Local/regional fast food chains you wish were nationwide?

[Rothman]

Waffle House...good quality...does not compute...

https://youtu.be/ZzTxvFfBzew

[CoreySamson]

I like a place called Torchy's Tacos. Essentially it's really spicy Tex-Mex street food, but it's really good. They have tacos called the Republican, the Democrat, and even the Libertarian!  But on a more serious note, I think their locations are mostly urban spots in Texas, specifically Houston, but they really should expand.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I remember going into a Denver area WH a couple years ago just in time for one customer to shout at whoever he was with that he would fuck him up, and then stormed out of the restaurant.

[plain]

One Richmond staple that went international but is now back to being regional again is Golden Skillet. I've always liked their chicken (though I'm damn near addicted to Popeyes lol). I wouldn't mind seeing them again when making trips out of town.

There's a gambling place (actually 4 locations) in Virginia called Rosie's, and in their restaurants is a burger called the R Burger. This is one of the best burgers I've ever had in my life. The fries are also awesome (automatically comes with the burger). If they were to somehow spinoff the restaurant and go nationwide then they could do some serious damage. But for now it's only available in Virginia and you have to be 21 to get it.

[wanderer2575]

A comment on another forum I frequent put it best:  You don't go to Waffle House; you just end up there.

[Roadgeekteen]

I've always liked to try in and out burgers.

[roadman65]

Braums should be, but the main dairy is outside OKC, so to keep product freshness they are keeping all stores within 300 mile reach.

[kphoger]

Overestimated Chains:

In-n-Out - good burgers, but like others said, the rest is average

And see, that's the thing for me.  There's not a whole lot of difference to me between the BEST burger and a DECENT burger.  Doesn't really sway me one way or the other.  But, if I don't like the French fries somewhere, then that totally turns me off to that restaurant.

That's precisely why my wife and I don't like Whataburger or Braum's very much.  The burgers are fine and all, but I go to a restaurant to eat more than just a burger.  And we don't like the fries.

[Takumi]

One Richmond staple that went international but is now back to being regional again is Golden Skillet. I've always liked their chicken (though I'm damn near addicted to Popeyes lol). I wouldn't mind seeing them again when making trips out of town.

There's a gambling place (actually 4 locations) in Virginia called Rosie's, and in their restaurants is a burger called the R Burger. This is one of the best burgers I've ever had in my life. The fries are also awesome (automatically comes with the burger). If they were to somehow spinoff the restaurant and go nationwide then they could do some serious damage. But for now it's only available in Virginia and you have to be 21 to get it.

Golden Skillet is barely hanging on as is.

[JayhawkCO]

Local Chain Around Here That You All Would Like: Good Times - Local beef, actually grilled, complimentary doggie ice creams that have a $1 donation to go to the local humane society

Local Chain Elsewhere That I Would Like Here: Gates BBQ (I'd rather have Oklahoma Joe's a.k.a. KC Joe's, but I figured to be a chain, it needed at least five locations.)  If you require more than 10 locations, I'd be down to have a Runza here.  Mmmmmm.

Chris

[cl94]

Cook Out well above anything else. Perfect combination of "cheap" and "good". The fries are meh, but where else can you get a filling meal for $5 these days? Burgers are almost as good as Five Guys, you can get a second entree as one of your included sides.

Zaxby's is on that list as well. Only get there once a year or so, but I find them to be the best of the chicken tender chains by a longshot.

[planxtymcgillicuddy]

Cook Out well above anything else. Perfect combination of "cheap" and "good". The fries are meh, but where else can you get a filling meal for $5 these days? Burgers are almost as good as Five Guys, you can get a second entree as one of your included sides.

Zaxby's is on that list as well. Only get there once a year or so, but I find them to be the best of the chicken tender chains by a longshot.

I loathe Cook-Out. What everyone says about Big Macs not having actual meat in them, Cook-Out is just that. And you gotta be able to suck a golf ball through a garden hose to be able to drink a C-O shake. Massively, massively overrated imo. That's the reason they're most prevalent in college towns: College kids would eat a scab off a dog's ass if you sold it to them for 99 cents.

