Random Quintessential Local Fast Food Chain From Every State (50 items)

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  (#1) Alabama - Jack’s

  The first Jack’s opened in 1960 in Homewood, AL. The eatery quickly gained popularity and opened restaurants throughout the region.

  Popular menu items include made-from-scratch biscuits, hand-breaded chicken, big burgers, and hand-scooped shakes.
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  (#2) Alaska - Great Alaska Pizza Co.

  The Great Alaska Pizza Company was established in 2003.

  The company prides itself on the quality and value of its pizzas, stating they are "made fresh, with dough made daily, cheese shredded daily, and using fresh ingredients... never frozen.”
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  (#3) Arizona - Federico’s 

  Federico’s has more than 30 locations in Arizona and New Mexico offering "authentic Mexican food... for every appetite and budget."

  Menu items are available around the clock because locations are open 24 hours.
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  (#4) Arkansas - Slim Chickens

  The first Slim Chickens opened in Fayetteville, AR, in 2003; now more than 100 locations are available in the region.

  The restaurant's lightly hand-breaded premium chicken tenderloins are the foundation of the chain's menu.
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  (#5) In-N-Out Burger

  • Hamburger, American food, Fast food

  The first In-N-Out Burger opened in 1948 and was California’s first drive-thru hamburger stand. Now more than 300 locations are open in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, and Oregon.

  The simple but beloved menu features burgers, fries, beverages, and shakes made fresh to order - no freezing or heat lamps. At many locations, hungry drive-thru customers often encounter a long line of cars that spills onto the street.
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  (#6) Colorado - Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard

  Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard first opened its doors in 1987 in Boulder, CO.

  This quick-service restaurant chain specializes in burgers made from "all-natural, humanely raised, antibiotic-free, no-added-hormone beef," and fresh custard created in small batches throughout the day.
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  (#7) Connecticut - Duchess

  Duchess has operated exclusively in Connecticut since 1956.

  The restaurant specializes in cooked-to-order hand-cut chicken and hot dogs, along with a variety of toppings.
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  (#8) Delaware - Capriotti’s

  Capriotti’s, a sandwich shop that started in 1976, was named after the founders' grandfather and now operates several stores in Delaware.

  Capriotti's specializes in creating sandwiches for "real turkey lovers," and sets itself apart by roasting whole fresh turkeys overnight. The eatery's bestselling "The Bobbie" submarine sandwich features turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and mayonnaise.
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  (#9) Florida - PDQ

  In regular speech, "PDQ" is an acronym for "pretty damned quick," which seems appropriate for a fast food spot. Although PDQ indeed serves fast food, its name is an acronym for "People Dedicated to Quality."

  The eatery is known for its fresh, made-from-scratch chicken tenders. 
• 

  (#10) Waffle House

  • Diner food, Hamburger, Family food, Breakfast, American food, Delicatessen, Southern United States food, Steak

  In 1955, Waffle House was born. Operating numerous locations throughout the South, the company is headquartered in Norcross, GA.

  Although the menu focuses on breakfast, a large variety of items are available, including such favorites as Bert’s Chili and Lib’s Patty Melt.
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  (#11) Hawaii - Zippy’s

  Founded in 1966, Zippy’s now operates 24 locations in Hawaii. Chili is a Zippy’s bestseller; the restaurant claims to sell 100 tons of chili every month.

  Other favorites include Korean fried chicken and sushi.
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  (#12) Moxie Java

  Moxie Java began serving communities throughout Idaho's Treasure Valley in 1988.

  The coffee spot offers everything from espresso to lattes to Italian sodas. The Cafe Moxaccino is a blend of ice cream and coffee.
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  (#13) Illinois - Portillo’s

  Portillo’s first opened its doors in 1963 on North Avenue in Villa Park, just outside Chicago, as a hot dog stand. The company is based in Illinois, but ships food to all states.

