Local/regional fast food chains you wish were nationwide?

[planxtymcgillicuddy]

For me, I'd have to go with Bojangles. They're spreading through the southeast and up the east coast, but there's not one on every exit like there is here in the Carolinas. I've found that Bojangles is a less-greasy alternative to CFA

[sprjus4]

Whataburger

[nexus73]

Raising Cane's gets my vote.  To their credit, they have expanded nicely but there is a lot of map to cover before they are a Big Time Player.

Honorable mention: The Habit. 

Rick

[planxtymcgillicuddy]

Whataburger

Or, if you're a native Texan, Waterburger!

[sprjus4]

Whataburger

Or, if you're a native Texan, Waterburger!

Very true!

[planxtymcgillicuddy]

Raising Cane's gets my vote.  To their credit, they have expanded nicely but there is a lot of map to cover before they are a Big Time Player.

Honorable mention: The Habit. 

Rick

Cane's is really starting to spread. I think there's one or two here in NC, but they're right in the heart of Bojangles/CFA territory, so we'll see how they fare

[LM117]

Krystal and/or White Castle.

[Brandon]

Roy Rogers.  Best roast beef I've had at this type of restaurant and beats Arby's handily.

[Max Rockatansky]

Chicken Shack out of Fresno would make for a way better fast wing stop than the typical Buffalo Wild Wilds/Wing Shack crap that is out there.

[oscar]

Roy Rogers.  Best roast beef I've had at this type of restaurant and beats Arby's handily.

I love its burgers.

But I wish Tim Hortons (nationwide in Canada) would expand its U.S. presence beyond the northern tier of the eastern states. Also, that it expand its U.S. locations' menu to match the Canadian locations'.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

For me, I'd have to go with Bojangles. They're spreading through the southeast and up the east coast, but there's not one on every exit like there is here in the Carolinas. I've found that Bojangles is a less-greasy alternative to CFA

I thought Bo's tasted like a drier, less flavorful Popeyes.

Mine would be Church's Chicken.

[ilpt4u]

Portillo's

I'd settle for fully Statewide in Illinois, first!

[dlsterner]

Roy Rogers - There are a handful here in the Maryland/Virginia area. Although I think peak market penetration was back in the 80's, it's still holding on even though twice corporate ownership tried to kill it off.  Personally I feel Roy's roast beef sandwich is vastly superior to the ones at Arby's.  And their chicken is pretty good too.

Smashburger - Been impressed the few times I've stopped there.  Especially the Smashtots

Some places that aren't in this area yet - Zaxby's and Whataburger.  I've hear good things about Culver's, but want to eat at one before adding it to my list.

[zzyzx]

Sheetz.  It's morphed from a gas station to a fast food convenience store over the years.  They're slowing expanding south, but I would love to see something close to a Sheetz in California! 

[planxtymcgillicuddy]

Roy Rogers - There are a handful here in the Maryland/Virginia area. Although I think peak market penetration was back in the 80's, it's still holding on even though twice corporate ownership tried to kill it off.  Personally I feel Roy's roast beef sandwich is vastly superior to the ones at Arby's.  And their chicken is pretty good too.

Smashburger - Been impressed the few times I've stopped there.  Especially the Smashtots

Some places that aren't in this area yet - Zaxby's and Whataburger.  I've hear good things about Culver's, but want to eat at one before adding it to my list.

I could have sworn Maryland had Zaxby's

[jeffandnicole]

In NJ:

Bojangles

Cookout

[corco]

In n Out- not because it's particularly amazing but because people would finally shut up about it

[kphoger]

Smashburger

Oooooohhh!  Yeah!  Although I'd personally settle for it just coming back to Wichita.  They closed down a while ago.



My top pick would be Steak 'n Shake.

[Mark68]

Roy Rogers.  Best roast beef I've had at this type of restaurant and beats Arby's handily.

I love its burgers.

But I wish Tim Hortons (nationwide in Canada) would expand its U.S. presence beyond the northern tier of the eastern states. Also, that it expand its U.S. locations' menu to match the Canadian locations'.

This reminded me of a scene in the new season of "Jack Ryan" where Ryan and Greer are pretending to set up a coffee exporting business with this Venezuelan lawyer who specializes in setting up shell companies, and when asked for a name, Greer says "Timothy Horton".


