The Original Of These 30 Fast Food Chains

1. McDonald’s - 1940

Image source / LovefoodIn 1940, Maurice and Richard McDonald renamed their father's food stand 'McDonald’s Bar-B-Q.'  It was a carhop drive-in until 1948 until the brothers started focussing on burgers and fries, changing the name to McDonald's. The oldest McDonald’s restaurant still in operation is in Downey, California.

2. Chick-fil-A - 1967

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The very first Chick-fil-A  was in Atlanta's Greenbriar Mall, opening in 1967.  The Chairman and CEO experimented with boneless chicken, referring to the food as fillets and this is how they came up with the name.  The original Chick-fil-A and Dwarf House restaurants are still trading every day except Sunday.

3. Taco Bell - 1962

Image source / The Sun

Taco Bell was founded by Glen Bell who opened a hot dog stand in 1948.  When he watched queues of customers across the street, outside a Mexican restaurant, selling hard shelled tacos, he got the idea to do the same. himself. The very first Taco Bell opened in Downy, California in 1962.  Just over 24 years later, it closed and in 2015, the restaurant chain uprooted the building and it was demolished.

4. Burger King - 1953

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Matthew Burns and his stepson Keith G. Cramer opened Insta-Burger King in Jacksonville, Florida in 1953.  They were inspired by McDonald's so acquired an Insta-Broiler machine which could cook 400 burgers in an hour.  They later ditched this for a flame broiler and changed the name to Burger King.  Such was its success, it expanded quickly - the original location eventually closing.

5. KFC - 1930

Image source / The New York Times

Harland Sanders started selling fried chicken from his service station in Corbin, Kentucky in 1930.  It became so popular that he opened a restaurant, experimenting with spices, herbs and cooking methods.  In 1952, Sanders was made an honorary colonel at the same time as 'Kentucky Fried Chicken' became a thing.

6. Subway - 1974

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Looking for a way to pay his way through college, 17 year old Fred De Luca borrowed a thousand dollars from Dr Peter Buck and opened up 'Pete's Super Submarines' in Bridgeport, Connecticut.  Three years later, in 1971, the name had been shortened to Subway and the franchises were taking shape.  Sadly, the original store is no longer there.

7. Starbucks - 1971

Image source / Wikipedia

The original Starbucks started selling coffee beans and coffee equipment from its location at Western Avenue in 1971.  By 1976, their building was to be demolished so they opened '1st and Pike' cafe by Pike Place Market.  It became so successful and the rest, as they say, is history!

8. Pizza Hut - 1958

Image source / InsiderThe first Pizza Hut opened in 1958 by Dan and Frank Carney in their home town of Wichita, Kansas.  The brothers knew they wanted to have the word 'pizza' as part of the name and as there was only room for 8 letters on the building sign, they came up with Pizza Hut.  The original property now serves as a museum.

9. Wendy's - 1960

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Even though Wendy’s closed its original restaurant in 2007, it's spirit still lives on in their flagship store in Dublin, Ohio.  It boasts an entire 'community room' full of the companies history and memorabilia.  The day it shut its doors was reported to be 'one of America's darkest.'

10. Hooters - 1983

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In 1983, six businessmen changed the face of chain restaurant history when they opened a 'delightfully tacky, yet unrefined' dining called Hooters!  Their website stated, 'Never again would someone have to suffer through ordering food and beverages from a person wearing actual pants.'  The original Hooters still serves wings with the chain's trademark hospitality.

11. Panda Express - 1973

Image source / Los Angeles Magazine

In 1973, Chinese immigrants Andrew Cherng and his father Ming Tsai, opened their doors to the Panda Inn restaurant in Pasadena, California.  Ten year later, after providing the L.A. area with sit down meals, they created a fast food version of their eatery.  Zip forward and we all have to sample their tasty treats when we visit the mall.

