Local/regional fast food chains you wish were nationwide?

[webny99]

Might it be a good thing for a good chain to remain local/regional?  A reason to look forward to going there?  Cuisine that's unique to that part of the country?

Yes. Yes. And yes. (At least IMO.)

Hence my continued complaints about Culver's national expansion.

Yeah, I was actually thinking about Culver's while composing my yeses. That's probably the best example I can think of. In the context of my own area, all I could immediately think of was a bunch of pizza chains, and that seemed kind of lame, so I decided to refrain from citing any examples. 

[roadman65]

Taco Cabana, located in three Texas Metro Area markets. They only have one outside the SA area, Houston Galveston Megatropolis, and the DFW Metroplex. They could give Taco Bell some real competition if they expanded even to smaller Texas cities and towns outside the aforementioned metro areas let alone other states.

[Flint1979]

The Culver's that are around me are pretty good maybe it's because I'm in the home region of Culver's being the Great Lakes area. I've only been to one once outside of the Great Lakes area and it was in Florida, I didn't notice any difference really. I haven't tried them outside of the Great Lakes area though. I've ate there in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Ohio other than the one stop I made in Florida.

A chain I'd love to see more of in Michigan and it should be possible is Portillo's. They have one in Sterling Heights and I've been there numerous times now. Love me a Chicago style Italian Beef.

[catch22]

A chain I'd love to see more of in Michigan and it should be possible is Portillo's. They have one in Sterling Heights and I've been there numerous times now. Love me a Chicago style Italian Beef.

In theory there's one coming to Livonia, but the construction's been delayed to the point that they recently had to ask Livonia for a one-year extension on the building permits.  It will be on Middlebelt Road south of I-96.

https://www.hometownlife.com/story/news/2023/03/14/livonia-poised-to-green-light-delayed-portillos-restaurant/70008663007/

[ZLoth]

I would like to say "Carl's Jr", but... they flopped in the DFW market. I believe they opened up multiple locations in the DFW area in the mid-2010s, but could not complete, and most of the DFW locations closed down by the end of 2019, and the one in Plano had the building torn down. The closest locations to me are in Anna, Rockwall, South Dallas, and Hutchins. All four are attached to Loves gas stations, and are at least a 30 minute drive away for me. So, driving for the pile of sin known as the "Western Bacon Cheeseburger" is out of the question.

Yes, I know that Carl's Jr/Hardees is a national chain, but beyond a handful of locations, they don't exist.

Another local chain is "Jimboy's Tacos" which was founded in Northern California. There are two locations in North Texas, and both are in Fort Worth... an hour's drive away. I miss their enchiladas, but there are plenty of Mexican food places within a 15 minute drive of where I live.

[Rothman]

I used to live on Carl, Jr.'s milkshakes when I lived in the Bay Area.

Then, I grew up a learned what real milkshakes were.

[ZLoth]

As for hamburgers, I like to go to either "Rodeo Goat" which is a eight-restaurant Texas chain or "Liberty Burger" which is a two-restaurant DFW chain. While a bit more expensive, their burgers are quite good.

[MikieTimT]

You have Braums in your area. They are good.

I was about to say I don't like crinkle-cut fries.  Then I realized both Portillo's and White Castle have crinkle-cut fries, so I got nothin'...

Braum's is one of those chains that would do well outside of its area, but the reason it is so good is the beef and dairy/ice cream side since they have their own private herd for milk and beef, so I don't see how they could scale it up and keep the quality.  My brother just returned to Seattle from visiting us in NWA, and the first thing he does when he leaves the XNA airport when he comes down is make a beeline to the nearest Braum's to get his fix since they aren't in Seattle and he lived in Tulsa, Little Rock, and Fort Smith before that.

The fries are probably my least favorite part of Braum's.  I think they are undercooked and floppy and could stand another 3 minutes in the fryer to get a good glaze on the outside.

[Scott5114]

Braum's could expand and keep the same quality if they operated satellite farms spaced a day's drive from each other. That would have course be quite an expense, but it's not impossible (and would at least be partially offset by lower shipping costs). I know at one point (and maybe still) they had a second farm in Emporia, Kansas, so I'm not really sure why they didn't use that as a base to expand into Kansas City. With that model, though, there would still be parts of the country that are off-limits. I don't know that there's a suitable place for a dairy farm within a day's drive of, say, Salt Lake City, for instance.

