50 Best Fast Food Restaurants in Columbia

“I never leave reviews, but this place is just too good to not share. The drinks are unique and delicious (My favorite is the Island Boi, or the Orange Creamsicle one, or maybe the Coco Loco one 😂😂). And the food is incredible! I’ve never had anything there that I didn’t love. My favorites are the hush puppies, hummus, Veg Fil A sandwich, and the rice and beans bowl. This time when we went, the chef added protein crumbles, nacho cheese, and green onions on top and it was even better. My son loves the Hoot sandwich and he’s 10 years old and usually non-vegan….so that’s a huge compliment to the flavor of that sandwich. On top of all this, the place is just cool. The atmosphere is so comfortable and inviting, like I could stay all night if I didn’t have to put my kid to bed! 🤣 I just really love this place and I’m so glad to see it added to our neighborhood!!“

“Amazing service. Love the food!!“

“The team at Salsarita's truly went above and beyond during our fundraiser, providing not only delicious food but also outstanding service that made our event a success. Their dedication and enthusiasm significantly enhanced the experience and helped us raise vital funds. The impact of this partnership extends far beyond a single event, contributing directly to our mission of family building. We are deeply appreciative of Salsarita’s staff and their commitment to making a positive impact in the community. Thank you for a memorable and impactful day!“

“Went to Soda City and stopped by, got the wings, a lamb butter bowl, and a chicken butter burrito. EVERYTHING was delicious!! The wings were better than 90% of restaurants that specialize in wings. GO“

“Omg my husband just brought me the flounder fish sandwich for dinner Friday night after I didn’t want to go out. I asked him why I had not know about this sandwich before! Yall! I grew up on Seafood and all things fish, this was so good! Thank you! Fantastic fish, fried perfectly, even the tomato was fresh, I think they picked it off the bush in the back somewhere! I will be coming back!“

“Ash!! My girl!! Let’s go! I messed up my order. I forgot order no mustard on my burger, and they tried to sell me a shrimp Philly as a Po Boy but shorty made magic. Fried Shrimp, mayo, pickle ONLY!! Put it on a French bread.. preciate you BROOKLYN!“

“Step into the past, with swivel chairs, analog menus, and a handwritten order, and enjoy your time at Rush's. The food absolutely fantastic, for a fast food restaurant. The entire experience was absolutely incredible.
You have so much variety in this menu that you can eat almost anything you want, or at least expect in fast food. They had hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, chicken, BBQ, and even dinners that you could take home.
I got to enjoy a chili cheese burger, and fries with coleslaw on the basket side. Let's just say adding the coleslaw, to the top of the burger was fantastic. Moreover, they had vinegar to put on your fries! And the peach milkshake was absolutely fabulous, and hit the spot on a hot day. I also got a chilly dog because of the 250th 4th of July celebration!
Going there just took me back in time, to a more simple and elegant experience, that is not corporate. The atmosphere reminded me of fast food, just back in the 90s. Go and experience their eclecticness for yourself. If they had one of these close to me in North Carolina, I would be a regular!“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Best burgers and hotdogs in the business!“

“We just left and I was very impressed with the staff. They were extremely friendly and efficient. It is some of the best customer service I’ve received in quite some time. The restaurant was very clean. On top of that the food was delicious.“

“Stopped off here after shopping at Marshall's. Gentlemen (40s maybe 50) with Beard and Older lady were working the Drive thru. Gentlemen was complimentary on my Teal Jeep Wrangler and Matching Tire Cover. He was very pleasant during my money transaction. Love great customer service. Go Harbison!“

“The fries are the best, just like my Mom used to make❣️“

“All around great food. Good place to eat wings and watch the game“

“It had been a looong time since visiting a Five Guys because we moved out of country, but it was just as delicious as I remember. I had forgotten how big the serving of fries is though- lol! For 3 of us, we got 3 regular fries, but we should've gotten 1 to split 😁
The only downside was that there was some trash left on tables, and the floor was sticky in places. There were lots of people working, but only us and one other couple at another table.“

“Edit: My sincerest apologies. I thought was the Hardee's establishment in St Matthews as that was the one I visited 6 days ago. This Hardee's has good service. The order was ready when I got there and the employees there really get along well with each other. There was no address again when I did the review. Only when I got the reply.