As for Zaxby's, if they ever stopped being so greasy, I might would like them. But everything is much too greasy for my taste.

[planxtymcgillicuddy]

Braums should be, but the main dairy is outside OKC, so to keep product freshness they are keeping all stores within 300 mile reach.

They can't contract dairies in other states to retain the freshness so they can expand?

[kphoger]

College kids would eat a scab off a dog's ass if you sold it to them for 99 cents.

Tell a freshman you've found the most amazing hole-in-the-wall restaurant just a mile or so from campus, and that the food will knock their socks off.  Then, when they tag along with you and sit down at the booth, insist that they ABSOLUTELY MUST try the dog's ass scabs.  They're the BEST!  And, at only 99 cents, they're a STEAL!

In fact–better yet–tell them it's a college tradition to get a group of guys together on Friday evening and "make a scab run".

Guaranteed.

[CoreySamson]

That's precisely why my wife and I don't like Whataburger or Braum's very much.  The burgers are fine and all, but I go to a restaurant to eat more than just a burger.  And we don't like the fries.

Have you had the fries with the complimentary Fancy Ketchup or the Spicy Ketchup? Turns a pretty decent french fry into a great one.

[thspfc]

The next decade or two is going to be a very interesting time for Culver's. They're expanding quickly across the country, going beyond their niche Midwestern market. From their commercials it seems like they're not trying to compete head to head with the McDonalds and Burger Kings and Wendy's of the world, as they put emphasis on their hospitality and more unique products like cheese curds and frozen custard.

[ilpt4u]

The next decade or two is going to be a very interesting time for Culver's. They're expanding quickly across the country, going beyond their niche Midwestern market. From their commercials it seems like they're not trying to compete head to head with the McDonalds and Burger Kings and Wendy's of the world, as they put emphasis on their hospitality and more unique products like cheese curds and frozen custard.

I don't like either from Culvers

Love their burgers and their chili, tho - so that would be Wendys competition, for me anyway

[kphoger]

That's precisely why my wife and I don't like Whataburger or Braum's very much.  The burgers are fine and all, but I go to a restaurant to eat more than just a burger.  And we don't like the fries.

Have you had the fries with the complimentary Fancy Ketchup or the Spicy Ketchup? Turns a pretty decent french fry into a great one.

I hate ketchup in almost all contexts.  In my opinion, there are only two places ketchup belongs:  on a Whopper, and cooked on meat loaf.

Besides, if the fries need special sauce to make them good, then they aren't good fries.

I eat my fries plain, except for salt and pepper.

[Rothman]

That's precisely why my wife and I don't like Whataburger or Braum's very much.  The burgers are fine and all, but I go to a restaurant to eat more than just a burger.  And we don't like the fries.

Have you had the fries with the complimentary Fancy Ketchup or the Spicy Ketchup? Turns a pretty decent french fry into a great one.

I hate ketchup in almost all contexts.  In my opinion, there are only two places ketchup belongs:  on a Whopper, and cooked on meat loaf.

Besides, if the fries need special sauce to make them good, then they aren't good fries.

I eat my fries plain, except for salt and pepper.

Heh.  A unique set of tastes.

[CoreySamson]

That's precisely why my wife and I don't like Whataburger or Braum's very much.  The burgers are fine and all, but I go to a restaurant to eat more than just a burger.  And we don't like the fries.

Have you had the fries with the complimentary Fancy Ketchup or the Spicy Ketchup? Turns a pretty decent french fry into a great one.

I hate ketchup in almost all contexts.  In my opinion, there are only two places ketchup belongs:  on a Whopper, and cooked on meat loaf.

Besides, if the fries need special sauce to make them good, then they aren't good fries.

I eat my fries plain, except for salt and pepper.

I still think Whataburger's fries are above-average, maybe not as good as McDonalds, but definitely better than Burger King or Wendy's.