I don't really agree with the idea of "local chains are better when they stay local because that makes them unique" at least when applied to Culver's and Braum's. Culver's and Braum's are not doing anything that wouldn't exist if they didn't expand there–Las Vegas has neither, for example, but you can still buy hamburgers and ice cream in Las Vegas. (I assume, anyway. I haven't ever tried to buy ice cream there.) Kingman AZ has a Culver's; does that make it feel like it's unique and special compared to Las Vegas? Nah, not really.

[formulanone]

Taco Cabana, located in three Texas Metro Area markets. They only have one outside the SA area, Houston Galveston Megatropolis, and the DFW Metroplex. They could give Taco Bell some real competition if they expanded even to smaller Texas cities and towns outside the aforementioned metro areas let alone other states.

I second this nomination. I was disappointed that they finally took the street tacos off their menu, but it's not like you can't get something similar on the menu.

Albuquerque has a half-dozen locations, but it's been a few years since I was in the city for any length of time.

[Dough4872]

I wish we had a lot of the Southern restaurant chains throughout the country such as Waffle House, Biscuitville, and Bojangles. The South has the best food. Here in the Philadelphia suburbs, we have most of the same bland national fast food chains, although we have gotten some chains expand into our area such as Raising Cane's.

[hbelkins]

I wish we had a lot of the Southern restaurant chains throughout the country such as Waffle House, Biscuitville, and Bojangles. The South has the best food. Here in the Philadelphia suburbs, we have most of the same bland national fast food chains, although we have gotten some chains expand into our area such as Raising Cane's.

I'm probably some kind of heretic in that I've never eaten at Tudor's Biscuit World.

[roadman65]

I heard Rogers in North Idaho is good. I saw their four patty burger on their webpage and looks more than filling. A friend of mine ate at one in Twin Falls and was happy.

Cook Out needs to expand. They got great food for a really great price and awesome milkshakes.

[Jim]

From my trips up and down I-95, it does seem Cook Out is expanding its coverage.

[wriddle082]

My area (Columbia, SC) now has a whopping 5 Freddy's locations, and their newest location only 5 miles from my house.  It appears from their website that they're aggressively expanding across the country, with locations stretching from California to New Jersey, most of the states in between, and as far north as Idaho and Minnesota.  Their food seems to be ok, but I'm not sure if it's good enough to withstand the more established competition.  Unless it's the frozen custard that's really the draw that's making all of the money for them.

[GCrites]

I wish we had a lot of the Southern restaurant chains throughout the country such as Waffle House, Biscuitville, and Bojangles. The South has the best food. Here in the Philadelphia suburbs, we have most of the same bland national fast food chains, although we have gotten some chains expand into our area such as Raising Cane's.

I'm probably some kind of heretic in that I've never eaten at Tudor's Biscuit World.

How 

[Dirt Roads]

I wish we had a lot of the Southern restaurant chains throughout the country such as Waffle House, Biscuitville, and Bojangles. The South has the best food. Here in the Philadelphia suburbs, we have most of the same bland national fast food chains, although we have gotten some chains expand into our area such as Raising Cane's.

I'm probably some kind of heretic in that I've never eaten at Tudor's Biscuit World.

I assure you that you will become best friends with your cardiologist if you ever start going to "Tudie's" on a regular basis (sometimes stylized by locals as "Toodie's").  The "Thundering Herd" biscuit has sausage, egg, hash brown patty and cheese.

[kkt]

Kidd Valley, a Seattle area small chain of currently four restaurants.  Plus booths in some stadiums that operate when there's games.
They're cooked to-order so I guess they're stretching the definition of "fast food" a little.  Good burgers and fries and onion rings and shakes.

[gonealookin]

I wish we had a lot of the Southern restaurant chains throughout the country such as Waffle House, Biscuitville, and Bojangles. The South has the best food. Here in the Philadelphia suburbs, we have most of the same bland national fast food chains, although we have gotten some chains expand into our area such as Raising Cane's.

I'm probably some kind of heretic in that I've never eaten at Tudor's Biscuit World.

