Think of fast food and you think of the USA. Most of the world’s most iconic chains started here, but not all have expanded overseas. From cult favourite In-N-Out Burger to the wonderfully retro Sonic Drive-In, these are the tasty joints that Americans get to keep all to themselves. Here's our pick of the fast food restaurants that only have locations in the US, counting down to the one everyone wants to visit.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the fast food chains you’ll only find in America.
We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each restaurant in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.
With flavours such as Sunshine (mango, banana, pineapple and orange) and Avocolada (avocado, pineapple, spinach, kale, coconut and lime), the colourful smoothies alone are enough to entice you into Tropical Smoothie Cafe. However, the chicken and veggie flatbreads and wraps also draw in their fair share of customers. In fact, the Floridian chain is currently one of the country’s fastest growing fast food brands.
One of America’s favourite Mexican chains is Taco Bueno. Located in Southern states such as Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, it’s loved for its Taco Platter, featuring crunchy and soft tacos, rice, refried beans, tortilla chips, sour cream and guacamole. If you ask us, the chain needs to go global so the rest of the world can try it!
Hailing from Donelson, Tennessee, Captain D’s has been frying seafood delights since its first location opened in 1969. Originally named Mr. D Seafood and Hamburgers, the chain initially launched with a series of burger options – but these days its main focus is on frying up the fruits of the sea, serving everything from hand-breaded catfish to Southern-style white fish. With over 500 locations across the US, you can find Captain D’s in multiple states, including Colorado, Ohio and Texas.
Despite the name, this historic fast food company doesn’t actually sell wiener schnitzel (a type of schnitzel made of thin, breaded, pan-fried veal) – but it does make a fantastic hot dog. Founded in 1961 by a former Taco Bell employee, the chain is famous for the A-frame roofs of its older restaurants, as well as its menu of loaded hot dogs, corn dogs and indulgent milkshakes. The majority of the chain’s locations are in California and Texas, though there are some in other states including Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado and Illinois.
Eegee's may be one of America’s lesser-known chains, but it’s a massive deal in Tucson, Arizona, where most of its locations are found. Fans rave about the crinkle-cut fries (which come covered in a delicious house-made ranch dressing), the hefty subs (stuffed with everything from meatballs to Buffalo chicken), and the huge cookies. Its signature frozen fruit slushies – available in flavours such as strawberry, Piña Colada and lemon – also provide much-needed refreshment in the scorching Arizona heat.
At Burgerville it’s all about low prices, local ingredients and the pursuit of sustainability. Grand Central Bakery provides the chain's brioche buns, the cheese is Tillamook only, and the beef comes from family-owned ranches in the Pacific Northwest. Not only that, but the shakes feature fruit sourced from family-owned farms, too. Sadly, you can only find Burgerville outposts in Washington and Oregon.
BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, founded in California in the 1970s, has a huge menu of burgers, pizzas, pastas, chicken dishes and salads at wallet-friendly prices – so there's always something for everyone. The joint has locations across the USA and is probably most famous for its iconic Pizookie dessert (pictured): a cookie baked in a skillet like a deep-dish pizza.
Looking for the best place to get a milkshake in the Southeast? Head to Cook Out – when you order a cheesecake shake, you get a whole slice of the dessert in your drink. If you're not in the mood for cheesecake, there are more than 40 other flavours to try, including tempting options like watermelon and peach cobbler. The chain is also known for its barbecue pulled pork sandwiches, cheeseburgers and quesadillas.
Nebraska isn’t a state that immediately comes to mind when thinking of enviable fast food options, but it has one vendor doing something you won’t find elsewhere. Runza serves a dish that’s something between a burger and a hot pocket: the Runza Sandwich (pictured). The chain's signature version sees hot minced beef, onions and cabbage stuffed inside a soft, fresh bread roll. There are also options to order it with cheese, mushrooms or bacon, among other toppings.
A fast food joint with a sprawling menu, Southern chicken chain Zaxby’s offers tasty chicken fingers, wings, sandwich meals and a range of 'Zalads'. Most of the meals here are served with Texas toast: a thick slice of buttery white bread that's cooked so it's crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside. It first opened in 1990 in Statesboro, Georgia, and it now has over 900 locations in 17 states.
