Who would have thought that these old restaurant chains were still around? Some of them are hanging on by a thread, like Blockbuster and its last remaining location. Unfortunately, not every restaurant joint goes on to be as big as Subway or McDonald’s. While things have been rough for these chains, they have not disappeared into oblivion just yet! You might be under the impression that these 26 chains have died, but we are glad to prove you wrong. Read on to see which restaurants you should visit while you still can!
Big Boy
First established in 1936 under the name Bob’s Pantry, we want you to know that Big Boy is still around. There was a time when it was the biggest name in the restaurant industry. In 1979, there were more than a thousand Big Boy joints across the United States. You can easily spot the locations because they came with the chubby mascot. Sadly, diner-style restaurants were rendered obsolete by fast-food joints. However, there are still approximately 200 branches. Most of them are located in the Midwest.
Big Boy
Rainforest Café
What’s not to love about Rainforest Café? It has intermittent thunderstorms, animatronic gorillas, and plastic jungles! Of course, let us not forget just how fun it is to hear the screams of “Volcano!” whenever someone gets the erupting brownies for dessert. It has been over two decades since the theme restaurant trend has peaked, but Rainforest Café is still here to stay. Sadly, it no longer roars as loudly as it used to. The website of the restaurant chain reports that there are only 17 locations still in business across the country. Interestingly, there are five locations outside the United States.
Rainforest Cafe
Quiznos
The first ever Quiznos location opened in Denver, Colorado in 1981. It did not take long before the sub joint opened numerous stores across the United States and then the rest of the world. Sadly, the locations have been vanishing as quickly as they opened. In January 2019, there were fewer than 400 joints in the United States. In 2007, there had been 5,000 locations! The chain suffered during the Great Recession and applied for bankruptcy protection in 2014. Quiznos fans must be keeping their fingers crossed that the new owner can do some magic and give the company the spark it used to have.
Quiznos
Baja Fresh
Before Moe’s, Chipotle, and Qdoba, people used to go to Baja Fresh Mexican Grill when they wanted to get a burrito. Launched in 1990, the chain rose in popularity thanks to the fresh ingredients and the “Salsa Baja” you found at the salsa bars. Baja Fresh was bought out by Wendy’s in 2002, and this development marked the start of its downward spiral. Wendy’s ended up selling its burrito business acquisition after only four years. Baja Fresh used to have 300 locations, although it has since been shrinking and disappearing in some areas. In 2017, the company reported only 165 Baja Fresh locations.
Baja Fresh
Tony Roma’s
Tony Roma’s says that it boasts of “over 150 family restaurant locations on six continents.” However, only 15 of those locations happen to be in the United States. Tony Rama was the person who oversaw the Playboy Club menu, but he opened the restaurant named after himself in Miami, Florida in 1972. It then turned into a franchise after an investment from the Dallas Cowboys founder Clint Murchison Jr. There was a point in time when there were more than 160 Tony Roma’s stores across the country. Sadly, Americans eventually lost their appetite for ribs, barbecues, and their other offerings. Ouch.
Tony Roma’s
TCBY
Did you know that TCBY stood for “This Can’t Be Yogurt” in the beginning? It later changed the meaning to “The Country’s Best Yogurt” after the original name started a lawsuit filed by a competitor. In this day and age, the acronym might mean “This Chain Brings Yawns.” TCBY was first opened in Arkansas back in 1981, although it did not fare well when newer and trendier froyo businesses came into the picture. The company used to have about 1,800 locations during the early ‘00s. According to the website, there are now only 350 locations. In 2017, a TCBY location in Lincoln, Nebraska closed shop after three decades.
TCBY
Roy Rogers
During the late ‘60s, Roy “king of the Cowboys” Rogers licensed his name to open a burger restaurant chain. When 1991 rolled in, there were over 600 locations. Most of these were located in the mid-Atlantic and the northeastern U.S. However, things changed when the company was sold. The joints were turned into Hardee’s burger joints, much to the despair of its original fans. The customer outrage had been so strong that Hardee’s attempted to return its name! Sadly, the damage was already done. The Roy Rogers chain started going downhill, although it has been working hard to make a comeback in the past few years. There are now 50 places you can get a Double R Bar Burger in the country.