We used theobile app to place an order. We got to the place and had to wait an additional 30 minutes in at the drive thru to get our order and the order was wrong. I don't know what happened to cause the wait to be so long, but it was pretty bad. So bad two cars behind us left. The car on front of us has to wait as well. Maybe they will get it together. But I more than likely will not be returning here.“

“great“

“Yes, yes, yes this place has some good food there in Columbia SC. there wait staff is great, Big shout out to there cook Mrs.Kizzy Davis !! Will eat there agaín on our next visit“

“Anthony dairy bar I don't like them at all the food is not that good anymore and they're not that clean because I don't ever see them wash their hands that's not a good place to eat from it's not that clean and very cluttered it's not good at all was not good experience at all“

“First time eating here and wonderful food cooked so good and you can test the seasoning and the tea was good to. Friendly staff as well“

“Clean, they messed up order a few times but no big deal because we had a very specific request for certain items. Staff greet you on the way in. Best of all, this is another great restaurant just in that the employees say “My Pleasure!”“

“One word: DARLENE. i’m not sure if her position is like a hospitality coodinator or something but she was the absolute kindest woman to me and my brother when we came on our lunch break. She apologized for our food being delayed (neither of us made any fuss about it because it didn’t seem to be too long of a wait for us) and she was just extremely generous to us and i’ve never experienced that kindness in a fast food setting. Please come see her and treat her well!!!“

“I love the eggs and steak and gravy“

“Just got done playing some of the worse golf of my life I was feeling down and I wanted chickfala breakfast I got 2 10 count minis for me and my friend when I tell you these are the best minis I have ever had in my life I’m not lying it is so freshly cooked and so hot and the biscuits are so buttery it is so good but it is so expensive but today I felt like it was worth it“

“One of the better sub shops in town, in my humbled opinion. Always good tasting. Made to order. I would say quality is number one. Rated a B Plus. I don’t want to put these folks on an ego trip!!!“

“Mr.Carlos is exceptional he was very hospitable, welcomed us in asked us how our day was and treated us like family. His service was amazing as well as his dedication and care for preparing our meal like if it was made for him or his family. Please promote him!“

“Made a quick pit stop here on a road trip, as it was right off I-77.

Since I got there only about 5 minutes after they opened (6:35am), I didn’t have to wait long at all for my food. The employee at the counter was also extremely friendly and nice.

The food was phenomenal. Hot, fresh, and high quality. I’ve had CFA food before at many different locations, but this was the best taste experience I’ve ever had.

Thanks folks for a nice experience. Will be back the next time I’m in Columbia.“

“Fast and delicious and a friendly staff.“

“We have always loved Mod, but this was the best experiece we have ever had! We will be back! Hunter the manager went above and beyond to help us with our 4 young children. He offered coloring sheets and crayons, gave us cups with lids so I didnt have to be worried constantly about them spilling, helped us customize pizzas half and half, and even got us extra plates and napkins and brought them to our table. This was the best customer service we have ever recieved while dining fast casual. He set the gold standard. Thank you Hunter!“

“The atmosphere was inviting and relaxing, the reception was warm, and the waiting time was short. The food was excellent overall, though it could have used a bit more salt. However, the flavors of the rice were rich enough that I hardly noticed the lack of salt. The wings were juicy and well-spiced. Overall, it was a great choice for lunch.“

“This food was excellent“

“Jamie has the best Sonic in the Midlands. This Sonic offers a very friendly & courteous staff, quick service, 95% order accuracy, and always fresh tea!! I highly recommend this Sonic.“

“V. is such a great hostess and polite, I am thankful for her helping me. � Thank you.“

“They forgot to toast my frisco“

“I'm there for the burgers all day every day I love them burgers“

“I had a great experience today at Chick-fil-A thanks to Kalei, who was in training. Even while learning, Kalei was friendly, professional, patient, and had such a positive attitude. You could tell they genuinely cared about giving great customer service and making sure everything was right. It’s always nice to see someone working hard and staying kind under pressure. Definitely a great addition to the team — keep up the amazing work, Kalei!“

“I went to Panda tonight and overall the experience was positive. There was a good selection of entrees and plenty of each. Some changes had been made since my last visit probably due to pandemic precautions but nothing I couldn’t live with. Of particular note was the great attitude and politeness of the staff. An employee said, “welcome to Panda!”, a first at this location. The employee who fixed my plate was cheerful and willing to fix it to my liking. I don’t usually write reviews, I read some of the reviews for this location and could identify with most of them. However, things have changed for the better and I hope it lasts.“

“Kudos to the young lady working the window when I went through last week. My 3 year old was begging for the cream on the advertisement board at the order speaker. I had to repeat myself several times because we could not hear each other over his pleas. I got his food order and asked for confirmation of the order. I apologized about him yelling for the cream drink. She laughed and asked which one. She asked, “The mint one?” It was the chocolate drink. She turned and made him one and stopped me before pulling off. How sweet was that?! She took the time to make an impression on a little boy. He was all grins and thanking her. I thank you as well. It felt good to feel that genuine customer service. We will be back.“