I assure you that you will become best friends with your cardiologist if you ever start going to "Tudie's" on a regular basis (sometimes stylized by locals as "Toodie's").  The "Thundering Herd" biscuit has sausage, egg, hash brown patty and cheese.

Oh, that sounds good, but you're right, in very limited quantity.  I've been to Maple Street Biscuit Company in the South; the food is good but I was a bit shocked at the high price of the meal last time I was in there.  There's also Pine State Biscuits, a small Portland OR chain that also has one outlet in Reno, and they are outstanding.

[gonealookin]

A true Mexican taqueria, not "Tex Mex", that I recommend highly is Roberto's Taco Shop.  They are in only three metro areas:  Las Vegas (about 50 locations in the Las Vegas Valley), San Diego County and Reno/Sparks/Carson City.  Their carne asada is excellent.  They are 24 hours, and a 4 a.m. breakfast burrito will sustain me for a cross-country flight or whatever else I'm doing for most of the day.  I don't know that I wish that Roberto's specifically were nationwide, but I'd like to have a list of good 24 hour Mexican/Tex Mex places in as many areas as I can get it.  From posts above it sounds like Taco Cabana qualifies, if those are all 24 hours.

[Scott5114]

Taco Cabana, located in three Texas Metro Area markets. They only have one outside the SA area, Houston Galveston Megatropolis, and the DFW Metroplex. They could give Taco Bell some real competition if they expanded even to smaller Texas cities and towns outside the aforementioned metro areas let alone other states.

There was a Taco Cabana in Norman for a few years but it eventually folded and is now a used car dealership.

A true Mexican taqueria, not "Tex Mex", that I recommend highly is Roberto's Taco Shop.  They are in only three metro areas:  Las Vegas (about 50 locations in the Las Vegas Valley), San Diego County and Reno/Sparks/Carson City.  Their carne asada is excellent.  They are 24 hours, and a 4 a.m. breakfast burrito will sustain me for a cross-country flight or whatever else I'm doing for most of the day.  I don't know that I wish that Roberto's specifically were nationwide, but I'd like to have a list of good 24 hour Mexican/Tex Mex places in as many areas as I can get it.  From posts above it sounds like Taco Cabana qualifies, if those are all 24 hours.

We hit up Roberto's last time we were in Las Vegas. It's fucking amazing. Cheap, good, and 24 hours? Hell yes. The only way it could be better is if they had queso dip in the style that Mexican restaurants in OK/TX serve. But it's become a recurring thing for me and my wife to mention when we get the munchies at three AM, "Man, if we lived in Las Vegas, we could get Roberto's right now..."

[Hobart]

I would like to bring up a few chains, mostly isolated to the Midwest.

The first is Monical's. It's the only chain pizza place in my memory that has decent Chicago tavern-cut pizza, with an extremely thin crust and slices into squares. It might even be St. Louis style, who knows, but the only pizza chains that are everywhere serve "pizza", with soft slices that don't hold up under toppings. I believe tavern-cut thin-style pizza to be the best there is, and Monical's is literally the only chain I know that does it.

The second is Happy Joe's in Iowa. They make good pizza (although not of the tavern variety), and their rueben pizza is the best pizza I've ever had cold.

White Castle would be nice, mainly because it's cheap stoner food, and I like cheap food. I feel like people outside of the markets it serves are missing out on buying a crave-case and eating it with their friends.

Taco John's should be everywhere because it is Taco Bell but the food actually tastes good.

Finally, the best chicken I've ever had is Charley Bigg's Chicken and Sauce, the example being out of an Acee's gas station in Goreville, Illinois. I wish they were more prevalent, because I haven't seen them anywhere else. Google Maps says there's one location in Oshkosh, and a ton in Indianapolis, but that's it.

[Big John]

Happy Joe's locations are sporadic, mostly in eastern Iowa and western Illinois with a few other scattered locations mostly in the midwest.  Heyday was around 1980 when they had a lot more locations.  But they are looking to expand internationally to the Middle East.

[Big John]

Watching the Denver Broncos home game on NFL Network, and I see the Denver home broadcast has Culver's as a sponsor.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Watching the Denver Broncos home game on NFL Network, and I see the Denver home broadcast has Culver's as a sponsor.

I consider Culver's to be national now. Strong presences in the Four Corners states, and Florida now has the third-most locations behind Wisconsin and Illinois.