12. Little Caesars - 1962

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Mike and Marian Ilitch opened 'Little Caesar's Pizza Treat' in a Garden City, Michigan, strip mall way back in 1959.  It was to be the start of great things: The first franchise opened in 1962'and the "Pizza! Pizza!' slogan made its grand debut in 1979. Unfortunately, you can't get 'Hot-N-Ready' pizzas at the original location as it closed in 2018.

13. In-N-Out - 1948

Image source / Orange County Register

The first In-N-Out graced Baldwin Park, California in 1948.  Opened by Esther and Harry Snyder, it claimed to, 'Give customers the freshest, highest quality foods you can buy and provide them with friendly service in a sparkling clean environment.' Interstate 10 was built on the space, once it was demolished.

14. Five Guys -1986

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In 1986, Jerry and Janie Murrell, along with 4 other guys, founded Five Guys.  The restaurant was located in the Westmont Shopping Center.   This was also home to Brenner’s Bakery, where the Murrells originally got their roll!.  The restaurant is no longer based there but still maintains a strong presence in Northern Virginia, where the first five Five Guys were opened.

15. Tim Hortons - 1964

Image source / Hamilton Spectator

The first Tim Hortons was founded under the name Tim Horton Donuts, in 1964.  Horton was a professional hockey player at the time.  Tim Horton Donuts was eventually shortened to Tim Horton, the original location still operating although Ottawa Street is now named 'Tim Hortons Way.'

16. Dairy Queen - 1938

Image source / Taste Of Home

In 1938, father and son John Fremon and Alex McCullough tested out a revolutionary formula for soft serve ice cream at their friend's ice cream store.  They were definitely on to something when the ice cream store sold over 1,600 servings of the creamy ice in less than two hours.  Two years later, Noble opened the first Dairy Queen in Joliet.

17. Benihana - 1964

Image source / Forbes

Rocky Aoki, 25, took the money he made from driving an ice cream truck in Harlem, back in 1964 and he opened the first Benihana.  After positive reviews for his restaurant in New York where people were more open to the idea of sitting close to a hot surface with strangers while the chef threw their food around, the concept became really popular. Benihana moved to 47 W. 56th Street in 1973 where it remains today.

18. Carrabba's Italian Grill - 1986

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Johnny Carrabba and his uncle opened the first Carrabba's Italian Grill in 1986. Their restaurant was such a success that another location opened in Houston not long afterwards.  By 1993, Carrabba partnered with Outback Steakhouse Inc. which soon took the chain nationwide. The first (and second) Carrabba’s are, remarkably, still owned and operated by the Carrabba family.

19. T.G.I. Friday's - 1965

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Looking for a place to meet people, especially eligible women in his Manhattan neighborhood, was enough to make Alan Stillman open a bar and restaurant.  Before it opened in 1965, there were very few singles bars and he was the first to use 'ladies night' as a promotion.  The original T.G.I. Fridays closed in 1994.

20. Fuddruckers - 1979

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Philip J. Romano, the father of Romano’s Macaroni Grill, founded Fuddruckers.  This was in 1979 when, as he put it, 'the world needed a better hamburger.'  The restaurant, a former bank, began as Freddie Fuddruckers and the location is still serving customers today. Check it out!

21. Jack In The Box - 1951

Image source / RedditWith its two-way intercom and pick-up window, to make fast food even quicker, this was a recipe for a successful business for Robert O Peterson in 1951.  The first Jack In The Box is now home to Platt College, San Diego.  Their southwest chicken salad and tacos were always greeted with delight.

22. Jamba - 1990

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Jamba began as 'Juice Club' in 1990 when Kirk Perror got his mom to loan him money to open his first storefront in San Luis Obispo, California.  The name then changed to 'Jamba Juice' and finally abbreviated to Jamba, the name we all know and love.  If you fancy a smoothie, the first Jamba is still trading!