There’s more to American sandwich chains than Subway and Panera Bread. Jimmy John’s, founded in Charleston, Illinois in 1983, became popular because of its huge, fresh subs and delivery service, and it's still a favourite today. A classic choice is the Vito, featuring salami, capicola (cured pork meat), provolone, onion, lettuce, tomato and zingy Italian dressing.
Hip hot dog chain Dog Haus was founded in Pasadena, California in 2010 – and in a little over 10 years, it's expanded into 14 states. If you’re not in one of them, you’re missing out on some extravagantly topped sausages and all-beef hot dogs, not to mention the likes of chilli cheese fries and tots.
Budget-friendly chain Del Taco has been satisfying Southerners' appetites for Cali-Mex fast food since the 1960s. Apart from its ridiculously good prices, it’s known for its crunchy beef and fried chicken tacos as well as its burritos, burgers and loaded fries.
Braum’s Ice Cream & Dairy Store's history dates all the way back to the 1930s. Locations combine a burger joint, ice cream parlour and supermarket in one. Fans love its classic cheeseburgers, crinkle-cut fries and ice cream milkshakes – however, it can’t expand further than Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Missouri and Arkansas, as its stores must stay close to the company's dairy in Tuttle, Oklahoma.
Named after a naval term for the first shift of the day, First Watch is only open for breakfast and lunch. It specialises in pancakes, waffles, breakfast sandwiches and healthy-ish egg dishes. The popular spot is currently in 29 states, with plans to expand.
Did you know that Biscuitville bakes biscuits fresh every 15 minutes? Diners can order them filled with the likes of fried chicken, sausage patties, fried eggs and bacon, with sides such as home-style gravy. The menu focuses on fresh, locally and regionally sourced ingredients – and in each Biscuitville outpost, there's a 'biscuit window' where you can watch your food being made. Sadly, the chain currently only has outposts in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
Bold and a little kitsch, Pal’s Sudden Service restaurants are drive-thru only, and are designed as a bright blue box with a giant hot dog, burger, box of fries and drink on the roof. Located in Tennessee and Virginia, the chain is known for the quality of its food. Highlights from the menu include the tasty Bacon Biscuit, Big Pal burger and Frenchie Fries.
Love thick shakes? Then Iceberg Drive Inn, a burger joint set up by an ice cream salesman, might interest you. Located in Utah, California and Arizona, it offers the thickest shakes you’ve ever seen – in flavours such as cheesecake and mint chocolate chip – plus burgers, hot dogs, onion rings and pastrami sandwiches.
This fast-growing company's success is largely down to its refreshingly concise and simple menu. Raising Cane’s is best known for making juicy and perfectly crisp chicken fingers, served with cult-favourite Cane's Sauce – a super-creamy, tangy take on Thousand Island dressing. Also on the menu you’ll find Texas toast, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw and soft drinks, but that’s pretty much it. The brand launched in 1996 and now has more than 700 restaurants in 38 states.
What could be more American than a chain devoted to biscuit dishes? Tudor's – which has locations in West Virginia and its surrounding states – has a variety of mouth-watering biscuit sandwiches on its menu, including the Mary B (bacon, egg and cheese), the Rocket (steak, egg, cheese and potato) and the Shaved Ham Melt (shaved ham and melted cheese). You're missing out if there isn't a location near you.
Taco John’s started out as a tiny taco stand in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1969 and has gradually grown to become one of the Midwest’s most popular fast food joints. It’s best known for its unique 'West-Mex' cuisine, serving dishes like meat and potato burritos and fried chicken tacos. Fans also rave about its signature side: Potato Olés. These deep-fried potato nuggets are coated with a secret blend of seasonings, and no trip to Taco John’s is complete without grabbing a box. The chain has restaurants in 23 states, but most are concentrated around Wyoming.
You absolutely must leave room for dessert at Friendly’s, the retro East Coast chain known for its ice cream sundaes. It started as an ice cream shop in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1935, and it still sells ice cream to grocery stores. Looking for something savoury? There are also chicken and seafood dishes, hearty burgers and cheese melts on the menu.
It’s astonishing that this historic brand hasn’t expanded outside of the US. Many consider White Castle the first US fast food chain – and it must be doing something right, because it’s still in business after 100 years. The signature dish is a square, steam-grilled beef slider that people buy 'by the sack'.
