--- title: How Fast Food Restaurants Rank on Antibiotics Usage description: On Tuesday, a new report authored by several public interest organizations analyzed the practices and policies of 25 of the largest fast foods and fast casual restaurants in the U.S. and gave each chain a letter grade based on their use of antibiotics and transparency. canonical: https://time.com/4033496/fast-food-antibiotics/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-09-15T10:00:21.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:41:36.596Z article:section: Health og:title: How Fast Food Restaurants Rank on Antibiotics Usage og:description: On Tuesday, a new report authored by several public interest organizations analyzed the practices and policies of 25 of the largest fast foods and fast casual restaurants in the U.S. and gave each chain a letter grade based on their use of antibiotics and transparency. og:url: https://time.com/4033496/fast-food-antibiotics/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1ab11feb3b1eba27/69886383524fc02283df47df/burger.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5200 og:image:height: 2925 og:image:alt: 171623449 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How Fast Food Restaurants Rank on Antibiotics Usage twitter:description: On Tuesday, a new report authored by several public interest organizations analyzed the practices and policies of 25 of the largest fast foods and fast casual restaurants in the U.S. and gave each chain a letter grade based on their use of antibiotics and transparency. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1ab11feb3b1eba27/69886383524fc02283df47df/burger.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 25 Fast Food Chains Ranked on Antibiotics Usage > Sponsored content. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's daily health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free daily newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ## Video: Should I Eat French Fries? [Watch (HLS stream): Should I Eat French Fries?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/kL7utfHP.m3u8) (2:30)  _Published 2015-06-10. A record number of experts weighed in on this one, and regretfully, 7 out of the total 9 give French fries a firm thumbs down._ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Sep 15, 2015 10:00 AM UTC  Burger, cropped Burger, cropped Getty Images by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Sep 15, 2015 10:00 AM UTC Antibiotic resistance is one of the top five health threats facing Americans, [according to](http://blogs.cdc.gov/cdcworksforyou24-7/2013/12/cdc%E2%80%99s-top-ten-5-health-achievements-in-2013-and-5-health-threats-in-2014/) the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 2 million people in the U.S. get infections every year that are resistant to antibiotics, and around 23,000 people die from these infections. Contributing to that problem is the unrestricted use of antibiotics in animal rearing; drugs are used to fatten up livestock and prevent illness, and their routine application has contributed to the rise of so-called superbugs resistant to the drugs designed to kill them. Responding to public pressure, some [major fast food chains](http://time.com/3731767/mcdonalds-antibiotic-chicken/) and [meat suppliers](http://time.com/3838200/tyson-to-stop-using-human-antibiotics-on-its-chickens/) have pledged to use fewer antibiotics. And now, a [new report](http://www.foe.org/projects/food-and-technology/good-food-healthy-planet/chain-reaction) analyzed the practices and policies of 25 of the largest fast food and fast-casual restaurants in the U.S. to see how companies were faring. The paper, authored by several public interest groups, gave each chain a letter grade based on their use of antibiotics—and their transparency about it. “Consumers should be as concerned as the foremost infectious disease doctors are—which is very concerned,” says Dr. David Wallinga, a senior health officer at the environmental nonprofit the National Resources Defense Council, who contributed to the report. In the report card, only Panera and Chipotle received an _A_. The two companies both have a wide variety of meat offerings that do not use antibiotics. About 90% of the meat Chipotle sources is free of antibiotics. Panera says 100% of its chicken and pork is raised without antibiotics, and a third of its turkey. The company is still reviewing its beef policy: One of its beef suppliers does not use antibiotics, while another supplier only uses antibiotics when the animals are sick. Chick-fil-A follows with the lone _B_ rating. It has policies limiting the use of antibiotics in its chicken, and has pledged to be 100% antibiotic-free by 2019\. In March of 2015, the report says, that 20% of Chick-fil-A’s chicken met the standard. McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts were both given a _C_. While Dunkin’ Donuts says it has a policy limiting antibiotic use in its meat, it apparently does not have a timeline for meeting that goal. McDonald’s announced in 2015 that within two years, it would serve chicken that are only fed antibiotics when they’re sick.  Consumer's Union The researchers note that most chains have not come forward with policies regarding antibiotic use. The chains with no public policies include Burger King, Wendy’s, Olive Garden, KFC, Chili’s, Sonic, Denny’s, Domino’s, Starbucks, Papa John’s Pizza, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Applebee’s, Jack in the Box, Arby’s, Dairy Queen, IHOP, Outback Steakhouse, and Little Caesars. “We know that overusing antibiotics, including in the meat supply, is a driver of the \[drug-resistant bacteria\] problem and yet the consumer public is in the dark when it comes to what companies’ policies are,” says Wallinga. “We’ve seen some real positive developments recently among the companies that rank highly in the report, and also with their suppliers,” says Wallinga. “That’s a big part of the optimism behind the report. I think it’s not a stretch to say that a fast food company that wants to serve chicken that’s been raised without routine antibiotics should be able to do so right now with no delay. Companies are in business to satisfy their customers, and like never before, customers are asking for meat raised without antibiotics.” ### QUIZ: Should You Eat This or That?  