Roy Rogers
Kenny Rogers Roasters
Country musician Kenny Rogers is best known as the person who sang, “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em”. If you don’t know him for his music, perhaps you recognize his name from the rotisserie chicken restaurant chain founded in 1991. He did this with the help of John Y. Brown, a former KFC investor. The restaurants have a special place in American pop culture. In 1996, there was an episode of Seinfeld where Kramer declared war on a KRR store across his apartment! If you only watched the reruns, you might have no idea what Kenny Rogers Roasters is. This is because it no longer lives on in North America. However, it is doing well in Southeast Asia because a Malaysian company operates it now.
Kenny Rogers Roasters
Blimpie
Did you watch 30 Rock? If you are a fan of the hilarious sitcom, you might recall that they used Blimpie as a punch line every now and then. After all, the character J.D. Lutz loved the subs from there. The company is not doing so hot in the past couple of years. It has lost its “footprint”, to say the least. During its peak in the early ‘00s, there were 2,000 locations all over the world. Sadly, there are now only 250 locations. The first Blimpie store was opened in Hoboken, New Jersey and closed in 2017.
Blimpie
Chi-Chi’s
Chi-Chi’s is yet another restaurant chain that has since disappeared in North America. However, you can still go to this Tex-Mex restaurant if you travel abroad. You can get your fix if you find yourself in Belgium and Luxembourg! If you cannot afford to book that flight, you can still get a taste of Chi-Chi’s at the supermarket. Hormel, the same company behind Spam, sells its chips, salsa, and other products. There was a time when there were over 200 Chi-Chi’s restaurants, although all U.S. and Canada locations disappeared by 2004 after the hepatitis controversy and bankruptcy filing. In 2003, four people died after contracting hepatitis from the green onions at a Pittsburgh location.
Chi-Chi’s
Bennigan’s
This Irish-themed restaurant chain got its start in Atlanta back in 1976. Bennigan’s had a near-death experience, but it is working hard to make its comeback. The owners filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in 2007. In only one night, they closed 150 restaurants. The chain has been suffering after failing to cope with competition from Chili’s and TGI Friday’s. Even though Bennigan’s has Irish pub roots, its menu had Southwestern-style food and tempura. These days, there are only 13 Bennigan’s locations in the United States. According to its website, they are spread from Texas to New Jersey.
Bennigan’s
Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips
Arthur Treacher was an actor who was best known for his portrayal of British butlers. He was basically the real-life version of Ask Jeeves. As a matter of fact, he might have even served as the inspiration because he played a butler with that same name back in the ‘30s. The fish and chips restaurants carrying his name started out in Columbus, Ohio in 1969. The chain then expanded quickly. At its peak, it boasted of more than 800 locations across the United States. Sadly, it started to decline when the price of cod went up in the late ‘70s. There are now only seven standalone locations in New York and Ohio.
Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips
Ground Round
During the ‘70s and ‘80s, a lot of parents got tired of listening to their children ask to go to Ground Round. After all, the restaurants were popular as a kiddy party venue with its mascot Bingo the Clown. Meanwhile, adults knew it better as the place where they serve you peanuts in the shell right before the meal. More importantly, they were even encouraged to throw the peanut shells on the floor! Sadly, it did not fare very well. By 2005, they only had around half of the 130 restaurants they originally had before they filed for bankruptcy. Now, there are less than 25 locations in the Northeast and Mideast.
Ground Round
Dog n Suds
Hot dogs and hamburgers are staples on the cookout grill, but it seems it is not even close when it comes to the fast food business. Burgers rule them all, apparently. Frankfurters do not get a lot of attention on the menu. During the ‘50s, however, hot dogs and root beer used to be the stars at Dogs n Suds. They are drive-ins that come with carhops. This is the place to go if you want to feel like you are in Happy Days. A book called “Fast Food: Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age”, there were 650 locations across 38 states in 1968. These days, there are only 10 locations in the Midwest left.
