His hat was a tray with a Styrofoam hamburger, fries, and a milkshake on top of it. Though the popular burger joint Hardee's (also known as Carl's Jr. in some places)actually first opened in 1960, it took some time for the chain to become super popular. According to Insider, the most popular fast food chain in 1990 wasn't even really a question, and it wasn't even food. Heres the most popular Chick-fil-A menu item right now. Vintage McDonald's: See 5 decades of the famous fast food chain's retro restaurants, menus & history, Vintage Pizza Hut restaurants & food from the '70s, Sambo's Restaurants: The diner chain's story - and how it got that controversial name, Vintage KFC: About Colonel Sanders & the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food chain's history, Burger King: The vintage fast food restaurant they once called 'delightfully different', Vintage Taco Bell restaurants & see what the Mexican fast-food chain used to serve, Howard Johnson's ice cream shops & restaurants: Good old days goodness from the '50s & '60s. The fast food industry has continued to grow and evolve in the 2010s. However, the Colonel had been perfecting his chicken recipe for years before he opened his first restaurant. Most people believe that the first fast food chain was White Castle. That's because in 1998, Chipotle got a huge key investor when McDonald's invested over $360 million into the franchise. Despite the fact that the word fast food had not yet gained widespread acceptance when the White Castle in Wichita, Kansas, opened its doors in 1921, the establishment is recognized as the first of its kind. These restaurants were designed to be quick, efficient, and affordable, and they quickly became popular with busy urbanites who didnt have time to cook or sit down for a traditional meal. By the late 1970s, there were more than 800 locations nationwide, but the number tumbled to just two in 2021, and then one in 2022. But while the chain launched all the way back in 1958, it took a few decades for it to become the powerhouse it is today, and it's all because of one menu change. Today, there are literally thousands of fast food chains all over the world, serving billions of customers every year. It was renamed Dominos Pizza in 1965, shortly after franchised pizza restaurants began to open. Today, there are dozens of major fast food chains operating all over the world. On the east coast, it was Dunkin' Donuts, now just Dunkin', then called Open Kettle, which opened its doors in Quincy, Massachusetts. Plus, this is what Americas best pizza chain of 2022 is. Vintage Cleveland restaurants: fast food, lasting memories (photos) Updated: Mar. That's the dream. if( 'moc.sihttae.www' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { By 1978, Wendy's had opened 1,000 restaurants, and by 1979, the chain had international outposts in both Hamilton, Ontario, and Munich. 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Find out more here. Seriously, fast food is a beloved part of American culture, and different chains offer many different cuisines, with there being something for everyone. RELATED: The easy way to make healthier comfort foods. And while not the first fast-food chain in America, White Castle can fairly claim to be the original American burger joint. Kentucky Fried Chicken was founded by Harland Sanders in 1955, but it really took off by 1963 when it became the largest fast food operation in the United States with 600 locations. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Subway became the worlds most popular chain, Taco Bell at home with our best copycat recipes, fast-food restaurants are best for vegetarians, secrets Chipotle employees wont tell you, Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Little Caesars pizzeria started with a blind date between Mike Ilitch and Marian Bayoff, who hit it off and were married in months. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Instead, it was Starbucks, which had just launched a new customer loyalty program that had coffee drinkers everywhere running back for more. This is what it looked like in 1955, complete with its old mascot, Speedee, a chef with a burger for a head. We've rounded up the most popular fast food chains in every decade, so you can take a trip down memory lane with these famous foods. Learn how your comment data is processed. Yes, for anyone born in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Wendy's was probably where everyone was headed for a burger. From Fun Meals to fast Mexican to pizza, you could find just about anything you wanted with a little elbow grease and ingenuity. Another major player in the fast food industry during this time was Burger King. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); On opposite coasts of America, two very successful chains were founded. 