  The menu is varied, but favorites include hot dogs, beef sandwiches, and shakes and malts.
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  (#14) Steak 'n Shake

  • Fast food

  Steak 'n Shake, founded in 1934, pioneered the concept of premium burgers, or "steakburgers," as the company calls them, and still believes in hand-dipped milkshakes.

  Steak 'n Shake's name is synonymous with these two ideas.
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  (#15) Maid-Rite

  • Hamburger, Delicatessen, Fast food

  Maid-Rite, founded in 1926, doesn’t serve a traditional hamburger. Instead, the eatery offers seasoned loose-meat sandwiches made with fresh ground beef, served on a steamed bun with a selection of condiments and pickles.

  The company doesn't employ maids. As Maid-Rite notes on its website, founder Fred Angell "was quite a sandwich maker but not much of a speller."
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  (#16) Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

  • Ice cream

  Freddy’s, founded in 2002 (and named after two of the founders' father, Freddy Simon, a WWII veteran), specializes, as the name suggests, in frozen custard and steakburgers; other notable menu items include savory sandwiches, such as the house patty melt and veggie burger, as well as a variety of sundaes.

  Freddy's has 35 locations in Kansas, including two food trucks. They have greatly expanded their locations, bringing Freddy's favorites to those across the region. 
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  (#17) Kentucky - Fazoli’s

  Fazoli’s is a quick-service Italian restaurant chain featuring everything from spaghetti to lasagna to a variety of specialty pizzas and calzones. 

  This Italian eatery says it was the first Italian brand to debut the plant-based Impossible Meat Sauce, which the eatery serves with spaghetti dishes, available at all five locations in its hometown of Lexington, KY.
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  (#18) Louisiana - Dat Dog

  A Louisiana favorite, Dat Dog features sausages of many types, including crawfish sausage, alligator sausage, duck sausage, Creole-seasoned Vaucresson hot sausage, and various vegan sausages.

  Since its founding in 2011, Dat Dog has opened four restaurants in New Orleans, with several more locations to come to Louisiana neighborhoods.
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  (#19) Maine - Luke's Lobster

  Luke's Lobster was founded in the East Village in 2009, concentrating on fresh seafood. Favorite menu items include lobster, crab, and shrimp rolls.

  The eatery prides itself on delivering traceable, sustainable seafood to guests across the country - and yes, they'll ship fresh seafood directly to your door. 
• 

  (#20) Maryland - Hip Hop Fish & Chicken

  With many locations in the region, Hip Hop Fish & Chicken has an uncomplicated menu consisting mainly of spicy hand-battered fish and chicken dinners.

  Notable menu items include catfish nuggets, chicken gizzards, corn nuggets, and buffalo wings.
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  (#21) Massachusetts - Tasty Burger

  Tasty Burger first opened its doors in 2010 at a space behind historic Fenway Park in Boston. Four years later, Tasty Burger became the "official burger" of the Boston Red Sox.

  Aside from burgers, the chain also serves all-beef hot dogs, mini pies, draft beer, a 50/50 mix of french fries and onion rings, and even treats for dogs.
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  (#22) Hungry Howie's Pizza

  • Pizza, American food, Delicatessen, Fast food

  Specializing in sub sandwiches and pizza, Hungry Howie’s has an original take on pizza crust flavors, including butter, butter cheese, Asiago cheese, ranch, onion, Cajun, sesame, and garlic herb.

  Hungry Howie’s has been around since 1973; they now have over 550 locations in 22 states across the country. 
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  (#23) Minnesota - MyBurger

  Launched in 2004, MyBurger is a “Minneapolis-rooted, family-run gathering place complete with a little neighborhood know-how.” They also operate food trucks to serve office parks and events throughout the region.

  Their burgers are handmade the way you like it and not cooked until ordered - no heat lamps on your burger here.
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  (#24) Mississippi - Bumpers Drive-In of America

  Founded in 1983, Bumpers Drive-In is a “quick-service drive-in restaurant that combines the atmosphere of the classic drive-ins of the '50s and '60s with modern equipment and techniques,” complete with carhops.