Got a chuckle out of that.

[Mark68]

Smashburger

Oooooohhh!  Yeah!  Although I'd personally settle for it just coming back to Wichita.  They closed down a while ago.



My top pick would be Steak 'n Shake.

Love Smashburger (founded in Denver, BTW).

We lost a Steak 'n Shake location a few months ago, now there is only one remaining in Denver Metro.

I miss Steak 'n Shake chili.

They need to add more Shake Shacks here (there are two).

In n Out is coming to our area, however. And we now have Cane's. They're popping up everywhere.

[jp the roadgeek]

Speaking of Tim Horton's, I'm surprised sister restaurant Burger King hasn't added its coffee to its menu or offered Timbits as part of its breakfast menu.  Tim Horton's did expand into Southern New England about 15 years ago when it took over many former Bess Eaton locations.  Even a couple of new ones opened up in conjunction with Coldstone Creamery.  However, like Krispy Kreme, Timmy's was doomed by the fact they were impeding on Dunkin's home turf, and now Timmy's is gone from the area.  Ironically, a new generation of Bess Eaton arose a few years ago, and now there are a couple locations in the South County RI/ Mystic CT area. 

Smashburger has expanded its footprint.  We have them here in CT and the one in my town seems to be doing well.  The one local chain I was love to see take off is Nardelli's.  Great fresh sandwich shop and you get your $$'s worth compared to Subway, plus the meat is sliced fresh and it's like a small deli with some of the offerings.

[webny99]

I wish Tim Hortons (nationwide in Canada) would expand its U.S. presence beyond the northern tier of the eastern states.

Me too; to be honest, they're so mainstream around here that I almost forget they aren't nationwide, resulting in various "wait, what?" moments when reminded of such while traveling to other parts of the country.

[kphoger]

White Castle.

That would be nice.  Although, it's been so long since I've been to one (more than 13 years), it's entirely possible my tastes have changed since then and I wouldn't like it now.  But yeah, considering the chain started here in Wichita, it would be nice to have one within 300 miles...

Portillo's

I'd settle for fully Statewide in Illinois, first!

Hellzz to the yeah!  Shoot, I'd settle for just Kansas City, so I could stop in once a year or whatever during road trips.

[briantroutman]

Honestly–taking into account all of the practicalities associated with a nationwide expansion–my answer would be none.

I can't think of a single chain that is just as good nationally as it is (or was) locally or regionally. And that's before taking into account the fact that national ubiquity makes any previously exclusive experience seem decidedly less special.

Speaking of Tim Horton's, I'm surprised sister restaurant Burger King hasn't added its coffee to its menu or offered Timbits as part of its breakfast menu.

This is a good example. Why is going to Tim Hortons special to me? Because if I'm at one, it generally means that I'm being waited on by a friendly, smiling Canadian in a sparkling clean restaurant in Canada–and getting a slightly different donut that, while not particularly remarkable, is at least fresh (usually) and noticeably different from I'm used to at Dunkin' or a local place.

Burger King's parent (Restaurant Brands International) apparently has been making some effort to push cross-branding. A few years ago, I was surprised to see billboards on US 15 north of Harrisburg proclaiming "Tim Hortons - Now Open" . I stopped to find a Sheetz-sized convenience store, half of which was occupied by a fairly standard Burger King. The other side was a garden-variety convenience store. In this case, "Tim Horton's"  was a small plexiglass cabinet haphazardly stocked with about five varieties of donuts and a couple types of Timbits–all of which were hopelessly stale. Beside the cabinet were a couple of carafes of burnt coffee bearing the Tim Hortons logo–just to round out the experience. I packed some Timbits into a box and took it up to the convenience store's register where a sour-faced woman silently took my card and gave me a receipt. The experience was completely devoid of nearly everything that makes Tim Hortons special to me.

[NWI_Irish96]

In n Out- not because it's particularly amazing but because people would finally shut up about it

Went there for the first time this summer.  The burgers are really, really good, but the lack of other menu items (have a daughter who likes chicken but not burgers) and the lack of the ability to get bacon on the burger make it a place I wouldn't go to often if it were near me.