I really like ketchup, TBH, so that could explain my overzealousness about it. I'll put it on nearly anything salty or savory (ketchup on grilled cheese tastes great!).

But that's just my opinion.

[plain]

One Richmond staple that went international but is now back to being regional again is Golden Skillet. I've always liked their chicken (though I'm damn near addicted to Popeyes lol). I wouldn't mind seeing them again when making trips out of town.

There's a gambling place (actually 4 locations) in Virginia called Rosie's, and in their restaurants is a burger called the R Burger. This is one of the best burgers I've ever had in my life. The fries are also awesome (automatically comes with the burger). If they were to somehow spinoff the restaurant and go nationwide then they could do some serious damage. But for now it's only available in Virginia and you have to be 21 to get it.

Golden Skillet is barely hanging on as is.

Of course lol I just wish their fortune had turned out better. Better than KFC in my opinion (then again, a lot of places are).

Besides, if the fries need special sauce to make them good, then they aren't good fries.

I eat my fries plain, except for salt and pepper.

THIS.

I very rarely add ketchup to fries and when I do it's because they're meh.

Salt & pepper will do the trick every time, though if I'm in the mood for it (and if I know there's a quality bathroom I can hit later lol) then a cheese sauce *might* be added as well.

[kphoger]

I still think Whataburger's fries are above-average, maybe not as good as McDonalds, but definitely better than Burger King or Wendy's.

Wendy's fries used to be pretty good, back before they switched to "natural cut" or whatever they call it.  The quality dropped significantly when they did that switch, in my opinion.

McDonald's fries are great when they're hot, and they're terrible when they're not.

Burger King's fries are pretty good, in my opinion, but not really "top tier".

Salt & pepper will do the trick every time, though if I'm in the mood for it (and if I know there's a quality bathroom I can hit later lol) then a cheese sauce *might* be added as well.

Chili & onions for me, please.  Mustard is pretty good on fries, especially home-fried potatoes.  And McDonald's fries pair surprisingly well with honey.

Heh.  A unique set of tastes.

Yes, I am aware.  But I have found that there is a surprising number of us ketchup-haters out there.  You don't really notice us because what sets us apart is not using something, which isn't very noticeable.

I do like a good chipotle ketchup, though.

[Scott5114]

I like ketchup on fries and burgers, but that's about the only thing I use it for. I remember reading somewhere that ketchup on a hot dog is considered gauche in some cities, so I tried mustard on it instead and found I like it better.

Sometimes when I'm eating chicken strips I will use a little bit of whatever sauce I have with the chicken (usually ranch, sometimes honey mustard) on the fries. My wife dips fries only in ranch.

[hbelkins]

Cook Out well above anything else. Perfect combination of "cheap" and "good". The fries are meh, but where else can you get a filling meal for $5 these days? Burgers are almost as good as Five Guys, you can get a second entree as one of your included sides.

Zaxby's is on that list as well. Only get there once a year or so, but I find them to be the best of the chicken tender chains by a longshot.

I loathe Cook-Out. What everyone says about Big Macs not having actual meat in them, Cook-Out is just that. And you gotta be able to suck a golf ball through a garden hose to be able to drink a C-O shake. Massively, massively overrated imo. That's the reason they're most prevalent in college towns: College kids would eat a scab off a dog's ass if you sold it to them for 99 cents.

As for Zaxby's, if they ever stopped being so greasy, I might would like them. But everything is much too greasy for my taste.

Sacrilege. Cook-Out is fantastic. Just as good as Five Guys, but at half the price.

And I prefer Cane's to Zaxby's.

I don't eat ketchup on fries. For plain fries, salt is my preferred seasoning. Chili cheese fries, or just cheese fries, are good.

[jeffandnicole]

Cook-out has now become a must-stop on my trips down 95.  Decent food; lots of options, absolutely cheap price.

Most people prefer thick milkshakes.  Yeah, they're tough at first, but just let them melt first.