1ufeff2 Even though McDonalds has always been the bigger business, their competition of more than 60 years has undoubtedly had an impact on both companies. Thats the growth you get with all-day access to caffeine! Originally called Chicken on the Run, it opened in 1972 to compete with Kentucky Fried Chicken. Because of that, the fast food chain expanded even further and got even more popular between 1998 and 2001. Material on this site is provided for education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. Instead, it used to be called Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, and after that, Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken & Biscuits. Take a look at how some of America's most popular chains have evolved over the years. Indeed, your great- and even great-great-grandparents may well have dined at many of the restaurants you enjoy today, and while the menus have grown and the orders may now be placed via app and delivered via Uber, the essence of American fast food remains the same even all these generations later: It's fast, it's affordable, and it's deliciousif not always healthy. See how Subway became the worlds most popular chain. Pizza! Thanks for visiting and for supporting a small business! I remember their all you can eat bar with several selections of pizza and other items (similar to the food bar at Pizza Hut). Your email address will not be published. But this was to be by far the most successful of his ventures, growing into one of America's largest fast-food chains. But then Glen Bell realized there was an opportunity in the market for Mexican food, and started selling tacos for 19 cents. The brands logo featured a Revolutionary War soldier-style nutcracker character and stylized text. Find out more here. Erica is a cleaning and home dcor expert. While Wendy's growth has been slower than some of its competitors, clients became loyal customers of the chain because of its salad bar and its low burger prices, which undercut McDonald's by a significant margin. Read more: 11 Secrets Arby's Doesn't Want You to Know. Despite all the other fast food chains of the times not really making the effort to advertise themselves as being healthy, Subway did just that and found plenty of success along the way. McDonald's operates about 14,000 restaurants in the U.S. and 22,000 abroad, and there are 15,000 KFC restaurants operating internationally and only about 4,000 within the U.S. Treacher cashed in on his fame by lending his name to this Ohio-based fast-food chain, which opened its first restaurant in Columbus in 1969. While some people love fast food and think its a convenient and delicious way to eat, others believe that its unhealthy and contributes to obesity. This board is all about capturing the splendor (and grossness) of that food, those places, and the days of our lives You might not know that for many years Chick-fil-A was strictly a mall food court restaurant, not opening its first freestanding location until 1986. The popular fast food chain might not be your typical fast food joint, but it is seriously delicious, and convenient. Specifically, the early and mid- 1990s were huge for McDonald's, with more and more international locations of the chain opening worldwide and a new menu item being introduced that continues to be popular today. xhr.send(payload); WELCOME HOME, FISH & CHIPS (1970) Vintage ad from the Chula Vista Star-News (California) June 14, 1970 Arthur Treacher brings All-American dish back to its birthplace, Whataburger lands no. Originally named Casa Del Taco, the Casa was dropped in 1973 and it became the Del Taco you know today. Do you remember the old Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips fast food restaurants? Geris Hamburgers was an Illinois based fast food burger chain with glaring similarities to McDonalds. Drive-thrus quickly became a staple feature at most major fast food chains and helped to further fuel Americas love affair with these convenient eateries. Steak and Ale; Two Pesos; Wag's; Wetson's; White Tower Hamburgers one location remains in Toledo, Ohio [citation needed] It quickly became the country's favorite fast food restaurant, with Colonel Sanders perfecting his signature blend of 11 herbs and spices during that period. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-53563316-1&cid=2096376d-bf3b-44c4-8dae-49cfd39f5c28&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=3296891323046020240'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); Who could be mad at that? In the US, McDonald's has also taken measures to protect customers, such as limiting the number of customers eating inside, requiring all employees and patrons to wear PPE, and frequently cleaning all surfaces. Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas and today boasts locations around the world. The chain had five locations in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. Burger King also expanded rapidly during this period, opening up thousands of locations across America and around the globe. The first Wendy's closed its doors in 2007, and the building has since been torn down. Ronald McDonald made his first appearance in 1963, and he has been around ever since. The Sonic Drive-In you know and love, was once a root beer stand named The Top Hat. This was thanks to a number of factors, including the rise of suburbia and the growth of the car culture. Delicious, reasonably-priced food that you can get without even leaving your car? WebAug 25, 2020 - 1970s fast food may not have been as "sophisticated" as the restaurants we have today, but boy was it fun! Most of their locations were on the east coast. Next Door was a concept restaurant chain from the early 1970s that was owned by Pizza Hut International. Pop in to score Lebanese "pizza" loaded with toppings like stringy Akkawi cheese, beef, mushrooms and spinach and za'atar spices. After all, you can't reach tens of thousands of locations worldwide and billions of customers served if you never sell that first burger, slice, hot dog, or taco. Inspired by popular burrito stands in California, Steve Ells opened the first Chipotle Mexican Grill in Denver, Colorado in 1993. In the early 1970s, the company attempted to expand from its Mid-Atlantic base into the Midwest ; however, these locations only operated a short