Fast Food, Including Cheeseburgers and Fried Chicken, Shouldn’t Be Sold in Hospitals, Say Most Americans in New Poll

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fast food like cheeseburgers, fried chicken, and pizza shouldn’t be sold in hospitals, say most Americans in a new Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine/Morning Consult poll. The poll comes as a new report from the Physicians Committee—a health advocacy nonprofit with 17,000 doctor members—finds that Chick-fil-A is located in at least 20 U.S. hospitals or medical centers.

When asked, “Do you believe fast food—such as fried chicken, cheeseburgers, or pizza—should be sold in hospitals to patients, visitors, and staff?” 52% of respondents said “no,” and 57% said that hospitals should not profit from fast food sold on their premises. Most respondents, 85%, agreed that these foods do not promote good health. The poll was conducted July 1 to 3, 2025, among 2,202 U.S. adults.

A new report from the Physicians Committee finds that Chick-fil-A is located in at least 20 U.S. hospitals or medical centers, according to the fast-food restaurant’s website.

“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,” says Anna Herby, DHSc, RD, CDCES, who is the nutrition education specialist for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and oversees the organization’s Healthy Hospital Program. “Hospital staff, visitors, and patients would benefit by choosing more chickpeas and other plant-based foods instead of chicken.”

Consuming chicken has been linked to higher cancer risk, and consuming fried chicken is linked to higher risk of heart disease. Earlier this year, a study found that eating 300 grams of poultry—about the size of a large chicken breast—per week was linked to an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer and death from all causes. A study published in BMJ found that women who ate fried chicken once or more per day had a 13% higher risk of death from any cause compared with women who did not eat any fried food and a 12% increased risk of death from heart disease.

In 2017, the American Medical Association adopted a resolution calling on hospitals to provide plant-based meals and remove processed meats, such as chicken nuggets, from menus.

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

The Physicians Committee’s Healthy Hospital Program offers free resources to support institutions that want to make more plant-based options available to patients. With plant-based menu items, inpatient education tools, and printable recipes, patients will be empowered to take control of their health during their hospital stay and beyond. Learn more at PCRM.org/HealthyHospitalProgram.