Quite a lot was better during the 80's and through the 90's and it's not just nostalgia talking. Up through the 90's, prepared, packaged, and fast food generally tasted better because more effort and better ingredients were put into the product. Shrinkflation and enshittification were less common. The major difference is that speed and convenience replaced quality. Companies of all types, not just food related, started learning just how far they could push those boundaries. But yeah, their fries and burgers were actually decent. I really miss those fried hot apple pies, especially cherry. I am pretty sure that the burgers from BK were even better than McD's too at some point.

There are still lots of great companies these days who have amazing products & customer service. However, for every one of those, there are at least 2 or 3 others who don't care about their customers, employees, or their products in one way or another. It's a bit sad, but that also explains why I rarely eat out and care so much less about buying stuff like I used to. Capitalism sucks.