Fast food in hospitals? Most agree it doesn't belong

Fast food in hospitals sounds like a contradiction, but in many U.S. medical centers, it’s still on the menu. Walk through the food court and you’ll see signs for fried chicken, burgers, and pizza – foods known to fuel the very health problems hospitals are meant to treat.

A new poll and report from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit backed by 17,000 doctors, finds that many Americans don’t believe fast food belongs in hospitals.

The poll, conducted in early July 2025, surveyed 2,202 U.S. adults. Over half (52%) said fast food shouldn’t be sold in hospitals. Nearly 6 in 10 said hospitals shouldn’t make money from it, and 85% agreed these foods don’t support good health.

The same report revealed that Chick-fil-A is operating in at least 20 hospitals or medical centers across the country. That data comes from the fast-food chain’s own website.

What counts as fast food, really?

Fast food isn’t just about speed. It’s a category of food known for being heavily processed, high in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium, and low in fiber and nutrients.

Fast food options include fried chicken sandwiches, cheeseburgers, pizza, fries, soda, and milkshakes – staples of chains like Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and others.

These meals are designed for convenience, not nutrition. They often come packed with calories and additives, and they’re rarely made from whole, unprocessed ingredients.

Foods of convenience

Even the “healthier” options, like grilled chicken sandwiches or salads, can come with high-fat dressings, processed meats, or refined grains.

The issue isn’t just indulgence – it’s habit. Many people eat fast food multiple times a week, and for some hospital visitors or staff working long shifts, these meals are the only options available.

That’s where the problem grows. What’s convenient in the moment may be contributing to long-term health issues that land people in hospitals in the first place.

Fried chicken versus chickpeas

“While many people consider chicken to be a healthier option than red meat, consuming chicken can increase cholesterol just as much as eating red meat,” said Anna Herby, nutrition education specialist for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

“Hospital staff, visitors, and patients would benefit by choosing more chickpeas and other plant-based foods instead of chicken.”

This isn’t just a personal opinion – it’s based on research. Eating chicken has been tied to higher cancer risk. Fried chicken, in particular, has been linked to heart disease.

One study earlier this year showed that eating just 300 grams of poultry per week – roughly a large chicken breast – was associated with increased risk of gastrointestinal cancers and higher all-cause mortality.

Another study, published in The BMJ, found that women who ate fried chicken once or more a day had a 13% higher risk of death from any cause and a 12% higher risk of death from heart disease compared to those who avoided fried food entirely.

Hidden health effects of fast food

Fast food isn’t just tied to heart disease and cancer – its effects reach much further, often in ways that aren’t immediately obvious.

Regular fast food consumption is strongly tied to obesity, a condition that increases the risk of nearly every major chronic illness.

These meals are energy-dense but nutritionally poor, delivering lots of calories with little actual nourishment. That makes it easy to overeat and hard to feel full.

Fast food is also a major contributor to type 2 diabetes. High levels of refined carbs and added sugars can spike blood sugar and insulin, leading to insulin resistance over time. Even a seemingly small meal – a muffin, a sweetened coffee – can contain more sugar than a can of soda.

Liver and brain health

There are also effects on the liver. Diets heavy in trans fats and sugar can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, now increasingly common even in kids and teens.

And then there’s mental health. Studies have linked high consumption of fried and processed foods with increased rates of depression and anxiety.

The nutrients we don’t get from fast food – like omega-3s, fiber, and key vitamins – play a big role in brain health. Fast food isn’t just a quick meal. It can quietly affect nearly every system in the body.

Time to lead by example

This issue is not new. In 2017, the American Medical Association urged hospitals to offer plant-based meals and stop serving processed meats like chicken nuggets. The goal is to make food part of the solution, not the problem.

“Hospitals should set an example by ensuring that their restaurants serve more menu items that are cholesterol-free, low in saturated fat, and high in fiber-rich vegetables, grains, beans, and fruit,” said Dr. Herby.

“Meals like these have been shown to help prevent or improve the chronic diseases that bring people to the hospital.”

Public support is already there. The majority of Americans agree: fast food doesn’t belong in a place that’s supposed to promote health.

As research continues to highlight the risks of meat-heavy, fried diets, many are calling for hospitals to make the same shift they ask of their patients.

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