The Worst McAlister's Deli Sandwich According To 39% Of People

When you're seeking out a meal on the fresher side of fast food, McAlister's Deli is one place you can always turn. Per the restaurant's website, the fast-casual eatery has been serving up a delicious menu of "handcrafted food" since opening its first location in Oxford, Mississippi in 1989. Now, its "simple and satisfying" assortment of spuds, soups, and sandwiches is available at more than 500 locations across 29 states (via Scrape Hero).

You might have even seen one pop up in your recent travels, as the doors to more than 22 new restaurants have been opened since January 2021 (via McAlister's). But, if you haven't yet spotted a McAlister's Deli in your city, there's no need to feel left out. The chain has said they have plans to open an additional 300 establishments in the near future, so a location near you may very well be on its way.

That being said, you may be starting to think about what you'll order when the eatery brings its business to your neck of the woods. Sure, the chain offers a lot of the traditional deli fare, but you also don't want to waste your first impression of its food on a sammie that's not up to par. To help you make the right choice, Mashed conducted a survey in which we asked McAlister's fans what they think is the chain's worst sandwich. The results are in, and it's pretty clear which handheld menu item you'll probably want to skip.

A total of 614 U.S.-based Mashed readers chimed in with their thoughts on which McAlister's Deli's sandwich is worst, and the results are pretty definitive. On the opposite end of the tally are those with the least amount of votes, making them more preferred options. Chosen by only 8.63% of readers, the chain's Italian sub seems worthy of being ordered. As are the Harvest Chicken Salad and Grilled Chicken sandwiches, both of which are served on a buttery croissant (via McAlister's website), earning just 9.61% and 10.26% of the votes, respectively.

For those seeking out comfort food when heading to McAlister's Deli, you may want to consider one of the restaurant's giant spuds or a bowl of soup rather than its Ham and Cheese Melt. The nostalgia-inducing handheld was dubbed the third-worst sandwich by 15.15% of survey participants and was favored only slightly more than the chain's Reuben sandwich, which received 17.10% of the vote. However, despite taking the bronze and silver (which, in this case, isn't something to brag about), both of these menu items were still found to be exceptionally better than the one that took the gold: The Orange Cranberry Club, which was dubbed the worst McAlister's Deli sandwich by 241 people, netting 39.25% of the vote.

A take on the chain's iconic club sandwich, the McAlister's menu says that this unique version features an Orange Cranberry Sauce instead of honey mustard — though, it doesn't appear that this fruity twist is appreciated. Unless you have a strong affinity for Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches, this McAlister's item seems like the one to avoid.