14 Fast Food Chains That Serve Pasta

Cheap pantry ingredients like pasta endure in our day-to-day dining habits, and for good reason. The starchy essential serves as the backbone to a multitude of dishes, weaving its way into dressings and sauces. It can be a main course, a mix-in to salads, or a filling for casseroles. But in the realm of fast food, we have yet to see pasta make the leap in spite of its relative ease and utility. The association with sit-down eateries probably has something to do with it because, unlike a batch of chicken nuggets or a burrito, pasta is messier and much harder to eat when you're on the move. Pasta is prone to extraneous preparation as well, and the drive-thru model just doesn't have the overhead to oversee boiling the noodles on top of the components needed to bring a meal to life.

If you're befuddled by the (seemingly) lacking casual pasta options, you just have to look for them. Pizza joints like Domino's, Pizza hut, and Giordano's are takeout chains that supply pasta dishes like fettuccine, spaghetti, and unbeatably crispy lasagna in a snap, as well as sub shops like Amato's and Jason's Deli. The pastas will be much fresher than a can of Chef Boyardee's and, in many cases, are equally convenient due to establishments offering carryout and delivery service. So, if you want to ditch the zillionth burger, see how these 14 spots tackle pasta to-go. 

What's the first eatery that comes to mind for fast food pasta? Impressively, Noodles & Company orients its bowls to give pasta the starring role, and we have Aaron Kennedy to thank. Finding inspiration in the Big Apple, his residence during the grunge era set the template for diverse odes to the dry staple. When the rare commercial chain does peddle pasta, the results, for better or for worse, are safe; you can count on getting a plate of marinara slopped over over-boiled spaghetti. Here, a wide array of shapes take the spotlight — spirals, tubes, and floppy, eggy strands — representing the culinary wealth and deliciousness of other hemispheres. There's Italian-with-a-twist, like Crispy Buffalo Chicken Bacon Alfredo, thick udon in a sticky soy glaze a la Japan, and an homage to Wisconsin's dairy with gooey mac and cheese. 

Noodles & Company sets the bar high despite its takeout-friendly model. The restaurants lean on fresh ingredients and set about whipping together the meals to order despite the time crunch. Order a small or regular bowl with mix-ins, running the gamut from meatballs to shrimp. You can also find vegetarian fare (cheese-stuffed tortellini, anyone?)

Piada Italian Street Food isn't as ubiquitous as other chains — it's teeny-tiny at about 50-ish locations. The upside is that it guarantees elevated and upscale Italian cuisine without the lengthy wait common to luxury spots. While the name refers to a regional flatbread (highlighted in handheld wraps), patrons can opt for other delicacies made right in front of them. Cooks build pasta meals of all styles, spinning Barilla-branded spaghetti noodles to create fast culinary masterworks. 

Contrary to a fancy trattoria, Piada eagerly invites customization, as seen in the sauces, proteins, and extras in reach to fashion guests' dream pasta. Calamari and Crispy Chicken, diavolo and pesto, artichokes and olives — the noodles know no rules. Even quicker choices abound, including a series of standby bowls visitors can slurp every day. Pasta Carbonara is a frequent order, and it combines fresh tomatoes and chopped pancetta in a luscious Parmesan sauce. Seeing as noodles bring in over half the annual revenue, it's not hard to imagine this dish being the money-maker of the bunch. 

Lexington, Kentucky, seems like an unlikely place for casual Italian food to hit its stride, but that's exactly where Fazoli's emerged from almost four decades ago. Largely absent on both coasts, the chain's prominently settled in the Midwest and South, where diners are privy to whole pies, tossed salads, and toasted subs. Although the footprint lags behind its former numbers, FAT Brands scooping it up in 2021 (for a modest $130-million sum) should hopefully get the chain back on its feet; it hosts Johnny Rockets and Round Table, among other famous names. 

