8 Fast Food Chains That Just Aren't Worth It Anymore

Skyrocketing prices on everything from housing to food to entertainment have Americans looking for ways to stretch their restaurant budgets to the maximum, and that leaves fast food chains as the first to be cut from the menu. Many fast food chains have become neither quick nor cheap, which has a lot of folks deciding they're just not worth it anymore.

See which fast food chains are being cut from the American diet because they just aren't worth it anymore.

It used to be that you could walk into a Chipotle and walk out a few minutes later with a burrito the size of a baby's head, but many customers are noticing the portions are shrinking fast, and they are not loving it.

The price on a standard burrito ranges from $8.95 to $12.10, depending on the base meat, and many are finding they can have a higher-quality Mexican food experience from local independent restaurants instead of national chains for the same price.

If you're looking for a frozen treat, Dairy Queen can still be a reasonable choice, but customer feedback indicates they should stay in their lane and give up on their hot foods menu. The price on a burger meal combo is only $8.89, but customers say the lukewarm dry patties taste like they've been sitting under a heat lamp for hours and just aren't worth it. Stick to the ice cream.

Earlier this year, Panera announced it would be transitioning out its in-house freshly baked bread, instead switching to a frozen bread from a third-party supplier. It's never a good sign when a business abandons the thing they are known for.

Sandwich chains like Jersey Mike's and Jimmy John's continue to make freshly-baked bread daily.

Subway used to be the name of the game in quick, customizable sandwiches on the go, offering a fairly consistent experience in every store, but much like the $5 footlong, that's a thing of the past.

Customer experience varies wildly from location to location, although the prices are still cheaper than competing chains such as Firehouse or Jersey Mike's. A basic Italian footlong costs $8.89 from Subway, while a similarly sized Italian from Jersey Mike's is $10.75. A difference of less than $2 just isn't enough savings for customers to want a subpar sammie.

Even fans of the Crazy Crust are finding Little Caesars to be a diminishing experience that varies significantly by location. You might get an amazing $12 pizza at one spot and a terrible $20 pizza at another despite ordering the same thing.

Many pizza-lovers are turning to Marco's instead. A pepperoni pizza with garlic sauce crust is $12.99 for a small from Marco's, and delivers a more consistent experience and pricing.

Remember when White Castle was so good that there was an entire movie about going to one? The price can seem cheap at $1.19 per slider, but that's not going to fill you up. A more realistic meal option includes four classic sliders with cheese, a small fries, and a small drink, which costs $11.24, making it about the same price as a regular-sized burger meal from better restaurants.

That classic Pumpkin Spice Latte now costs well over $7 from Starbucks, and it's just not worth it to consumers when making it at home is so much cheaper. There just isn't that much difference when you get pumpkin spice-flavored coffee beans, high-quality creamer, and whipped cream to make your own without having to leave your house.

The food is similarly overpriced for underwhelming servings, with not enough quality difference from microwave options that can be made at home.

A study comparing 10 years of data revealed the good old Golden Arches have doubled their prices over the last decade, which was the highest of any of the fast food chains analyzed. Customers also find they are spending more for less food and a lower quality than the Mickey D's of their memories.

A Quarter Pounder with cheese meal costs $12.59 from McDonald's, but for $11.99, you can get a better burger from Cracker Barrel with only a slightly longer wait time.

The key to fast food success is being fast, cheap, and convenient, but major chains are no longer much cheaper than local casual restaurants with higher-quality food. Drive-thrus aren't much faster than calling ahead for pick-up, and with rising costs across the board, many consumers would rather spend a little extra on higher-quality food and larger portions to enjoy a proper restaurant meal.

Whenever you decide to eat out, it's always a good idea to use your best cash back credit cards to earn more on each purchase.