Dog n Suds
Planet Hollywood
The world first got to know Planet Hollywood when it was launched in October 1991 in New York. This theme restaurant was backed by the likes of Hollywood A-listers Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Sylvester Stallone. Every new location reported nearly $15 million in sales during the first year. At the height of its popularity, there were 87 locations all over the globe. You could find one in Columbus, Phoenix, and even the Mall of America. Sadly, the fad soon faded as did the star power of the investors. If you check the official website, you would learn that there are now only six Planet Hollywood locations.
Planet Hollywood
Country Buffet
During the 2000s, Americans liked to pile it on their plates at any of the 700 buffet restaurants by the name of Old Country Buffet, Ryan’s, HomeTown Buffet, or Country Buffet. Although they had different names, it was actually just one big company that ran on the same concept. Everyone liked the idea of all-you-could-eat comfort-food staples such as meatloaf, fried chicken, coconut cream pie, and mac and cheese. The business saw a lot of indigestion and underwent a series of closings and bankruptcies. According to the website, there are now fewer than 80 restaurants in operation.
Country Buffet
Chock Full O’Nuts
The Chock Full O’Nuts cafes and coffee brand go a long way back. First started by William Black, it started as a New York City nut shop chain in 1926. During the Great Depression, even nuts were considered a luxury, which is why Black started to turn the nut stores into lunch counters instead. He served a sandwich and a cup of coffee for only 5 cents. In 1971, there were more than 80 sandwich and coffee shops all over the New York area. After Black’s death in 1983, there were only 17 Chock Full o’ Nuts in operation, and they all closed eventually. They made a comeback in 2010, which is why you will find six of them in Miami and New York.
Chock Full O’Nuts
Taco Bell
Who hasn’t heard of Taco Bell? Well, it was founded in 1962 in California by Glen Bell 7 years after opening up his first drive-in restaurant. In 1978, PepsiCo bought the chain and has since been a huge part of the brand’s success. The chain sells a variety of Mexican inspired foods that include tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, novelty, and specialty items, and a variety of “value menu” items.
Taco Bell
CVS
CVS closed 46 stores in 2019 and will close another 22 in 2020. The company will suffer a loss of $96 million after shutting the doors of these underperforming branches. This retail pharmacy is beloved by many, so it’s understandable that people are worried about the brand’s future.
CVS
TGI Friday’s
In 1965, Alan Stillman opened the first TGI Fridays in New York City. At the time, he lived in a neighborhood with a lot of airline stewardesses, fashion models, and other young and single people on the East Side of Manhattan. He hoped opening a bar would help him meet women. Back then, Alan’s options for socializing were non-public cocktail parties or “guys’ beer-drinking hangout” bars that women didn’t typically visit. His goal was to recreate the comfortable cocktail party atmosphere in public even though he had no experience in the restaurant business.
TGI Friday’s
Chicken Delight
In the early ‘60s, it was pretty hard to escape the jingle that goes, “Don’t cook tonight — call Chicken Delight.” Back then, there were more than a thousand Chicken D locations. It was even more popular than KFC! The fried chicken earned a place in pop culture and even got referenced in Village of the Giants and Bewitched. Sadly, the inconsistent quality across its locations made the customers stop their patronage. At any rate, there are still 25 Chicken Ds operating in Canada and New York.
Chicken Delight
Gino’s Hamburgers
Founded in the late ‘50s, Gino’s got its name from one of the co-founders, Gino Marchetti. He helped the Baltimore Colts win the 1958 and 1959 NFL championships. The chain was a second-stringer in the restaurant industry, although it still managed to open over 350 locations. Marriott Corp. bought it out in 1982 and then converted the locations into Roy Rogers. Well, we know what happened with that plan. The Gino’s brand eventually disappeared, although it returned under the name Gino’s Burgers & Chicken in 2010. You will now find two of these restaurants in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland.
Gino’s Hamburgers
The Brown Derby
The Brown Derby was associated with movie star glamour during the Golden Age of Hollywood. It was the place where people made film deals, discovered newcomers, and went to be seen. At a certain point in time, there were four Brown Derby joints operating in the Los Angeles area. Perhaps you have even heard of the iconic Wilshire Boulevard location with its dome that resembles a huge derby hat. This chain became outdated, and the four locations were nowhere to be found by the mid ‘80s. Luckily, a “Hollywood Brown Derby” remains in business today after it got a licensing deal. You will find it at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios park at the Walt Disney World in Florida.
