The US has practically perfected the art of the restaurant chain; the world’s largest and most well-known chains are American, from McDonald’s to Starbucks. Then there are the chains that have become famous around the globe – despite there being few, if any, locations outside the USA. These all-American restaurants are loved by locals and tempting to tourists. We've hunted down the most talked-about chains, ranking them up to the one people want to visit most.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the American restaurant chains everyone wants to visit – counting down to the most unmissable of all.

We've based our ranking on reviews, discussions and general buzz surrounding each chain, and on the experience of our team. This list is unavoidably subjective.