Taking Italy's cuisine and streamlining it to American tastes is the concept — meaning there are bountiful plates of pasta. We tallied close to 20 entrees across the menu, entangling the carb into cheese sauce and tomato sauce, as well as broiled options touting a killer string pull. The classics, like bowls of spaghetti, are accounted for, but Fazoli's is always game for a little extravagance: look no further than the Loaded Fettuccine Alfredo, an umami-dosed interpretation with sauteed mushrooms and bacon galore. Going in, we know not to expect fine trattoria wares as it's a commercial chain. Fans of the eatery are smitten, though, and tend to express fond feelings for the carb-y bliss (and breadsticks). 

Swinging by Corner Bakery Cafe is a must for patrons who yearn for noodle bowls year-round. Frankly, most of us associate the name with griddled paninis and big loaves of bread, so it's easy to miss the pasta among the remaining carb-heavy roster. Served either solo or as halfsies (as part of the appealingly frugal Choose Two format), you'll find two types of mac and cheese, a shrimp scampi with linguine noodles, and pesto cavatappi, the latter being a huge hit with guests: the squiggled pasta is stirred with tender chunks of grilled chicken, then doused in a luscious pesto dressing (which you can achieve at home with the store-bought pesto as well).

Some twirly goodness to pair with a cup of tomato basil soup or a crowd-pleasing meal to treat the office or family? Turns out, you can have it both ways: this is because the chain, like others, runs a catering operation — when they're not handling lunchtime crowds in nearly 100 storefronts, that is. If you're looking to downsize your eating-out budget, the good news is Corner Bakery makes saving fairly routine. Keep your eyes peeled for buy-one-get-one deals that circulate now and then so you can maintain your pasta habit without breaking the bank. 

The assembly-line sub as we know it was pioneered by a chain — just not the one you think it is. Beloved in Maine, Amato's spearheaded the hoagie nearly a century ago, beginning with a Neapolitan vendor peddling artisanal sandwiches to strangers on the streets of Portland. Stacked cold cuts are its primary forte — the preferred jargon locals use is "Italian sandwiches" — but don't ignore the enticing pasta. Those visiting the more than 40 locations will have a carousel of choices: a couple of build-your-own meals (you choose the noodle), as well as the default picks found in every East Coast sandwich joint. Think meatballs, breaded chicken cutlets, or gargantuan ziti noodles coated in marinara.

Seeing as Amato's is concentrated in New England, a slim number of diners get the chance to try the famous subs at all, much less sample any lesser-known items. Curious foodies outside the perimeters, at least, do have other methods of trying the pasta even if they can't savor it first-hand: the chain's online shop shows jars of its pasta sauces on sale, available to ship anywhere around the country. 

When we envision spaghetti, the image that pops into our brains is the meal enjoyed in Lady and the Tramp: a noodle-y haystack doused in ruby-colored sauce with meatballs as big as the boulder in Indiana Jones. Jollibee's version, to a degree, mirrors the stereotype — but only ever so slightly. Since the franchise hails from The Philippines, the Jolly Spaghetti, as it's called, resembles the nation's unique interpretation of the signature marinara. The rundown is as follows: take hot dog chunks and minced pork, simmer it in (banana) ketchup, throw in the spaghetti, and sprinkle on neon-orange cheddar cheese, and there you have it: one of the few non-Italian spaghetti entrees available to devour on the dining market. 

The Filipino franchise, although best known for fried chicken, strays from the Colonel Sanders model by honoring its culinary history. Tomato-y noodles weaving sweet and savory flavors together invite an intriguing culinary experience — and a lot of buzz. To date, establishments have begun scattering across North America in bursts, so there's ample opportunity for foodies to dig into the menu. Meals tend to come with fries (and some of the best fast-food mashed potatoes) but also storied delicacies, such as the Palabok boasting garlicky pork noodles. 

Predictably, pizza merchants appear to corner the market on pasta that meshes well with the takeout format. What better place to have on a speed dial when the urge arises than Pizza Hut? Purchase a gooey pasta bake, ideally to go with the fixings for a pizza party, when stepping foot into the Kansas chain. As a globe-spanning entity today, nearly 7,000 of the shops are on American soil, so placing a to-go order or delivery is supremely convenient — especially if your location is open after midnight.

