The UK's filthy fast food franchises: Shocking list of big name outlets - from Papa Johns to Subway and KFC - that have scored the lowest ratings on hygiene
Fast food devotees craving a fix might think twice before ordering their favourite fried chicken, double burger or glazed doughnut in future - after some branches of the UK's most popular chains performed dismally in Government hygiene inspections. Thousands of franchised outlets of big name quick-service brands - from McDonald's to Greggs and KFC - currently sit cheek-by-jowl on UK high streets and at malls, petrol stations and even on industrial estates, and face regular inspections by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).The subsequent ratings are then laid bare on the FSA's website and many listings make for stomach-churning reading. Indeed, some UK branches of global fast food outlets have fared so badly on public hygiene in recent inspections that they're currently dicing with being shut down unless 'urgent improvements' are made.The FSA is responsible for rating restaurants and takeaways for food safety and hygiene across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with inspectors arriving at premises unannounced and then rating them on a scale from zero to five on hygiene, cleanliness of facilities and management of food safety. Scores of two or below are counted as an automatic fail, with a zero score requiring rapid improvement for the business to remain in operation. If standards are considered too filthy, those with the worst ratings can be closed down with immediate effect if inspectors feel there's an imminent risk to public health. Here, the Daily Mail looks at the popular UK branches of the most popular fast food restaurants that have failed on hygiene according to the FSA...
SubwayThe UK's most prolific sandwich shop - there's barely a high street or shopping mall without a Subway on it - with 1714 outlets currently open. However, fans of the made-to-order 'sub' brand might think twice before requesting a Meatball Marinara when they see just how many stores have received less-than-favourable ratings by FSA inspectors. Three Subways were given a zero rating in recent inspections, including outlets in Hull, Middlesborough and Derby. A further five received the second lowest rating of '1' and 11 were given a '2', although one of those, in Pontypool, Wales, is awaiting a verdict after a recent inspection.McDonald’s Arguably the most famous fast food restaurant in the world, McDonald's, known for its cut-price ready-in-minutes fare - including Happy Meals, Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets, has more than 1300 restaurants in the UK, of which around 1100 are franchised.Three branches baring the instantly recognisable Golden Arches were served up less than impressive ratings by recent FSA inspections though. The least favourable was given to a branch in the West Yorkshire town of Halifax. The McDonald's in the town's Old Market Street received a zero verdict after an inspection in December. Major improvement was deemed necessary in two of the three hygiene categories - food handling and food safety, while improvement was also required on building and facility cleanliness. Two other branches, one in Fleetwood, Lancashire and another in Collier's Wood in Lancashire, received '2' ratings.KFCFinger lickin' not so good was the verdict on two UK branches of KFC, the chicken chain goliath that has been serving up buckets of its original recipe 'bone-in' fried chicken since arriving from across the Pond in 1965. Outlets on Camden High Street in north London and close to student accommodation in Liverpool both scored a '2' out of '5'. While the Liverpool branch, inspected in September 2025, was rated 'very good' for food handling, inspectors said improvement was needed when it came to 'cleanliness and condition of facilities and building'.The Camden branch, meanwhile, was found in December to being only 'generally satisfactory' on food handling and management of food safety, and required 'improvement' when it came to 'cleanliness and condition of facilities and building'. GreggsThe pastry-based giant, founded in Newcastle in the early 50s, may have gained a cult following thanks to its steak bakes, sausage rolls and glazed doughnuts, but ratings at three UK Greggs might put even avid fans off a little. Outlets in east London, Basingstoke and Thurmaston in Leicester were all deemed a lowly '2' hygiene rating by inspectors. The latter, in a shopping centre, was found to require improvement on handling of food, including 'preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage'. Chicken Cottage A relatively young franchise, Chicken Cottage was founded in 1994 and now has more than 70 restaurants across the country and has won fans for introducing halal dishes in every one of them. However, three branches make the list no fast food restaurant wants to be on, with a recent FSA rating of '2'or lower. The Chicken Cottage branch with the worst rating is to be found in Thornton Heath in south London. Inspected last summer, the outlet was given a '1' rating, with 'major improvement necessary' given in the 'management of food safety' category. Two other branches, one in Paddington, west London, and one in Cambridge, were given '2' ratings.Papa Johns A branch of Papa John's pizza chain in Acton, west London was graded as requiring 'urgent improvement' on hygiene in January this year after an FSA visit The world's third biggest pizza chain, behind Domino's and Pizza Hut, Papa Johns now has more than 500 restaurants across the UK. Founded in Indiana in the mid eighties, the brand claims to have a 'tried and tested' franchise operation... but the FSA found a handful of UK branches with less than appetising hygiene ratings. The worst offender? A branch in Lyra Court, Acton in west London. In January this year, inspectors said the restaurant required 'urgent improvement' on all three food hygiene standards - and it scored an overall zero. Elsewhere, a branch in Torquay received a '1' score, while three others, in Sidcup, Paignton and Farringdon in London all graded a '2'. Dixy Chicken Starting small in the 1980s, Dixy Chicken was founded in Bury in 1986 but now has more than 100 outlets across the country bearing its official branding - and a few who have perhaps purloined the name for their own independent chicken shop. While the brand has won praise for its halal dishes, there's more than a few Dixy Chicken branches that have caught the FSA inspectors' eyes for all the wrong reasons. While it's not entirely clear whether all of the restaurants named Dixy Chicken are official, there's plenty of them - more than 20 - with a score of '2' or lower. Two in close proximity in the Stechford And Yardley North district of Birmingham both received zero ratings, with seven others racking up a '1' and 14 UK branches gaining a '2' score. Perfect Fried Chicken Many a UK chicken shop goes by the name of Perfect Fried Chicken, or sometimes PFC, although it's not clear whether there's an official group of restaurant franchises or if just a lot of independent fast food outlets use the name.Three quick-service chicken shops using the name have less than positive FSA ratings, two in east London and one in Sale, Manchester. One of the east London takeaways scored a zero for hygiene when inspected in November, while the other two had a '2' rating after visits in the second half of 2025.