The Brown Derby
Kewpee
If relic restaurants exist, Kewpee would definitely fall under that category. Its first store began to serve hamburgers in Flint, Michigan back in 1918. It has been an entire century since then, but it is still around. However, it is barely holding on. Named after the famous kewpie doll, its burgers were a huge hit among Americans. By the time the ‘40s rolled in, there were about 400 Kewpees operating in the United States. Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, used to say that the restaurant chain inspired him to enter the burger business. There are now five Kewpee restaurants: one in Michigan, one in Wisconsin, and three in Ohio.
Kewpee
York Steak House
During the ‘70s and ‘80s, York Steak House restaurants were found all over the eastern United States. Primarily located in shopping malls, this restaurant chain had a faint knights-of-the-round-table theme. It dished out steaks and fixings in the cafeteria style. It was owned by cereal giant General Mills. When the company sold off York Steak House, many locations of the meat-and-potatoes restaurant chain got shut down in 1989. However, this did not happen to the location on West Columbus in Ohio. It is the last frontier for the restaurant. To this day, it continues to serve pies, baked potatoes, and steaks – this time with an extra helping of nostalgia!
York Steak House
Don Pablo’s
There was a time when Don Pablo’s was the second biggest full-service Tex-Mex restaurant chain in America. It was second only to Chi-Chi’s! First founded in 1985, Don Pablo’s has its roots in Lubbock, Texas. Sadly, it has since lost its sizzle. Until fairly recently, there was a lone Don Pablo’s location in New Jersey still in operation. This was a huge decline from its 120 locations during the late ‘90s. Sadly, this last store shuttered in late June. It suffered from ownership changes and bankruptcy filings.
Don Pablo’s
Damon’s Grill
Wow, there sure are a lot of stores that got their start in Columbus, Ohio! This was also the case for Damon’s Grill. First founded in the state capital, it eventually spread and had 140 locations in the eastern United States as well as the United Kingdom. The casual dining restaurant chain was known to be a part steak-and-barbecue place and part sports bar. It suffered a blow after its competitors improved their menus by offering more variety than one would find at Damon’s. It filed for bankruptcy in 2009, made a comeback, and dwindled away once more. There are only three restaurants in the US at this point.
Damon’s Grill
Ollie’s Trolley
John Y. Brown Jr. was best known as the man who developed Col. Harland Sanders’ Kentucky Friend Chicken into a huge national chain. In the ‘70s, he tried to do this with the spiced burger he discovered at a North Miami Beach restaurant. The story has it that he told Oliver Gliechenhaus, the inventor of the burger, that he was about to become “bigger than the Colonel.” When 1976 rolled in, there were nearly a hundred locations of the streetcar-themed restaurant all over the country. Unfortunately, the burgers did not make it big, and the restaurants had been too small to come with drive-thrus. In those days, customers wanted to simply get their food and eat elsewhere. Despite this, there are still three locations. You can find them in Cincinnati, Louisville, and Washington, D.C.
Ollie’s Trolley
Howard Johnson’s
Howard Johnson’s was usually connected to motels. There was a time when it was the biggest restaurant chain in America. Did you know that it served more meals outside the home when you exclude the U.S. Army? At the peak of HoJo’s success during the late ‘70s, there were more than a thousand iconic restaurant locations with those legendary orange roofs. Perhaps you recall seeing it on Mad Men. Nowadays, there is only one location still open: Lake George, New York. If you go there, you should try out the signature dishes such as the macaroni and cheese as well as the fried clam strips. All the other stores disappeared after the company dealt with ownership problems. The truth is that the aforementioned restaurants are not the only ones struggling these days. There are also retail chains closing shop this year! Truly, we are caught in the middle of a period full of economic and social changes.
Howard Johnson’s
Stuckey’s
Previously a chain of a combination of a gas station and souvenir stores that sometimes sold hot food, Stuckey’s evolved over the years. From a roadside pecan stand in Georgia to a 300-unit chain all over the US, the business fell into hard times in the 1970s. Nowadays, there are hardly any authentic Stuckey’s stores open, but there is a fully restored vintage Stuckey’s building in Illinois that still offers aisles lined with Stuckey’s branded merchandise.
