The restaurant industry was among the hardest hit during the pandemic. But the restaurant scene is bouncing back — especially fast-food chains.

In the second quarter of 2023, sales at fast-food and quick-serve restaurants like McDonald’s and Starbucks increased by an average of 5.75 percent over the same quarter last year, according to company earnings reports for 43 major restaurant chains. Sit-down casual and fine-dining chains, meanwhile, saw an average increase in sales of 2.38 percent.

Here are the main reasons consumers have doubled down on their affection for fast food.

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