Maine Has Zero Locations of America’s Best Fast Food Restaurant

For nearly a decade, Chick-fil-A has been ranked as the very best fast food restaurant in America, according to USA Today. That nine-year reign came to an end over the weekend, when a new fast food franchise took over the top spot.

According to USA Today's latest survey, Del Taco is now the very best fast food franchise in America. Del Taco isn't brand-new, as the franchise has been around since the 1960s. But the company's growth has been happening rapidly in just the last decade, partially thanks to their acquisition by the Jack in the Box franchise.

While people in Maine could find themselves a Chick-fil-A, they won't be able to savor the taste of Del Taco. Despite having 598 locations across the country, the most popular fast food franchise in America hasn't opened a single location in the northeast. In fact, most of the eastern seaboard is Del Taco-less.

So what gives, exactly? It's the same reason it took Chick-fil-A years to open only a handful of locations in the northeast. It boils down to a matter of quality control in a crowded market.

Del Taco operates the majority of their restaurants within a fair driving distance of their distribution centers. That allows for product to be stocked or restocked as needed on a daily basis. The company hasn't yet moved to the East Coast because it's a large undertaking that would require more distribution centers to ensure quality.

Will Del Taco ever end up in Maine? It's possible. But it likely won't be happening anytime soon.