I am not picking on McDonald’s, but I am using the name to represent all major fast food chains, including Burger King, KFC, and Wendy’s. As a family, we are not regulars of McDonald’s, but we also don’t avoid it 100% of the time. Oftentimes though, we walk out wishing we had given our choice more thought.

Every day in the US, a quarter of the population eats fast food at least once a day. There are several reasons for this: Fast food chains are omnipresent and easy to find. The service is quick with convenient drive-thrus and the food tastes good (when you’re hungry). The low prices also make it a compelling alternative for many families.
 
I decided to put together the following list of alternative fast food establishments that come close to matching McDonald’s in convenience, taste and affordability with one major difference: they offer healthier choices that are not just limited to sliced apples and salads, but include pizzas, hot dogs and sandwiches. In short, real fast food. Hope you enjoy!

10 | Chipotle
Chipotle has 18 locations in Northern Virginia and although they don’t offer drive-thru service, the organic, hormone free, unprocessed and mostly locally-grown fresh ingredients make up for this minor inconvenience. You can also save some time by ordering online and then skipping the always-long lines and heading straight to the cashier to pay. Most everything is made in kid’s sizes -- from the tacos to the quesadillas. But be smart about what you order. A fully loaded burrito with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, rice, etc. can easily tip the scale at 1000+ calories. Yes, that’s right. Instead, order a burrito bowl that skips the flour tortilla and go easy on the cheese and sour cream. A combination of guacamole, black beans, chicken and some rice is still very tasty. For a drink, choose Izze Clementine made with real sugar instead of the soda fountain that serves drinks made with corn syrup.

9 | Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A has 12 locations with drive-thrus in the Northern Virginia region. I am not a religious person, but I like the fact that they close their stores on Sundays. To me it says, “We care about our employees and their families.” Chick-fil-A does not carry organic foods, however all ingredients, including their lemonade and carrot salad, are freshly made on location. If you have young children, they probably like chicken tenders. At the Golden Arches a 10 count Chicken McNuggets® is 460 calories. Somehow, at Chick-fil-A, you get 12 Nuggets at 400 calories. That’s 60 fewer calories with 2 additional nuggets. Avoid the Waffle Potato Fries; instead order Raisin Carrot Salad or a 100-calorie fruit cup.

8 | Elevation Burger
This restaurant has only 2 locations (in Falls Church and Arlington, with plans to expand). They don’t offer a drive-thru, nor do they carry any toys. What they do provide is an old style hamburger joint experience with ingredients that are all natural including: French fries cooked in olive oil and 100% USDA-certified organic, grass fed, free-range beef served with real cheddar cheese. You won’t regret it.

7 | Vapiano
If you are at the mall, you can always have the greasy Jersey style pizza or the fast food Asian meals. Or you can walk into a Vapiano, like the one located at Dulles Town Center. Here you can custom order your pizza (my favorite is salami, tomato sauce and cheese) or select the chicken Alfredo served with chicken breast and cream sauce). Eating at Vapiano’s is an experience for your kids since they get to watch the cook as s/he prepares their meals.

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6 | Doner Bistro
Located in historic downtown Leesburg, this restaurant offers Turkey and Germany’s number one fast food, Doner Kebab Sandwich. You can’t drive-thru, but if you pick up a sandwich for your kids they will love you for it. Stuffed with grilled thin slices of spiced meat, salad and yogurt cucumber sauce, this sandwich will satisfy your kids’ sophisticated taste buds. Yours don’t like salad and yogurt sauce? No problem. Pick up a Wiener schnitzel or better yet, bring your kids to the beer garden so you can enjoy a König Pilsener while you share some Currywurst and fresh cut fries with your family.

5 | Windy City Red Hots
With summer comes the family outing to area nurseries to pick up soil, mulch, flowers and other garden related items. Make your way to Blue Mount nursery on Route 7 and while you are at it, park your car directly in front of the area’s best hot dog stand for some real “Chicago Style” 100% beef hot dogs. Entertain your kids with the story of how hot dogs were born during the Great Depression when times were rough, money was scarce and people flocked to get a hot meal on a bun for only a nickel. My kids love the taste of a Vienna Beef hot dog and get a kick out of the bright green relish topping. Good news! You don’t have to walk more than few steps from your car to pick up this meal.

4 | Moby Dick's House of Kebab
With 6 locations in Northern Virginia, Moby Dick is becoming a household name. My kids love rice and chicken shish kebab grilled over an open fire or dipping pita bread in yogurt sauce. Lean meats cooked over open fire, homemade lavash bread or the varieties of rice make us come back for more. The serving sizes are generous and two kids can easily share one entrée.

3 | Reston Town Center
Yes, this is an odd selection for a McDonald’s alternative right? But with Reston Town Center having some of the area’s best stores, it is highly likely you’ll end up there eventually. My family loves the Community Canteen that is adjacent to Mon Ami Gabi. Their daily menus offer a great selection of homemade, nutritional and indulgent culinary creations. My kids enjoy the bite size cupcakes and the environmentally friendly filtered water serving station. I also love other great food and dessert options like Cosi and Yogen Früz that serves frozen yogurt with fresh fruit toppings.

2 | Wegmans
Wegmans has 5 Northern Virginia locations, and they are number 1 in the hearts of grocery shoppers. We love going to Wegmans, sitting at the terrace eating area next to the White Grand Piano and listening to music while eating. From fresh subs to a bar that contends with some of the areas most well known spots, Wegmans has something for everyone. For non-picky eaters, Wegmans offers a great selection of freshly made Sushi (our little one loves the Philadelphia Rolls with cream cheese filling). Our 9-year-old son enjoys the Broccoli and White Cheddar Soup and the baguette sandwiches with freshly sliced Prosciutto meat (hold the tomatoes and the mixed greens). Wegmans also offers a rich variety of Pizzas that, unlike Domino’s, have always used real cheese topping. AND my #1 choice...

1 | Taco Bell
I go to Taco Bell with my kids to avoid McDonald’s. There are close to 100 Taco Bell locations in the greater Metro DC area, so it is easy to find a restaurant while you drive around town, plus they offer a better tasting alternative to the other major fast food chains. They always offer a drive-thru and their food tastes great. If you are worried about calories from fat in your kids diet, their Fresco menu offers 7 choices that range from a 150 calorie Fresco Crunchy Taco to 340 calorie Fresco Burrito Supreme with Chicken. Everyone’s favorite Nachos, can be had at 330 calories and a Chicken Soft Taco is a mere 200 calories. Though they do not offer Organic produce, Taco Bell seems to be using simple ingredients. The first 3 items in their Fiesta Salsa are tomatoes, yellow onions and cilantro. I also noticed that they use sugar instead of corn syrup in their drink selections (like the Mango Frutista)