Best grocery store and fast-food rankings in review 2025

Frozen Waffles
Vegetable Soup
Onion Rings
Mac and Cheese
Pickles
Stuffing
Quesadillas
Frappuccino’s

Frozen Waffles, Vegetable Soup, Onion Rings, Mac and Cheese, Pickles, Stuffing, Quesadillas, Frappuccino’s

Qdoba Mexican Eats Cholula Chicken quesadilla

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Figuring out what to eat shouldn’t feel like a high-stakes game show, yet there we all stand: frozen-aisle zombies squinting at 17 brands of waffles, wondering which one will ruin our morning the least. Is the cheapest option the smartest choice… or the one most likely to taste like a damp coaster? Who’s to say.

Stove Top Stuffing Mix - Craisins - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Life is busy. Sometimes you can’t sauté, simmer, baste, or “let it rest for 15 minutes.” Sometimes you just need something frozen, microwaveable, or capable of being eaten while you answer an email and look mildly stressed.

And what about those moments when you’re sprinting between errands and suddenly absolutely must have a quesadilla or a Frappuccino? (No judgment — we’ve all been betrayed by our own cravings.) Good news: we thought of that, too.

Over the past year, the cleveland.com Best of Cleveland team heroically sacrificed their sodium levels to visit local grocery stores and fast-food spots, ranking some of the most beloved — and occasionally baffling — quick-eat options. Frozen waffles? Yep. Onion rings? Of course. Vegetable soup? Fifty-five of them. Don’t worry, the reporters survived.

To save you time, confusion, and possibly several disappointing lunches, here are all our 2025 rankings in one convenient, snackable place:

Frozen Waffles

Cleveland Pickle - Spicy Dill - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Vegetable Soup

Onion Rings

Mac and Cheese

Rao's Made for home Four Cheese Pasta Bake - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Pickles

Stuffing

Quesadillas

Red Robin Crispy Onion Rings - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Frappuccino’s

Is there a grocery or fast-food item you’re dying to see us rank next?Send your ideas (or hot takes) to [email protected] — preferably before you get lost in the freezer aisle again.