Beloved Fast Food Chains That Somehow Haven't Gone National

There are over 200,000 fast food chains in the United States. The vast majority of these chains remain regional with relatively modest footprints in comparison to national chains like McDonald's or Subway. Some of these regional chains deliberately stay small to maintain quality in food and service. While other fast food chains have regionally-specific menus that may not be particularly suited to national tastes. And still other chains were bested by competitors who expanded beforehand.

Regardless of how big or small, many of these chains have loyal customers who rave about offering quick and affordable meals. Moreover, regional chains are often deeply rooted in the community and a source of local pride.

Some of these regional chains may go national at some point. You never know when you're eating at the next McDonald's, which started humbly in California, and were it not for a fortuitous discovery by Ray Kroc, it may have remained a regional burger joint. But for now, you'll have to trek out to several regions to visit their local fast food favorites.

In-N-Out started as California's first drive-thru hamburger stand back in 1948 and is famous for its higher-quality preparation, including individually cut fries, and its chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla milkshakes made with real ice cream. Yelp has even ranked it the top burger chain in the country. The chain has kept its menu options simple. There's a hamburger, a cheeseburger, and a double-patty burger that it calls the Double-Double. For those in the know, there is the not-so-secret menu with the 4X4 — three extra patties — and the protein style where the bun is swapped for a lettuce wrap.

It is nationally known thanks to its popularity with Hollywood celebrities. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel once said that In-N-Out was a traditional spot many head to after the Academy Awards broadcast. The buzz around In-N-Out has brought in new customers, but buzz also means high expectations, and high expectations can mean disappointment. Celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern has expressed his view that the burger joint is overrated, but many East Coasters would like to find out for themselves.

Its commitment to fresh quality has so far limited its expansion to seven states from California to Colorado. Every In-N-Out chain, for instance, needs to be within 300 miles of its meat processing facilities in California and Texas. And In-N-Out's owners proclaim they will never franchise their restaurants.

This Queen City hallmark has been ranked by USA Today as the top regional fast food chain two years in a row (2024-2025) in its annual Readers' Choice Awards. Founded by Greek immigrant Nicholas Lambrinides back in 1949, its signature dish is a clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg-flavored chili poured on top of spaghetti and topped with shredded cheddar cheese.

Cincinnatians are loyal and protective of their landmark. Back in 2020, then-LSU star quarterback Joe Burrow got into a bit of heat when his comments lambasting Skyline Chili surfaced just before the Cincinnati Bengals were expected to draft him. "Oh, God. I hate it. Cincinnati's gonna hate me — I hate that stuff," Burrows said. "It's not real chili. It's just sauce." After the Bengals recruited Burrow, he expressed his willingness to give it a second chance: ​​"I haven't tried it in a long time. Maybe my tastes have changed? We'll have to find out." No word on whether his opinion has changed.

Skyline Chili is also known for its collaboration with Graeter's Ice Cream, another Cincinnati-based regional chain. Earlier this year, it released a Skyline Spice Ice Cream with allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. The ice cream flavor was proclaimed an "instant classic" by the Cincinnati Enquirer, but drew a teasing rebuke from Ohio native and Vice President JD Vance, who jokingly tweeted, "Trump and I will stop this."

Founded in 1975 in Danville, Virginia, this breakfast-only chain got its start by way of pizza. Company founder and North Carolinian Maurice Jennings was looking for a morning business to complement his evening pizza-making. Using a family recipe, Jennings began making biscuits and eventually sold more of the fluffy, warm breakfast staple than the pizzas. That's when the idea was born to create a biscuit-only restaurant. Biscuit sales eventually surpassed those of pizza, and every pizza shop, called Pizzaville, was converted to a Biscuitville.

Today, Biscuitville sells more than just a plain biscuit. Its menu features biscuit sandwiches with bacon, pork sausage, spicy and honey chicken, grilled chicken, fried chicken, country ham, and even pork chop, and fried steak. And its seasonal menu includes the BVL Ultimate Bacon Biscuit with four strips of bacon, two slices of American cheese, and a fried egg. And don't forget the dipping sauce. There's buttermilk ranch, honey mustard, and a fun-sounding Cackalacky Cheerwine Sweet Sauce. 

Biscuitville has over 80 locations across Virginia and the Carolinas. And since 1982, the company has had a store policy of closing at 2 p.m.

What started as a small trailer serving hot dogs in the early 1960s is now one of the Windy City's most famous destinations. There's even a day named after it. Back in 2023, Chicago's then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared April 5 "Portillo's Day" to honor its 60th anniversary.

Portillo's has over 70 locations, mainly dotting the Chicagoland area, but in recent years, it has expanded to several locations in California, Florida, Arizona, and Texas. The Houston area now features four locations.

Its menu features everything from charcoal burgers to Italian beef sandwiches served with gravy for dipping to Polish sausage, spicy fried chicken sandwiches, and chopped salad with chicken and macaroni. The go-to classic, however, is its Chicago-style hot dog: a frank on a bun topped with mustard, relish, onions, two tomato slices, a pickle, two short peppers, and celery sauce. Chicago hot dogs do not include ketchup.