“Went to this cookout while we were in town for Thanksgiving and all I can say is they were very pleasant. The general manager Darius definitely keeps the store up. The bathrooms were very clean and the dining area. There is nothing bad that I can say about the store and workers. The girl at the register was very pleasant. Compared to where I live there is a bunch of kids that have attitudes and seem like we are disrupting them. I highly recommend!“

“while I will suggest this place to others... I will caution them to check their receipt and bag before they drive away from the window. employees are rushing you to pay and get your order out, but meanwhile, I got charged for a cheddar cup and get home and it's not even half full... come on people!!! this isn't the first time it's happened either. I'm glad we have an Arby's on this side of town, but step up the customer service like it was right after you opened.... what happened to that? #honeymoonisover“

“Stopped by Chick-fil-A to try the new Jalapeño Ranch Club, and I’ve got to say—it was really good. The chicken was crispy, the flavor had just the right amount of spice, and everything came together well. It was fresh, hot, and honestly hit the spot.
Now I’ll be real—my experiences here over the past year haven’t been the best. The food just hadn’t been consistent, and it didn’t feel like the quality I was used to. But this visit? This felt like a turnaround.
If this is the direction they’re heading again, I’m here for it. Definitely a solid meal this time around.“

“Fresh and good seafood at a reasonable price.“

“The staff were incredible. Better than chick fil a. We have three kids and they were beyond kind to them despite them being toddlers and messy (and yes we try to clean up as much as possible after them) but it felt like the service was truly beyond what you would expect at any quick eatery. Will 100% return to this specific one, we’ve always loved Whataburgers in Florida but this one was truly one of a kind because of their staff.“

“Destiny and Ocean both provided amazing customer service!
We had a few questions about the menu and they seemed very knowledgeable and were super patient with answering our questions and helping us understand how to order.
They took the time to clarify how ordering on the app worked and how the points system worked.
They were incredibly patient throughout this process, despite our numerous questions.
They never stopped smiling and even cracked a few jokes with us. We were very pleased with our experience here and will definitely be returning!“

“The gal took our order- not a problem there- but then she left - without giving us our cups or receipt- we had to ask 3 times for our cups- and then waited another 10 minutes (after already waiting at least 10 minutes) just to have them ask me what our order was- I told her- and she pulled our sandwiches off of the rack, put them on a tray and set the on the counter- then did the same for another tray- the food sat on that tray for 5 minutes - then she got around to getting our fries- unsalted, soggy - but at least hot- the sandwiches were ice cold and missing their cheese. We usually enjoy this place- but not now- Frisco Burgers ice cold without the cheese and inedible fries- very disappointing and a waste of 25.00-
Wanted to come on here and update- I was contacted by the manager - and after we spoke she very willingly offered to replace the meals - we went today and had absolutely no issues- the food was back up to it’s normal higher standard and we were very appreciative of the willingness to remedy the bad experience. Thank you Stephanie (manager) !“

“This Jimmy John’s is amazing. With my past fast food experiences they’ve been a let down. Was ready expecting a problem, but was so wrong! Christine was so helpful and sweet on the phone. You can tell she puts 100% into her job! Sandwich is delicious and exactly what we wanted“

“Good food, very tasty. Portions were good. Atmosphere, generic, nothing special

Parking: Adequate parking.

Kid-friendliness: Child friendly

Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchair accessibility, accessible, ok.“

“Cook Out is a great option if you’re looking for affordable food and quick service. The pricing is hard to beat, and orders usually come out fast, which makes it especially convenient when you’re on the go. The food itself is solid and satisfying for the price.

That said, there can occasionally be mix-ups with orders, which keeps it from being a perfect experience.

Overall though, it’s a reliable spot for a quick, budget-friendly meal.“

“I grew up in Ny and I am Italian food junkie
Fazolis on 2 Notch Rd
Fuggedaboutit is on of the best Italian food joints in Columbia
I have 2 meals from their and say to anybody you gotta stop here for great Italian food
It’s legit
My Family from Brooklyn Ny would be proud of Shawn the cook and his crew
Fugedabout it!!
Great food“

“you couldn't go wrong with anything you order from here. tonight I ordered 4pc fish dinner with fried okra and slaw. fish was cooked perfectly. Everything was great.“

“I love the Turkey , Bacon and Ranch sub! I wish there was one in Orangeburg!“

“Came in for a quick bite for lunch and it was great. Service was fast and my food was very fresh. The inside of the resturant is also kept very clean. One of the better locations I have been to. On the receipt they also put contact information if you have any problems/concerns, which I believe is great.“