23. Sonic - 1953

Image source / PinterestSonic Drive-In, the fast food chain, was founded in 1953 by Troy N Smith Snr.  The burger joint’s name then changed to simply Sonic and its slogan was, 'Service With the Speed of Sound.'  The first Sonic sign arrived at the Stillwater restaurant and that’s exactly where it remains today!

24. White Castle - 1921

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The first White Castle opened in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas. In 2011, the company celebrated nine decades by by making a special one day only return to Wichita, to grill up burgers as part of a fundraiser for the Kansas Food Bank.  The original building was demolished and is now a bank.

25. Sbarro's - 1970

Image source / Eater

It may be difficult to imagine a Sbarro’s that isn’t a few steps away from a Spencer’s Gifts in the mall food court, but the pizza chain actually began as an Italian grocery store in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn in 1956.  As they rebranded, they branched out into the many malls in 1970 and were hugely successful.

26. Blimpie - 1964

Image source / New Jersey Monthly

In 1964, three former high school friends opened up the first Blimpie sandwich shop in Hoboken, New Jersey. Tony Conza, one of the founders, came up with the name after searching through the dictionary for an alternative to 'sub' and 'hoagie'.  He thought Blimpie sounded like a sandwich.

27. Nathan's Famous - 1916

Image source / Business Insider

What began as a hot dog stand in Coney Island in 1916, turned into a worldwide food chain.  Apart from the Surf Avenue stand, not much has changed in its appearance.  Polish immigrant, Nathan Handwerker, used a $300 loan to begin selling franks, using his wife, Ida's, recipe.

28. Chipotle Mexican Grill - 1993

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When founder Steve Ellis opened his first Chipotle Mexican Grill in 1993, down the road from the University of Denver, his father and him worked out they would need to sell 107 burritos a day to make a profit.  Within a month, the store was selling ten times that number and the business had success written all over it.

29. Dunkin' Donuts - 1948

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Before Dunkin’, it was just a simple donut shop on Southern Artery in Quincy, Massachusetts.   This was 1948 and it operated under the name of 'Open Kettle.'  Barely a year later, it changed to 'Dunkin Donuts' and while the building has been altered over the years, it's still recognisable.

30. Waffle House - 1955

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The first Waffle House opened in 1955 by Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner. The original location is now the Waffle House Museum and visitors can check out the memorabilia and see a recreation of the original restaurant.  It was called Waffle House because waffles were very profitable.

31. And Now: Legendary Fast Food Restaurants That No Longer Exist! All Star Café

image source: delish.com

The All Star Café looked super cool, didn't it? Owned by Planet Hollywood - as you can sort of tell by the design - this was a sports-themed restaurant, which had about 10 eateries at one point, until they all ended up closing their doors for good! Did you ever eat here?

32. Burger Chef

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Burger Chef was actually the original restaurant you have to thank for those Happy Meal toys your kids get with their burgers these days, that keep them entertained for 0.0001 seconds. It once had over a thousand locations, until it closed for good in 1981, sadly!

33. Burger Queen

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What's the next best thing up from a Burger Chef? A Burger Queen, of course! You may have already heard of Burger King, but did you know there was once a Queen? Back in the 1950s, this chain had (you guessed it) burgers and fried chicken, until it eventually became Dairy Queen!

34. Beefsteak Charlie's

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Lots of fast food chains in history have jumped on one specific theme for their brand - and Beefsteak Charlie's was a horseracing theme. It was most well known for its steak sandwich, and it grew to have 60 locations but it eventually shut up shop permanently in 2009.

35. Carrols

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Carrols was a pretty big deal back in the 1960s, and they were even big enough to have their very own mascot: a yellow slug! Which doesn't sound very appetizing, but still. The individual Carrols restaurants were phased out by the 1980s, while its parent company is now an owner of Burger King.

36. Chicken George

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Chicken George was originally founded in Maryland, USA, and even though it was quite a small fast food place, it was still a popular and respected one. It ended up having around 6 stores, with Maryland location being most popular, but eventually had to file for bankruptcy.