  The company operates 26 locations throughout Mississippi and features burgers, fresh-cut onion rings, fried pickles, hoagie sandwiches, strawberry shortcake, hot fudge cake, Jumping Jack Fries, and more.
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  (#25) Missouri - Winstead’s

  Winstead’s was founded in 1940 in Kansas City with the motto "We grind US Choice steak daily for the sandwich." 

  The eatery specializes in steakburgers (single, double, or triple), but also offers a full breakfast menu. The dessert menu includes house specialties like ice cream sodas, Skyscraper Shakes, and the chocolate "Frosty" drink "you eat with a spoon."
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  (#26) Montana - The Pickle Barrel

  Forget a 12-inch sub at The Pickle Barrel, which offers huge sandwiches 17.5 inches long.

  Founded in 1975 in Bozeman, with locations in other Montana communities and South Dakota, the eatery offers made-to-order sandwiches using fresh bread and ingredients. At the Bozeman location, ingredients can be served inside a large pickle. 
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  (#27) Runza

  • Runza food, Fast food

  Since 1949, Runza has been a family-owned and operated chain serving Nebraska. It was started by Sally Everett, developed by her son, and is now operated by Sally's grandchildren.

  The Runza Sandwich is the featured menu item, featuring "fresh-baked bread stuffed with ground beef, onions, our secret blend of spices, and yes, cabbage." The eatery also hand-dips its breaded onion rings twice, and makes its own ranch dressing. "Frings" are a blend of french fries and onion rings in the same bag.
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  (#28) Nevada - Don Tortaco

  Don Tortaco is a fast food Mexican grill restaurant set up like a traditional taqueria, with an order counter and salsa bar. The traditional menu includes tacos, tostadas, burritos, chimichangas, enchiladas, tortas, and menudo.

  Headquartered in Las Vegas, the company offers several locations in the region, and many are open 24 hours. 
• 

  (#29) Moe's Italian Sandwiches

  • Delicatessen, Italian food

  Don’t let the name fool you - Moe’s Italian Sandwiches, open since 1959, offers an expanded sandwich menu featuring classic favorites such as turkey, ham, tuna, and more.

  The original Moe's Italian sandwich, still on the menu, features salami, provolone, onions, peppers, dill pickles, tomatoes, olives, and olive oil. The traditional menu has been upgraded to include some new options like the Mad Moe, featuring salami, ham, turkey, provolone cheese, and the diner's choice of veggies and dressing. 
• 

  (#30) Cluck-U Chicken

  Cluck-U Chicken, also known as Cluckster's, was founded by a college student (the "U" stands for "University"). Started in 1985, the chain is known for its wings and offers many specialty sauces, such as honey hickory, teriyaki, mustard barbecue, Cajun, Cluckster’s hot, buffalo traditional, sweet chili, garlic parmesan, and chipotle.

  The eatery's fries - or as Cluck-U calls them, spuds - are unique, as well. Options include cheese, buffalo, and gravy spuds. 
• 

  (#31) Blake's Lotaburger

  • Hamburger, American food, Fast food

  Founded in 1952, Blake’s Lotaburger quickly became a New Mexico tradition. Its flagship menu item is the LOTA Burger with Green Chile & Cheese.

  The green chiles, from New Mexico's Hatch Valley, are a point of pride, and have helped Blake's earn national awards for the best green chile burger.
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  (#32) New York - Golden Krust

  The first Golden Krust location was built in the Bronx in 1989 by Lowell Hawthorne and his wife Lorna. They, along with four of Lowell's siblings and spouses, combined all of their resources to fund it.

  Its Caribbean-focused menu includes such favorites as curried goat, braised oxtail, patties, and various jerk dishes. The spicy jerk flavor, available exclusively at Golden Krust restaurants, is authentically Jamaican. Breakfast items include saltfish served with callaloo (a green leafy vegetable cooked with onion, garlic, tomatoes, thyme, and Scotch bonnet pepper).
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  (#33) Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits

  • American food, Fast food

  Bojangles' began in 1977 and has since spread across the South.