Recently, Portillo's named a sandwich in honor of the new Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV. "We introduce The Leo: divinely seasoned Italian beef, baptized in gravy," the chain wrote on X.

Founder Scott Holmes has a culinary degree and worked in the restaurant industry, but a visit to a barbecue joint in Driftwood, Texas, convinced him to leave the industry and start competing in several barbecue events. In 2014, he opened Little Miss BBQ, which the Texas Monthly says was "one of the first joints outside Texas to go all in on the Texas craft barbecue model." Meanwhile, Holmes told Arizona PBS, "It's awesome that we get compared to the best places in the world." The barbecue chain is named after Holmes' dog.

Holmes' barbecue plans were so novel for Phoenix that he had to convince city officials to allow an offset BBQ smoker, which cooks food using indirect heat from a separate firebox. Little Miss BBQ opened its first location behind the Phoenix International Airport. 

It attracted a passionate following thanks to its tender and flavorful brisket (chopped and sliced), pulled pork, house-made jalapeño cheddar sausage, and other BBQ meats. The brisket can be ordered lean or fatty. Warning: They sell out quickly. Sides and desserts also get the star treatment. The jalapeño cheddar grits and banana pudding are two popular items. The three signature sauces include a sweet and tangy mustard. And Little Miss BBQ locations feature local craft beer and premixed cocktails.

St. Louis' very own Lion's Choice is often cited as the would-be Arby's had the roast beef sandwich chain not beaten it to national reach. Bigger is not always better, however, since Arby's sandwiches are not liked by everyone. (Although its fries have been praised.) In an episode from "The Simpsons," for instance, after Bart, Lisa, and their classmates find themselves stranded on a deserted island, one of the characters says to all-around shock, "I'm so hungry, I could eat at Arby's."

Lion's Choice, on the other hand, has been ranked by USA Today readers as the third-best regional fast food chain. Started in Ballwin, Missouri, a western suburb of St. Louis, in 1967, it was originally known as Red Lion. Striving to provide healthy and affordable meals, Lion's Choice chose roast beef on a bun as its signature, which is slow-roasted for three hours before being sliced and served. Beyond its roast beef sandwich, the menu features Italian beef, smoked ham, and a "Remix" on the original roast beef sandwich with Swiss cheese on Texas toast.

Current CEO Michael Kupstas came out of retirement to run the fast food chain, calling it "one of the most unique product offerings in fast food branding." While Kupstas has ambitions to grow the chain, he is determined to keep it grounded in its St. Louis identity. Lion's Choice recently collaborated with the St. Louis-based Arch Apparel to create branded merchandise.

Started in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1989, this privately owned fast food chain has gradually expanded across the Southern states from Texas to Virginia. Today, there are over 300 Cook Out locations, but the first one to open outside of North Carolina wasn't until 2010; that would be the Spartanburg, South Carolina location.

Cook Out's char-grilled hamburgers range in size from small (240 calories) to huge (520 calories) and can be prepared Cook Out style, topped with homemade chili and slaw, or you can try the BBQ-flavored and bacon-topped Out West version, along with other varieties. There's also char-grilled chicken breast, North Carolina-style BBQ, hot dog, and even quesadillas.

A typical meal usually entails ordering the Cook Out Tray, which allows you to choose an entree, at least two sides, and a beverage or shake. Regarding the shakes: The chain boasts nearly 40 flavors of what it calls "fancy milkshakes," including seasonal flavors such as summer's "Fresh Watermelon." Year-round shakes include Banana Pudding, Mocha, Peach Cobbler, and Red Cherry. The chain even has a fan in former President Joe Biden.

Taziki's Mediterranean Café was born after founder Keith Richards and his wife took a trip to Greece, and the "food there struck me, and that's what we wanted to bring back to Birmingham in our own Greek restaurant," Richards has related about his decision to found the Greek-inspired fast food chain.

The first Taziki's opened in a Birmingham strip mall 21 years ago. Today, the chain has expanded across the South from Florida up to Virginia. Most franchises have been started by individuals who ate at a Taziki's and, according to the founder, said, "I want one of these in my neighborhood." That's quite the endorsement.

The menu has remained consistent since its founding, with Richards stating that 80% of the original menu remains available. Here you'll find Greek staples like chargrilled lamb and four different kinds of gyros from beef to falafel. And, of course, you can order a tzatziki dip. Each restaurant's design reflects the Greek blue-and-white color pattern, and in a personal touch, each restaurant also features Richards' very own photographs from his multiple trips to Greece.

Taziki's also gives back to the community. The chain has teamed up with the Giving Kitchen to support food service workers with mental health support and financial assistance. "Our franchise partners must be ingrained in their community like we are," Richards said.

It will probably come as no surprise that a potato-focused fast food chain would emerge in Idaho. The state is the potato capital of the United States, with over 13 million pounds of the crop grown there every year, about a third of the nation's potato output. The state is even home to a potato museum in Blackfoot.