Stuckey’s
Lone Star Steakhouse
Lone Star Steakhouse was priced slightly higher than Ponderosa and friends. Not to mention it only dates back to the late 1980s. At one point, the chain had 265 locations in the United States but is now down to just three.
Lone Star Steakhouse
G.D. Ritzy’s
G.D. Ritzy’s was a chain of art deco-themed burger and ice cream joints that had about 120 locations in the 80s and 90s. Their award-winning ice cream was made from scratch in-house. Today, seven of G.D. Ritzy’s locations are still in business, including three in Evansville, Indiana.
G. D. Ritzy’s
Uncle John’s Pancake House
Uncle John’s Pancake House was a relic of the 1960s. The sole survivor of the once national chain is currently in Toledo, Ohio. However, things turned around when a brand new one opened in California not long ago.
Uncle John’s Pancake House
Nathan’s
Founded in 1916, Nathan’s began as a nickel hot dog stand in Coney Island, New York. Nathan Handwerker started the business with his wife, Ida. She created the hot dog recipe they used, while her grandmother created the secret spice recipe. In 1987, all Nathan’s locations were sold by the Handwerker family to a group of private investors. By then, Nathan’s was franchised and had a number of establishments opened around New York City and even further out.
Nathan’s
A & W Restaurants
A & W Restaurants was founded in 1923 in California. This chain was mainly known for its draft root beer, root beer floats, and burgers. Before it was even founded, this restaurant began as a roadside drink stand that offered a new thick and creamy drink, root beer. This stand was set up by Roy Allen in 1919, who later hired Frank Wright to help him found their very first restaurant in Sacramento, California, in 1923. The name was taken from the initials of the partners’ last names – Allen and Wright. Ever since, the company became famous in the United States for its “frosty mugs”. The mugs would be kept in the freezer and eventually get filled with A&W Root Beer before being served to customers.
A & W Restaurants
Kentucky Fried Chicken(KFC)
Who hasn’t heard of KFC? The famous fried chicken chain was founded back in 1930 and is still going strong. Believe it or not, Harland Sanders first sold his famous fried chicken in front of a gas station in Kentucky. Not long after, there was a huge demand for the chicken. Since Sanders didn’t want to compromise the quality of his chicken in order to increase the amounts made, he started frying it in a pressure cooker. To this day, the chicken is cooked under pressure.
KFC
Krystal
Krystal was founded in 1932 in Chattanooga, Tennessee and now has restaurants in the Southeastern United States. It’s become known for its small square hamburgers. Everywhere but the Southeast, people call them sliders. In early 2013, Krystal moved its headquarters from Tennessee to Atlanta, Georgia.
Krystal
Dairy Queen
The first Dairy Queen restaurant was opened in 1940 in Joliet, Illinois. It served soft-serve ice cream and fast-food. The famous soft-serve formula was developed in 1938 by Iowa-born John Fremont and his son, Alex. They convinced their close friend and loyal customer, Sherb Noble, to serve the product in his ice cream store. On the first day of sales, Noble sold more than 1,600 servings of the new dessert in just two hours. Since it opened, Dairy Queen has used the franchise system to expand globally.
Dairy Queen
Carl’s Jr.
An American fast-food chain operated by CKE Restaurant Holders Inc, Carl’s Jr. was founded in 1941 in Los Angeles, California. The original Carl’s Jr. was created by Carl Karcher and his wife Margaret. They started a hot dog cart in LA. By 1945, the couple moved to Anaheim and opened their first full-service restaurant, Carl’s Drive-In Barbecue. As the business became more and more successful, Carl opened the first two Carl’s Jr. restaurants in Anaheim and nearby Brea in 1956. The reason they were named so was because they were smaller versions of the original drive-in restaurant. That same year, the whole chain was renamed Carl’s Jr.
Carl’s Jr.