  Chicken and biscuits are at the heart of its menu. Cajun fried chicken is popular, and the "hefty, zesty" sausage biscuits can be ordered for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Signature sides include dirty rice and Cajun pinto beans.
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  (#34) Burger Time

  • Fast food

  In 1987, the first Burger Time opened in Fargo, ND. Since then, the chain has grown and spread throughout the Midwest.

  The drive-thru/walk-up restaurant, which prides itself on speedy, "Hot 'n Now" food made to order, is famous for its flame-broiled Bigger Burger, which weighs one-third of a pound.
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  (#35) Skyline Chili

  • American food, Fast food

  Skyline Chili was conceived in 1949 on the west side of Cincinnati; the view of downtown inspired the name.

  Skyline is famous for its Cheese Coney, a hot dog served in a steamed bun with mustard, "original secret recipe" chili, diced onions, and a pile of shredded cheddar cheese; and its 3-Way, featuring spaghetti covered with chili and cheddar cheese (add onions or beans for a 4-Way, or both for a 5-Way).
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  (#36) Oklahoma - Braum’s

  Braum’s, founded in Oklahoma in 1968, claims its name is “synonymous with visions of scrumptious ice cream, giant hamburgers, dairy fresh milk, and fresh baked goods.”

  Ask anyone in Oklahoma about the Braum's $1 Froyo Happy Hour, and chances are, they'll have a story to go with it - yes, they're that popular.
• 

  (#37) Taco Time

  • Mexican food, Tex-Mex food, Fast food

  TacoTime started serving freshly prepared, homestyle Mexican fare in 1960 at its first location in Eugene, OR. It has since grown to a chain of more than 300 restaurants.

  Unique menu items include hand-rolled Crisp Burritos, Mexi-Fries (potato nuggets filled with cheddar cheese and jalapeño peppers), and a chicken BLT burrito.
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  (#38) Sheetz

  Sheetz, which originated in Western Pennsylvania, and Wawa, from Eastern Pennsylvania, are friendly competitors, with fans of each avidly choosing sides. Both are gas station convenience stores, selling a variety of fast food meals and other items.

  Filmmaker Matthew Fridg hopes to make a documentary, Sheetz vs. Wawa: The Movie, about their rivalry (the film's Kickstarter campaign didn't meet its original goal, but Fridg is still working on raising funds).
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  (#39) Rhode Island - Del’s

  Del’s was founded in 1948. A little stand in Cranston, RI, sold one item - frozen lemonade.

  The menu now features several flavors to choose from, such as watermelon, blueberry, peach mango, blood orange, and seasonal favorites.
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  (#40) South Carolina - Rush’s

  What became Rush’s was founded in 1940 by the Rush family, who opened a drive-thru near their dairy farm in the St. Andrews area, then operated it as a Dairy Queen before turning it into Rush's in the 1960s. The eatery specializes in burgers, hot dogs, barbecue, ice cream, and fried chicken.

  One of the local favorites is Rush's Supper to Go, available with fried chicken or barbecue. 
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  (#41) South Dakota - B&G Milkyway

  B&G Milkyway opened as a drive-in in Sioux Falls, SD, in 1954 as Milkyway. The name grew longer when the original owner sold the eatery in the 1960s to Bertha and Guy Higgins.

  The quintessential American food on the menu hasn't changed much over the years: B&G Milkyway serves hot dogs and soft-serve ice cream (strawberry is especially popular), along with burgers, chicken nuggets, waffle cones, sloppy Joes, homemade brownies, slushes, sundaes, and more.

  Franchised locations are locally owned by active members in the community and owners are hands-on to ensure quality and value. 
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  (#42) Krystal

  • Hamburger, Fast food

  Krystal was founded during the Great Depression in 1932 by two men who believed "a good meal at a great price - served with a smile at a clean restaurant" would keep customers coming. The original "Krystal" is a slider burger with diced onions, mustard, and a pickle, served in a steamed bun.