Which is better for you: Half cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet? Getty Images (4)  Answer: A half cup of ice cream If you eat what you’re craving, you’re more likely to feel satisfied and eat less. And scoop for scoop sorbet contains twice the sugar with none of the filling dairy protein and fat. Getty Images (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter? Getty Images; Tara Johnson for TIME  Answer: Butter Serving size for spray butters (even low-calorie ones) are around a 1/3 second spray. What on earth does that mean? You're better off using a small amount of real butter as opposed to guessing how much you're using of the mystery melange of up to 20 ingredients. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: A turkey burger or a sirloin burger? Getty Images (2) ![Answer: Sirloin burger
Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you \(and for the record, they aren't low-fat\). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings.](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte1b297940ae4e4e0/6986970ce53aba0cb54d318e/sirloin-burger.gif?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp) Answer: Sirloin burger Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you (and for the record, they aren't low-fat). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels? Getty Images (2)  Answer: Almonds Almonds are high in protein, fiber and fat and will keep you feeling fuller longer. Give high-sodium pretzels about an hour and you'll feel hungry again thanks to the high-carb no-fat or protein content. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: Special K or eggs? AP; Getty Images  Answer: Eggs In the morning, you want a meal that will fill you up. Eggs offer protein and fat for satiety, but Special K cereal really only offers carbs and, well, air. If you want carbs to kick off the day, you're better off pairing eggs with a slice of 100% whole grain toast. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: Fat free salad dressing or regular salad dressing? Tara Johnson for TIME  Answer: Regular salad dressingTo absorb fat soluble vitamins like Vitamins E and K in vegetables you need to consume them with a fat to aid nutrient absorption. Fat-free dressing, meanwhile, is low-calorie but gets its flavor from added sugar and salt. Tara Johnson for TIME (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate? Getty Images (2)  Answer: Dark chocolate “People believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies tend to be high in carbs, sugar and fake sugar. Try a nice piece of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate instead. Getty Images (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt? Tara Johnson for TIME  Answer: 2% Greek YogurtA little fat is good in the morning to keep you full—plus it has upwards of 17g of protein per container. Fat-free "fruit" yogurt is high in sugar—7 to 10 g per serving—and lower in protein. Tara Johnson for TIME (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME ## Transcript Should you eat French fries? A record number of experts weighed in on this one, and sadly seven out of nine of them gave French fries the firm thumbs down. [ MUSIC ] Jonathan Bonnet says they involve frying, salting and removing one of the healthiest parts of the potato. The skin, where many of the nutrients and fiber are found. It's a scary thought considering that french fries are the number one vegetable consumed by toddlers as young as 15 months. A medium order of fries as 365 calories. Calories. 17 grams of fat. 264 mg of sodium. And sometimes, even sugar & trans fat. When potatoes are made into fries they no longer have any nutritional redeeming values, says Kristin Kirkpatrick. What's more, french fries usually come with burgers, and both are often used as vehicles for sugar laced ketchup and fatty mayo, says David Katz. Let's face it. It's very hard to stop eating these things he says. One study found that foods high in fat and refine carbohydrates are likely to be addictive. On a much stranger note, french fries may mess with your eyes according to the work of Chung Jung Chiu. He found a link between foods popular in the western diet, including french fries, An age- related macular degeneration. All of which makes a compelling case for fries as a selective treat, says Alice Lichtenstein. Nearly half of the experts we talked to warned about the carcinogen acrylamide, a chemical that forms in some foods when they're cooked at high temperatures by frying, roasting, or baking. Even at low concentrations it accumulates over time and may contribute to diseases like cancer says Allal Ouhtit. You should limit your intake of french fries say Eric Morrissette, but eating them occasionally isn't likely to be a health concern. One way to cut down on the toxin is to cook fries for less time in good oil that hasn't been reheated says Vincenzo Fogliano. Steve Elmore agrees He's research acrylamide since 2002, but doesn't think there's enough to prove that it causes cancer in humans. For those of us with a french fry fetish, it's tough news to hear, but on the plus side, any food this bad for you must taste oh so good, a fact you'll savor when you'll sparingly treat yourself to a small order of fries. 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