Enter the Boise Fry Co. fast food chain to take advantage of all of that potato. Started in 2009, this burger and fries joint puts the emphasis on its fries. Using only locally-grown organic potatoes and the Belgian method of frying (crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside), the chain offers fries from several different kinds of potatoes and different cuts for each potato. You can choose red, russet, gold, sweet, or purple potatoes, and as for your choice of cut: You can have regular, homestyle (thick), curly, shoestring (thin as the name implies), and po' ball (a fried potato ball).

All the fries come unsalted, so customers can continue their customization journey. Boise Fry Co. features 10 different types of salts and sauces, such as garlic rosemary salt and blueberry ketchup. The chain also features a few specialty fry dishes, such as the Frychos, a combination of fries and nachos with queso and jalapeños, but much more elevated than Taco Bell's Nacho Fries.

It's time to head to the Hawaiian islands, where an authentic taste of local flavors must include a stop at the 50th state's most popular fast food chain, and no, it is not their version of McDonald's that serves Spam. It is, instead, Zippy's.

This beloved chain is known for its eclectic and comfort-focused menu, starting with its secret-recipe chili, which is served over spaghetti or rice. There's Korean chicken, a plate called Loco moco — an Asian version of steak and eggs — and there's a Portuguese bean soup in honor of locals of Portuguese descent. Like the modern locals on the island, the menu is a melting pot.

One of the most notable aspects of the fast food chain is Zippy's commitment to supporting the local community. Over the years, it has raised millions to support non-profits, such as athletic and school clubs, and organizations through its Benefits Fundraising program.

For the past half-century, Zippy's has remained exclusively on the island with locations on the islands of Hawaii (The Big Island), Maui, and Oahu, but its first mainland location opened in Las Vegas in 2024.

San Antonio-based fast food chain, Taco Cabana, is famous for its Tex-Mex menu, pink exterior, patio setting, and margaritas. Unlike other Mexican-style fast food chains that tend to stick to tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, Taco Cabana embraces a larger selection worthy of a border state.

Beyond egg tacos for breakfast and a host of meat and chicken tacos, the chain serves crispy flautas, chalupas, Double Crunch pizzas (two crispy shells with meat, cheese, and vegetable filling in between), and taco bowls. For dessert, there's sopapilla — pillow-shaped fried pastry dough — and churros. Taco Cabana also prepares five different flavors of margaritas.

Founded in 1978 by restaurateur Felix Stehling, the inventor of a beanburger, the first Taco Cabana opened in a closed Dairy Queen, which Stehling initially purchased for the additional parking space abutting another one of his properties. Billing it the "the original Mexican patio café," Stehling kept it open 24/7, reportedly because he didn't want to put away the patio furniture every night. But, other accounts attribute it to the need for around-the-clock vigilance after some of the outdoor furniture was stolen.

Stehling's wife, Billy Jo, designed the decor, which was inspired by the couple's vacations to Mexico. Taco Cabana has over 100 locations, mainly in West Texas, but recently started franchising with plans to expand outside the Lone Star state.

Inspired by the hand-pulled noodle dishes in the Muslim Quarters of the ancient Chinese city of Xi'an, home to the terracotta soldiers, Xi'an Famous Foods opened in 2005 in the New York City borough of Queens. Its second location was in a basement food hall, but its underground location did not stop customers from coming in droves. 

It got so popular that David Shi's son, Jason Wang, joined his father to help him manage the demand. A 2011 visit from the late chef and food travel host Anthony Bourdain, raving that "This place is unbelievable ... I've never had anything like this," led to even more attention. 

Its menu includes lamb and pork burgers, dumplings, and noodles, which can be ordered in broth. The Spicy Cumin Lamb Hand-Ripped Noodles (N1) is the dish that captured Bourdain's heart and remains a bestseller. Wang tells Eater that it's a "nostalgic" dish for him, one that recalls his Midwest childhood when it was "so hard to get those spices" and hard to "get lamb, so we'd make it with beef when we could." 

Xi'an Famous Foods has several locations in New York City, but is eyeing greater expansion. The recently opened ghost kitchen in Northern Virginia was rushed with so many orders that they had to suspend the intake.

Of course, we had to end with dessert. This ice cream chain has been serving eccentric flavors since 1981 and currently boasts 16 shops in the Boston area. Founded by Vince Petryk, J.P. Licks is named after the founder's home and location of the first store, the Jamaica Plain neighborhood.

Its ice cream flavors include Raspberry Lime Rickey Sorbet, Orange Chocolate Chip, and Maple Butter Walnut. The shop's first newspaper review noted the "intense flavors, lacking any subtlety, like a sledgehammer on your palate" and surmised that the place would go out of business soon. As Petryk noted, at least they got one thing right: These flavors pack a punch.

The chain is famous for its collaborations. J.P. Licks teamed up with the Boston Blue Moon Group to create the Exploding Marshmallow Mouth flavor in tribute to the theater trio's stage use of marshmallows. The blue ice cream batter featured marshmallow swirls. This year, it collaborated with the Broadway musical "Shucked" for its sweet corn ice cream flavor in homage to the musical's corn theme. And, last year, to celebrate the end of Passover — when observant Jews abstain from leavened bread and grain – J.P. Licks served up the Noodle Kugel Ice Cream with sweetened egg noodles "to celebrate the return of bread and noodles." Mazel!