  Other menu items include "Pups" (hot dogs and corn dogs), fries and tots, and shakes. A chicken version of the slider called the Chik features battered chicken topped with mayo.
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  (#43) Whataburger

  • Hamburger, Breakfast, American food, Fast food

  Whataburger opened its first restaurant in Corpus Christi, TX, in 1950. According to the family-owned company, founder Harmon Dobson wanted to serve a large hamburger that made people say, "What a burger!"

  Favorites include burgers served on 5-inch buns, a honey barbecue chicken strip sandwich, and Breakfast On a Bun, which includes sausage, egg, and American cheese on a small bun.
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  (#44) Arctic Circle Restaurants

  • Hamburger, American food, Ice cream, Fast food

  Arctic Circle, which started in Salt Lake City, UT, now includes more than 60 locations.

  Specialties are fry sauce (the secret recipe features tomato, eggs, and lemon juice, to name just a few ingredients); Black Angus burgers; halibut fillets served with fries; and the Brown Topper, a chocolate-dipped ice cream cone.
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  (#45) Vermont - Al’s French Frys

  Al’s French Frys was started by Al and Genevieve Rusterholz in the late 1940s and is now headquartered in South Burlington, VT.

  The eatery serves traditional fast food items like burgers, fries, and shakes. It was the fabulous french fries (yes, they spell it "frys") that quickly made Al's into a Burlington-area landmark. The fries can be ordered by the cup, pint, or quart.
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  (#46) Biscuitville

  • Fast food

  Biscuitville is a regional fast food chain consisting of 57 locations in Virginia and neighboring areas. In 1966, founder Maurice Jennings, a former flour broker, literally bet the farm on his family's made-from-scratch biscuit recipe and opened up two stores in North Carolina that sold the treats. The first Biscuitville opened in Virginia in 1975.

  The eatery specializes in breakfast food and Southern cuisine. Favorites includes the bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit; spicy chicken and honey biscuit; blueberry muffin; buttermilk pancakes; honey bun; and spicy chicken and waffle sandwich.
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  (#47) Washington - Ivar’s Seafood Bar

  Ivar Haglund opened Ivar's in Seattle in 1938 as a place for people to eat when they visited his aquarium on Pier 54. The first menu items were red clam chowder and fish 'n' chips. Ivar's now offers 21 fast-casual Seafood Bars and three full-service restaurants.

  Fish choices vary at each Seafood Bar location, but some of the menu favorites include fish 'n' chips (pollock, halibut, cod, salmon), oysters, clams, chowders, calamari, and shrimp cocktail. 
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  (#48) West Virginia - Tudor’s Biscuit World

  Tudor's Biscuit World, based in Huntington, WV, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner "the homemade way." 

  Favorite menu items include the breakfast Big Tator (fried potatoes smothered in scrambled eggs, cheese, and bacon), bologna sandwiches (served on a hamburger bun), country fried chicken and steak, and, of course, biscuits and gravy.
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  (#49) Wisconsin - Culver’s

  In 1984, Craig and Lea Culver, along with Craig’s parents, George and Ruth Culver, opened the first Culver’s in their hometown of Sauk City, WI.

  The restaurant's signature menu items are the seared, cooked-to-order ButterBurger, made from never-frozen beef on a buttered, toasted bun; and fresh frozen custard, made from cold-pressed vanilla, Dutch-blend chocolate, or the flavors of the day.
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  (#50) Taco John's

  • Mexican food, Tex-Mex food, Fast food

  Founded in 1968, Taco John’s started as a small taco stand in Cheyenne, WY. The chain, which now comprises nearly 400 restaurants, claims it started Taco Tuesdays.

  The menu includes handmade salsas, crispy tacos, Potato Olés (spiced chunks of fried potato dipped in nacho cheese, sour cream, guacamole, or salsa), the Taco Bravo (a tortilla and refried beans wrapped around a taco), meat and potato burritos, and Mexican doughnut bites.

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