Dicky’s Barbecue Pit
Travis Dicky founded Dicky’s Barbecue Pit in Dallas, Texas in 1941. By the time 1994 came around, the restaurant began franchising. In 2006, Roland Dicky Jr. was appointed CEO of the restaurant chain. The restaurants kept getting more and more successful over time, with Technomic naming it the “Fastest-growing restaurant chain in the country” in 2012.
Dicky’s Barbecue Pit
Jack in the Box
Founded in February 1951, this American fast-food restaurant chain was created by Robert O. Peterson in San Diego, California. Nowadays, the chain has 2,200 locations, mainly on the West Coast if the United States. Outside the West Coast, you can find some of their branches in urban areas like Phoenix, Denver, Albuquerque, El Paso, Nashville, Houston, and more. The restaurants serve a variety of chicken tenders and french fries along with hamburger and cheeseburger sandwiches and selections of internationally-themed foods like tacos and egg rolls.
Jack in the Box
Denny’s
Did you know that Denny’s was originally called “Danny’s Donuts”? It opened up as a coffee shop in 1953 in Lakewood, California. Nowadays, Denny’s is known for always being open and serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner at all times. In fact, Denny’s doesn’t close on holidays or nights, only when it’s required by law. A lot of the restaurants are located close to freeway exits, bars, and service areas. In 1963, Denny’s started franchising, and now most Denny’s restaurants are franchise-owned.
Denny’s
Waffle House
Nowadays, Waffle House has 2,100 locations in 25 states in the United States. Most of the locations are in the South, where it has become a regional cultural icon. It was founded in 1955 and has since gained a serious amount of fame, even making appearances in movies and songs. Many people talk about how prominent their branches are since they are located near Interstate highways in the South.
Waffle House
International House of Pancakes(IHOP)
International House of Pancakes, better known as IHOP, was founded in 1958 in Toluca Lake, California, and has since expanded to having over 1,800 locations worldwide. The restaurant chain specializes in breakfast foods while also offering lunch and dinner dishes. While a lot of the branches are open 24/7, the ones that aren’t are open at a minimum from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
IHOP
Little Caesars
In 1959, Mike Ilitch and his wife, Marian, founded Little Caesars Pizza in Garden City, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Its first location was in a strip mall, and it was named “Little Caesar’s Pizza Treat”. In 1979, the company began advertising its now-famous catchphrase, “Pizza! Pizza!”. The phrase refers to two pizzas being offered the same amount as one pizza from competitors. At first, the pizzas were served in one long package, but over time, Little Caesars began using typical pizza boxes. Aside from serving pizza with ‘exotic’ toppings, they served hot dogs, chicken, shrimp, and fish.
Little Caesars
Hardee’s
Operated by CKE Restaurant Holdings, Inc., Hardee’s Restaurants LLC is an American fast-food restaurant chain. It has locations mainly in the Southern and Midwestern United States. Through several corporate ownerships since its initial opening in 1960, the company has evolved since its first location in North Carolina. The family-oriented chain has gained immense success throughout the years, now has many locations in the United States as well as in the Middle East.
Hardee’s
Domino’s
Tom Monaghan and his brother, James, took over DomiNick’s business in 1960, an existing small pizza restaurant chain that was owned by Dominick DiVarti. The brothers secured the deal with a down payment of $500, and they borrowed another $900 to buy the store. While they planned to split the hours evenly, James didn’t want to quit his full-time postman job in favor of the new business. Just eight months later, James traded his half of the business to Tom for the Volkswagen Beetle they used for pizza deliveries. By 1965, Tom had purchased another two pizzerias and while he wanted them to share the same branding, the original owner banned him from using DomiNick’s name. That same year, an employee, Jim Kennedy, suggested “Domino’s”. The rest, as they say, is history.
Domino’s
Arby’s
Founded in Boardman, Ohio, in 1964, Arby’s was created by Forrest and Leroy Raffel. They were owners of a restaurant equipment business who saw a market opportunity for a fast-food franchise based on something other than hamburgers. They wanted to name their restaurants “Big Tex”, but it was already in use. So, they instead named their restaurant “Arby’s” based on R.B., the initials of the Raffael Brothers. At first, they only served roast beef sandwiches, potato chips, and soft drinks.