period. Krystal today operates around 300 restaurants across 10 states and has 3,500 employees, bringing SPB's total workforce to 18,500. Sambos Restaurants: The diner chains story and how it got that controversial name. Remember when Mexican food seemed new and exciting & we thought Chi Chi's was the real deal? } else { The Most Popular Fast Food Chain The Year You Were Born, Burger King was originally started in 1953. One of the most popular fast food chains of this era was McDonalds. When the restaurant first opened, the family-owned business sold its 5-cent sliders by the stack. It's been called the "most valuable" fast-foodrestaurant chain and thebiggest quick-service restaurantin the world. Taco Bell may be known for its Mexican-style food, but its founder, Glen William Bell, was entirely of European ancestry. Burger King has also begun focusing its advertisements on showcasing its food's high-quality ingredients with no preservatives added, namely through one infamous commercial that shows a Whopper decomposing over time. Note: This article may feature affiliate links, and purchases made may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Particularly, Raffaele Esposito, a baker from Naples, is often credited with creating the first pizza pie. I remember as a young child going with my grandmother to Next Door. } ); 8 spot on best fast-food burgers of America list. It paid off right away, when in 1989 Pizza Hut delivered pizzas to the White House for a pizza party hosted by First Lady Barbara Bush. In addition to classic tacos, burritos and burgers, Del Taco also offers a variety of vegetarian and vegan menu items using plant-based crumbles they call Beyond Meat. See what other fast-food restaurants are best for vegetarians. Take a look back! Although there were few fast food restaurants to contend with at the time, McDonald's far outpaced the growth of its fellow chains. Predictably, this promise gained the chain plenty of fans along the way. Mamma Desta (19781983) 4840 Georgia Ave., NW. The Greene Turtle: This sports-focused Northeastern restaurant chain with 34 locations is offering ID-presenting teachers a free entree (up to a $13 value) on Teacher Appreciation Day. Theme: Fameup by Themeansar. On opposite coasts of America, two very successful chains were founded. When it opened, its menu only offered nine items hamburgers, cheeseburgers, french fries, milkshakes, milk, root beer, orangeade, Coca Cola, and coffee. } ); Produced by Will Reid and Michael Simon Johnson. Remembering the old Next Door Restaurant chain from the '70s, See these 40 vintage diners from the '40s (and try the blue-plate special!). Hosted by Michael Barbaro. Red patent leather-like booths and tables are equipped with red individual telephones for ordering. It featured speakers set by parking spots so customers never had to exit their cars to order food. The colorful Americana interior features wooden soldiers watching over the diners. Introduced to the United States market at the end of 1969, when the chain's first restaurant opened in Columbus, Ohio, Wendy's dominated the 1970s. RELATED:The Worst Fast-Food French Fries. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { Clearly, this entire decade was all about the golden arches. On the one hand, it is convenient and affordable; on the other hand, it is often criticized for being unhealthy and contributing to obesity rates. Original publication date: September 1972. Sanders visited KFC restaurants around the world up until his death in 1980, at the age of 90, in Louisville, Kentucky. a Burger King. Potato Crisps were another one of General Mills' signature crunchy snacks that dominated in the 1970s. Food is served from a central counter. Your favorite burger chain has beat out its competition every single year since 2010. Thanks for visiting and for supporting a small business! While McDonald's may have earned the most revenue, no brand was better at building customer loyalty in the 1990s than Starbucks. But just about everyone knows A&W root beer, which can be bought canned or bottled just about anywhere. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e. Only one franchise store, in Michigan, remains. See exteriors of more than 70 classic Stickley-style homes, Vintage Fashion from the 1960s adult coloring book: 50 pages of retro 60s clothing for women, Groovy Fashion of the 70s: Vintage Women Coloring Book #10, Vintage Homes Adult Coloring Book #2: Classic Victorian Houses, Something Old: Vintage Wedding Dress Fashion Look Book, Classic Cars Adult Coloring Book #2: Vintage 1920s Automobiles (1920-1929), 10 fruity summer sippers: The best non-alcoholic drinks from the 70s, Vintage portable & manual typewriters from the 50s, 60s & 70s had the best then-new features, Easy chocolate Scotcheroos take Rice Krispies treats to the next level (1965), Print Color Fun: Free coloring pages & more fun for kids, Quotes Quotes Quotes: 1000s of clever & inspiring quotations, FindersFree.com: Find answers to lifes little questions. The first fast food chains started appearing in the 1940s, and they were typically drive-in restaurants that served burgers, fries, and other simple menu items. The one constant in this ever-changing landscape is that there will always be a demand for quick, convenient, and affordable meals makingfastfood restaurants hereto stay. Back in the 1920s, there were few chains to compete with, making White Castle a standout in the market. The package described them as that last little extra-crispy fry that people fight for.

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