal is arguably one of the better options out there. Its miniature burgers are undeniably fun to eat, regardless of what you think about their flavor. But the appeal of those sliders may be fading, as fast-food customers seem to wonder when this chain will shutter its doors for good. 

One Reddit commenter said that they thought this was a fast food restaurant that would soon close, while in another thread, a poster said that, in light of multiple business problems, the chain was slowly starting to disappear. Still another Redditor questioned who was even going to Krystal and keeping the chain in business.

They may not be far off. In 2020, the chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which stemmed from issues like a declining consumer interest in greasy fast food options (which Krystal certainly is), staffing difficulties, and rising food costs. But six years after bankruptcy, the chain is still very much alive, so it might just have the chance to turn things around.

These days, it seems like there are countless options to choose from when it comes to fast food fried chicken. Whether you want a chicken sandwich, fast food wings, or bone-in chicken, there are many different spots you can visit. So, why would you settle for one that didn't deliver the deliciousness — and the value — you're looking for? 

This may be why some customers seem to think that KFC is on the decline. In one Redditor thread, the original poster questioned what fast food chains people think are going to close within the next five years, and one respondent said that they thought KFC was on its way out. Someone who responded to them mentioned other fast food chicken spots that they deemed better than KFC, questioning why they would even go to the former when those other options existed. "Why KFC when you can Popeyes??" they questioned.

In another thread, a poster said that they thought KFC was going to close soon because the quality of the food had declined significantly in recent years. Whether this spot will actually close anytime in the near future or not remains to be seen, but customers don't seem to appreciate what they've been finding there in recent years.

Sometimes, a frozen pizza just doesn't do the trick. When you want to pick up a hot and steaming pie that's ready to eat straight away, it only makes sense to go to a fast food pizza place. For many people, Pizza Hut has been that go-to chain for years. But how is the chain doing now, after decades upon decades in the fast food space? According to fast food diners on Reddit, not well. When asked what fast food restaurants they thought would go out of business soon, a respondent wrote that they thought Pizza Hut wouldn't be around for long since, they said, "Almost all the Pizza Huts near me shut down." Another echoed the same sentiment in a different but similar thread.

That might very well become a reality, considering that the restaurant's parent company recently decided to sell it to a private equity firm, which is often considered a death knell for brands. This decision reportedly took place in response to consumer demand for lower pizza prices, with which Pizza Hut apparently just hasn't been able to compete. Its final fate, though, is yet to be decided.