37. Casa Bonita

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This Mexican fast food joint was first founded in Oklahoma, and it had a few famous things on the menu, including its fried bread with honey. This fast food place specialized in all you could eat chicken and beef, until it was decided it should be sold and then rebranded!

38. Chi-Chi's

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The reason this particular restaurant had to close down in the USA might surprise you. While it did have to declare bankruptcy, it also ended up having one of the biggest hepatitis A outbreaks in US history! It eventually left the US in 2004, but still has some restaurants in other countries of the world.

39. Dee's Hamburgers

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If you're able to see past the terrifying clown, this fast food place wasn't half bad - and its huge marketing ploy was that it catered specifically to the students of Utah University, meaning it was ideal for drunken takeouts and college kids on bad diets. But in the 1970s, they sold all their stores.

40. Doggie Diner

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Despite what you might think, this unfortunately wasn't an adorable dog and human café where you could bring your four-legged friend along. The chain was named because it sold hotdogs as well as burgers, but it closed in 1986 because it couldn't compete with the big fast food chains like Burger King.

41. Geri's Hamburgers

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This fast food burger chain in Illinois was very, very similar to McDonald's - and the runner of Geri's - named Geri of course - was actually the old VP of McDonald's, so that explains a lot. Unfortunately, by 1999, Geri had stopped operating altogether - and McDonald's, of course, continued to flourish.

42. Gino's Burgers & Chicken

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The sign says they're back, but they certainly went away again - for good. Gino's Burgers & Chicken originally had 359 locations before it was bought out in the 80s and then rebranded. The last Gino's closed in 1986, and it was then known as Roy Rogers Restaurants!

43. Heap Big Beef

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Anything labelled big beef would have drawn in a lot of customers, and this fast food restaurant focused on serving up roast beef sandwiches to its clientele in the 1960s. Unfortunately, the novelty apparently wore off and it went out of existence in the 70s.

44. Henry's Hamburgers

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While this chain did lose a lot of its locations, there is one standalone restaurant that's still operational - but there's only one in the whole world! You can find it in Chicago, where it originally opened. It specialized in burgers, fries and delicious milkshakes in the 50s and 60s!

45. Howard Johnson's

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Almost looks like an old-fashioned train journey, doesn't it? Howard Johnson's included a menu a little different from most fast food places, like chicken pot pies and clams. It was founded in the 1920s, but it started to struggle when other fast food chains began. The last restaurant closed in 2022.

46. Little Tavern

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Even with the adorable name, the last Little Tavern closed down in 2008. It originally marketed as a hamburger joint with a 'castle' design and feel to it on the little shack. While this particular restaurant is no more, you can go to White Castle if you're looking for similar vibes!

47. Lum's

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Lum's had a very particular menu item that went down a treat: hot dogs steamed in beer! But despite how amazing this sounded to a lot of people, it wasn't enough to keep this place afloat, and they had to file for bankruptcy. It permanently closed down in 1983.

48. Milligan's Beefy Burgers

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This was actually the very first fast food drive thru chain that appeared in Florida. It was popular with the residents of Jacksonville, who had a hankering for its beef burgers. At one point, it had 10 locations, but by 1974 it had to close down due to huge competition (yep, McDonald's and Burger King).

49. Mighty Casey's

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Mighty by name, mighty by nature - but not mighty enough to stay operational, sadly! This originally started in Atlanta, Georgia, and here you could find barbeque sandwiches and the famous Grand Slam Hamburger.  But in 1944, the chain was bought out by Krystal.

50. Naugles

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Before the famous Taco Bell, Naugles was pretty much the place to get your tacos - as well as your burgers and other fast food treats. This chain, in Southern Carolina, started out in 1970, but it ended up closed by 1995. But, funnily enough, it was 'rebooted' and there are a few next-gen Naugles around.