Depending on where you are in the US, this drive-thru chain is known either as Checkers or Rally’s (Checkers in the Southeast, and Rally’s in the Midwest). A quintessential burger joint, it serves hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs and milkshakes. What makes it stand out is its French fries – they're coated in seasoned batter before they’re fried.
Bojangles has been operating since 1977, and it's famed for its Cajun fried chicken and crumbly buttermilk biscuits. It started out as a single store in Charlotte, Carolina but has gone on to spawn over 800 locations across 17 states – including Texas, Kentucky, Florida and Virginia. Fast food lovers head here for the breakfast biscuits, golden chicken sandwiches and family boxes.
There isn’t anything quite like Krystal outside of the USA. Founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1932, it’s one of the country’s oldest fast food brands, and it still serves the same steamed beef sliders as it did when it first opened. These days there are locations in nine states, including Florida, Georgia and Alabama. More recent menu additions include tiny chicken burgers, hot dogs and biscuit sandwiches.
It's hard to believe that food this good comes from a convenience store. But 24-hour joint Sheetz isn’t your regular service station. It offers made-to-order sandwiches, hot dogs, pizzas, burgers, fries and toasties. It’s currently found in states including Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina, but a concept this good should go global.
When the craving hits for a hard-shell taco, curly fries, fried chicken sandwich or burger, Jack in the Box is the place to go. The popular fast food chain – which first opened in San Diego, California in 1951 – now has around 2,200 locations in over 20 states, and it's almost as famous for its jack-in-the-box mascot as it is for its food.
A spicy food fan’s dream, New Mexico–born chain Blake’s Lotaburger doesn’t serve regular burgers and fries. The LOTA Burger comes packed with green chile and cheese – and you can get chopped Hatch Valley green chile, jalapeños or chilli con carne added to your fries, too.
Starting out in Culver City, California in 1958, this family-friendly steak house chain quickly garnered a reputation for its affordability and quality. After spawning hundreds of restaurants across the US, Sizzler began operating globally, with locations in Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan and Australia – where it still boasts cult status, despite the fact that no Australian outposts now remain. These days, you’ll find the chain slinging steak combos and crispy shrimp across the US and Puerto Rico only.
Craving a real Chicago all-beef hot dog – with onions, tomatoes, pickled peppers, dill pickles, mustard, relish, celery salt and a poppy seed bun? Illinois-born Portillo’s is the place to go. It currently only has locations in its home state, plus a handful of other states including California, Indiana, Arizona, Florida and Michigan.
A Southern institution, Waffle House opened in 1955 in Georgia – and now it has more than 1,900 locations in 25 states. It’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, serving fresh waffles, egg dishes, biscuits and hash browns covered in grilled onions, melted cheese and jalapeños.
1950s-founded joint Whataburger is one of the best places to grab a burger in Texas and its surrounding states – in fact, many Texans loyally declare it to be the greatest place for a burger anywhere. The chain's juicy beef patties are known for their hearty size and thickness, and the burgers can be customised with loads of different toppings, from grilled jalapeños to avocado. The Patty Melt (featuring Texas toast, grilled onions, melted cheese and two beef patties) is a must-order, too.
Culver's is known for its deliciously named ButterBurgers, made with fresh Midwest-raised beef, Wisconsin Cheddar and lightly buttered, toasted buns – and its frozen custard and cheese curds are pretty great, too. It opened in Sauk City, Wisconsin, in 1984 and now has more than 900 locations in 26 states.
With 3,550 locations across 46 states, Sonic Drive-In is pretty ubiquitous. As well as the carhops on roller skates, the retro-themed joint is loved for its classic cheeseburgers, beef hot dogs, customisable lemonade and limeade, and root beer.
Celebrity favourite In-N-Out Burger was founded in 1948 – but it only had locations in California until 1992, when it opened its first joint in Las Vegas, Nevada. These days it has restaurants in a handful of other states, including Arizona, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Colorado, with plans to expand into several more in the next few years. Those in the know order from its 'Not So Secret Menu', which includes burgers made 'Animal Style' (with mustard cooked into the patty). It’s also famous as the place where A-listers head for a bite after awards shows like the Golden Globes.
Now take a look at America's classic diners through the decades
Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.