Arby’s
White Castle
The first White Castle restaurant cost $700 to open in 1921. Each of Billy Ingram’s famous burgers cost 5 cents and by the year 1941, the restaurant had sold over 50,000,000 of the burgers. Only in 1950 did the burgers cost over 10 cents each. Occasionally, White Castle would run promotional ads in the 1940s that would include coupons in local newspapers offering five burgers for ten cents, takeout only.
White Castle
In-N-Out Burger
Rather than having door-to-door style service, Harry and Esther Synder created this now-iconic restaurant. They decided using a drive-thru speaker was smarter and much more efficient. This was the first-ever drive-thru in California. In-N-Out has locations mainly in the Southwest and Pacific coast in the United States. The franchise was founded in 1948 in California, and today, it has expanded further out, to the rest of California as well as into Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, and Oregon. Currently, the chain is owned by Lynsi Snyder, the Snyders’ only grandchild.
In-N-Out Burger
Dunkin Donuts
Believe it or not, William “Bill” Rosenberg opened the first Dunkin Donuts with nothing more than an 8th-grade education in 1950. In fact, it was initially named Open Kettle. He sold sweet cakes, donuts by the dozen for 69 cents, and coffee for a dime. Only 5 years later, he had had 5 locations open. Today, there are over 8,000 Dunkin Donuts in 30 countries. In 1990, the chain was bought by Baskin-Robbins’ holding company named Allied Domecq.
Dunkin Donuts
Sonic Drive-In
Troy Smith began his career selling goods to people with a root beer stand. Soon enough, he became more and more successful, so he started expanding his menu and eventually adding the ‘drive-in intercom system’. After succeeding in this, he and Charles Pappe decided to open another location under the name SONIC. The reason for this name was their motto, “service at the speed of sound”. Nowadays, Sonic still is a popular fast-food empire.
Sonic Drive-In
Pizza Hut
The first-ever Pizza Hut was opened in 1958 in Kansas by Frank and Dan Carney with only $600. They decided on the name after discovering that the sign they had could only feature up to 9 letters in total. They wanted the word pizza in it and eventually, they decided that Pizza Hut would do the trick. At first, they sold a 13-inch pizza as well as a 10-inch pizza. The thicker “Pan Pizza” was only introduced in 1980. Today, they sell everything from pizza to chicken wings and even pasta.
Pizza Hut
Subway
Subway was first opened in 1965 in Bridgeport, CT. It was originally named Pete’s Super Submarines, after Dr. Peter Buck who was a physicist and the one who loaned Fred DeLuca $1,000 to start the restaurant. He opened it hoping to be able to pay his way through college. Little did he know the place would blow up the way it did and become a massive success. A year later, the name was changed to Subway.
Subway
Wendy’s
Dave Thomas and Phil Clauss worked for the founder of KFC when they decided to open up their own place a few years later. The first Wendy’s was opened in an old car dealership and sold old fashioned burgers for 55 cents each. They named the restaurant after Thomas’ daughter, Melinda Lou, who was called “Wendy” by her siblings. The burger idea was inspired by Thomas’ trip to Kewpee Hamburgers in Michigan. So, he sold square patties with corners to make it easier for the customers to see the quality of meat.
Wendy’s
Burger King
Burger King was opened in 1954 in Miami, Florida by David Edgerton and James McLamore. However, it was then named “Insta-Burger”. Its most famous dish was the “Whopper”. It first appeared on the menu for just 37 cents and has since been the most popular item on their menu. In 1967, the two founders ended up selling the company to Pillsbury Company.
Burger King
Chick-fil-A
The beginning of Chick-fil-A can be traced back to the Dwarf Grill (now the Dwarf House), a restaurant which was opened by S. Truett Cathy, the chain’s previous CEO, in 1946. After 15 years in the fast-food business, Cathy found a pressure-fryer that could cook the chicken sandwich in the time it took to cook a fast-food hamburger. During the 70s and 80s, the chain expanded by opening new locations in suburban malls’ food courts. However, the first freestanding location was opened in April of 1986 in Atlanta, Georgia. From that point on, the company began to focus more on stand-alone units rather than ones in food courts.
Chick-fil-A