Where To Watch
These are the 10 oldest fast-food chains! How many have you been to?
This list will get you hungry!
"Have it your way." "I'm lovin' it." "Finger lickin' good."
No culinary category has pervaded American culture quite like fast food. Burgers and chicken nuggets? That's us, neighbor.
We're listing out 10 of the oldest and best fast-food chains. Go ahead, take a trip down memory lane, and let us know which ones you've visited!
1. A&W
Did you know that "A&W" stands for founders Allen & Wright? What began as a simple root beer stand back in 1919 still serves folks today! The first A&W was opened in Lodi, California to serve returning World War I soldiers. Today, you can pair your root beer with a hotdog or a burger!
2. White Castle
Because A&W originally served just root beer, many argue that White Castle is the true title-holder of "Oldest Fast-Food Chain." The first one opened in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas. Today, people who haven't visited might know White Castle for its frozen sliders or how it was featured in the movie Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.
3. KFC
Way back in 1930, "Colonel" Harland Sanders sold chicken out of a gas station. The Kentucky Fried Chicken brand expanded to franchised restaurants in 1952. By then, Sanders was actually commissioned as a real Colonel by Kentucky Governor Lawrence Wetherby. Nobody does chicken like KFC!
4. McDonald's
San Bernadino, California was the sight of the McDonald brothers' first drive-in restaurant. While McDonald's is best known for its burgers today, in 1940, they sold slow-cooked barbecue sandwiches. The first restaurant to use the iconic golden arches opened in Phoenix, Arizona in 1953.
5. Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen was founded in 1940 by John Fremont McCullough and began franchising that same year. While the chain originally only sold ice cream treats, it quickly expanded to food like hotdogs, chicken fingers, and french fries. Did you know that the little curl on top of the ice cream cone is trademarked?
6. In-N-Out
In-N-Out is a real cult favorite, mostly because it's only available on the West Coast. Residents of California, Arizona, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Texas have been enjoying In-N-Out burgers for nearly eighty years, as the fast-food chain was founded in 1948 in Baldwin Park, California. Since then, all In-N-Outs have remained company-owned, as the restaurant has never been franchised!
7. Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts was founded in the same year as In-N-Out. However, while In-N-Out has stayed mostly regional, Dunkin' has expanded to over 12,000 locations in 46 countries. While originally conceived to quickly serve up fresh coffee and donuts, the chain has since begun selling an expanded menu, dropping the "Donuts" from its name!
8. Jack in the Box
Founder Robert O. Peterson already owned a chain of restaurants called Topsy's Drive-In when he opened his first Jack in the Box in 1951. His new venture kept the circus theme, and implemented one big innovation. Jack in the Box is one of the first fast-food joints to use an intercom system. Now that's forward-thinking!
9. Sonic
1953 was the year Sonic was first introduced to the American public. Founder and WWII vet Troy Smith began franchising the fast-food chain three years later. Three years after that, in 1959, the restaurant dropped its original name, Top Hat, and adopted the lightning-fast name "Sonic."
10. Burger King
Sonic beat Burger King to the punch by just one year. But, in 1954, America was introduced to fast-food royalty when Keith J. Kramer and Matthew Burns opened their first restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida. Here's a fun fact, it was originally named "Insta-Burger King." We think the newer name has a more regal ring to it, don't you agree? It wasn't too long before the Whopper was introduced in 1957.
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