The Hut's kept pasta under its roof for nearly two decades, more or less, starting with the Tuscani Pasta line. Eventually, the combinations were axed from shops (and Target cafes, if you remember when those were a thing), but that was because the pie-slinger aimed to improve the recipe. Those efforts led to the oven-baked pasta that arrived in 2022, consisting of four saucy entrees — two of them Alfredos, a veggie option, and a meat medley. One notable change the franchise took during the overhaul? Switching from rotini to penne. Both noodles, frankly, are excellent vessels for carrying melty ingredients, but the pasta's ability to cling to cream sauces takes the cake. Foil packaging ensures the pasta retains its molten-hot temperature throughout its journey. 

Portillo's, whose hot dogs spark intense enthusiasm in the hearts of Chicagoans, also makes some delicious pasta. Just make sure to scope out the "Barnelli's Pasta Bowl" banner when looking to get your fill. The moniker refers to the eatery's secondary dining operation, where the homey recipes of Nonna's kitchen are showcased separately from the ballpark staples next door. Mind you, the Barnelli's wing isn't attached to every single restaurant, nor are the pastas entirely consistent between locations. Yet, the dine-in joints hosting it cover the basic, approachable fare we've come to encounter in fast food chains. 

Portillo's doesn't just sell cheesy fettuccine and call it a day, although the hot dog purveyor features the favorites, too. One specialty you'll find on the roster is Penne Al Arrabiata. It's a Roman dish with fiery complexity served in some of America's finest Italian joints; it literally translates to "angry" in the mother tongue due to the smoky sauce simmering chili peppers, onion, garlic, and tomato. Portion-wise, customers are happy and leave with full bellies, especially for the price. Nationwide, very few states harbor any locations (most of them are in Illinois). But where there's a will, there's a way. 

Using pizza-by-the-slice to ensnare hungry shoppers? That's Sbarro's beat. What you might forget about the food court superstar is what else it sells in addition to doughy triangles. Believe it or not, the company's roots lie in the grocery business, and pasta was one of the original provisions served when it was a small deli in Brooklyn. Nowadays, Baked Ziti oozing creamy mozzarella (containing real high-quality dairy, per the website), Meat Lasagna, and Spaghetti with Meatballs round out the choices available for grabbing and going. 

With its rise into the great mall-kiosk-complex, noodles have encountered a couple of shifts along the way. In 2012, corporate pivoted to a customizable format where diners could whip together an original noodle creation. This perk was eventually dropped, and knowing the hustle-bustle of a cafeteria environment, it doesn't come as a surprise to find it retired. Still, Sbarro remains reliably quick on all matters of food service. Simply walk up to the counter. Your whereabouts determine the price, but every outpost features a full course as well as a small side(ideally to complement some salad or a hefty stromboli. 

Domino's has been a surefire place to grab pasta since at least 2009. The delivery empire keeps a lean assortment next to its pizza rotation, and many flavors have come and gone over the years. Domino's pasta attempts can be a little hit or miss, judging by this ranking from The Takeout. Where the bowls get it right, writer Danny Palumbo attests, is the gigantic serving sizes and gooey sensibilities of the cheese, sauce, and meats. Once again, meals arrive in a foil vessel to keep the casserole hot and oozy. It's similar quality-wise to mid-scale dining chains, only much cheaper in price and lightning-quick to boot. 

Currently, guests can indulge in various baked concoctions: Italian Marinara, Pasta Primavera, Chicken Carbonara, and Chicken Alfredo. If guests don't like either of those combinations, there's an opportunity to personalize a penne bowl with whatever ingredients speak to them. Tired of tart tomato sauce? Mac & Cheese just dropped last fall, a comfort dish the pizza chain had yet to put its dough-rolling hands on. They tout a melty blend of parmesan, asiago, mozzarella, American, and cheddar, and, of course, classic penne.

Forget penciling in a reservation for Sunday dinner — Giordano's is just an online order away. The famed pizzeria holds a direct line to Torino, a town in Northern Italy, but originated in the Windy City, sharing its scratch-made deep-dish pizzas. Flocking to the saucy pies might have us neglecting to skim over the pasta, and that would be a mistake. Authentic noodles are there for the taking, and operating in nearly a dozen states allows plenty of diners access to a rapid-fire meal; over 60 establishments on the record allow you to order ahead or receive a delivery. 

All told, Giordano's is not exactly artisanal in its methods of pasta production. Select entrees, one being spaghetti in meat sauce, advertises boiling Barilla noodles, meaning no pasta dough is getting rolled in this place. On the other hand, patrons can savor freshly simmered sauces, as seen in the Rigatoni Bolognese and Chicken Alfredo, which goes above and beyond for takeout standards. In a pinch, Giordano's achieves the type of feasting we call ahead for–without customers needing to sacrifice their payday checks to savor the privilege.  

We're not going to lie; the food Jason's Deli sells is all over the place. Cold sandwiches and a giant Caesar? With "deli" in the name, that makes sense. Peruse the menu a little further, however, and you'll stumble upon N'awlins-style Muffulettas and baked potatoes (prepared four different ways), leaving us questioning what sort of restaurant we just walked into. Eclectic variety is exactly what gives this micro-chain spark, and with noodles on deck, it brings something different than wraps to the table. 

We've witnessed sizable real estate granted to only noodles, but Jason's Deli, unlike the hoagie counters or slice shops above, isn't that kind of franchise. Give or take some fleeting specials (currently, a Cheesy Truffle Pasta promo is up and running), the selection balances just three entrees. That's okay. What the menu lacks in unlimited possibilities compensates by providing good ingredients and diet inclusivity. Penne & Meatballs and Chicken Alfredo are for the carnivore-minded, whereas Zucchini Garden brings the veggies and sharp Asiago cheese. 

Wawa's considered to have a leg-up in convenience store foods — for proud Philadelphians, snagging a cheesesteak hoagie from the hot bar is tradition. Judging by the gas station's abundant prepared bites, breaking pasta into the rotation alongside paninis and wraps isn't a surprise–specifically, macaroni and cheese. The comforting pasta dish is cheap, delicious, and undeniably creamy, a crowd-pleaser in just about any dining situation. Stores dole out in a host of sizes, with snack-worthy containers to a heaping bucket composing the range. 

Cheesy spirals are already great on their own, but sometimes, you need other flavors to seriously upgrade macaroni and cheese. Wawa taps its potential with additional sauces to titillate the more daring palates, with Ranch, Chipotle, Garlic Aioli, Sriracha, and Buffalo respectively. The tangy taste of melted cheese is a great springboard for zesty, spicy, and downright funky aromas to penetrate the flavor profile. Some patrons suspect Wawa sources its noodles from the frozen section (i.e., Stouffer's) and has divided diners on quality. But if you're not picky, give it a go on your next Shorti run. 

Another spaghetti fusion, minus the lengthy wait time, Skyline Chili was founded in Cincinnati and specializes in its namesake dish, forging American and Greek flavors together. If you took a chili dog and dumped its contents onto a pile of noodles, it would look exactly like the plate residents have devoured for 80 years and counting. The old-world sensibility is there, yet with modernization in place, it enters the takeout circuit. Locations scattered throughout the Midwest offer the delicacy to-go. 

What makes Ohio chili so polarizing is the spectrum of flavors apparent in every mouthful. Forks diving into the haystack will uncover a bevy of sensations for the palate: The sweet spice of the cinnamon, the richness of the ground beef, the acidity of the tomato sauce, and the sharpness of the grated cheddar. The famous "3-Way" also features deviations on hand, from swapping out the cheese to topping on onions and beans. And oyster crackers, of course, are obligatory. Meatballs and marinara remain the typical picks of diners in a rush but don't neglect this amazingly different pasta dinner.