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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47 Comments

sagafrat69 3 days ago
I've been to 9 of 10. Never been to a White Castle although I've eaten the sliders from the frozen section of the supermarket. Does that count? Absolutely the best burger on God's green earth is found at In-N-Out. They serve burgers, fries, milkshakes and soda. That's the menu. I have one very close and I swear there are fifteen cars deep in line anytime of the day and you still will get your food in a reasonable time. Rumor has it that chef Gordon Ramsey of "Hell's Kitchen' and "Masterchef" fame among others got a double double in the drive thru and went BACK in line right away for another burger because his first was so good. It's a family business and original owners were resistant to expand outside of California for years. New generation has emerged and that has changed over the last decade. I have friends and family members who when they come to the west coast say their first stop for a meal is In-N-Out. Crazy.
Dolly1 4 days ago
Whataburger is great. Never been to in and out burger.
Tresix 4 days ago
Never been to In-&-Out or Sonic. I did see the former when I visited L.A. I have to look for the Sonic that’s still in the Chicago area.
Dolly1 Tresix 4 days ago
Sonic is good
Alyssa14 5 days ago
I started working at Burger Chef at 15
and stayed for 10 years. Loved the job
and the food!
Dolly1 Alyssa14 4 days ago
They were so good. Then became Hardee's. Not so good now.
AnnieM 5 days ago
I wondered enough about Wendy's to Google it (since I like their burgers best). Turns out they began in 1969 in Columbus, Ohio.
ncadams27 5 days ago
I remember the first fast food restaurant around 1960 called Carrol’s Hamburgers. Motto was “A Serving a Second”. You had to walk up to the outside window to order and get your food. No tables, no roof over the window, and no drive through. In 1975 all Carrol’s remaining locations became Burger King.
Bapa1 5 days ago
My doctor won't be happy about this, but ALL of them.
ncadams27 5 days ago
I remember A&W being served in frosty glass mugs. There was a shelf on the side of the building where you put the empty mug and you had to be careful of the bees that were attracted to the root beer residue left in the mugs.
Dolly1 ncadams27 4 days ago
I can remember stealing the mugs.
Coldnorth Dolly1 3 days ago
Stealing frosted beer mugs was much better.not that I know, I just heard stuff bout it 🙄🙄🙄🙄
BenSobeleone 5 days ago
Heard that Colonel Sanders was angry when they made changes to his secret gravy recipe after he was bought out in 1964. "That friggin'...outfit...so gosh darn mad!"
Clearly you cleaned up THAT quote...LOL!
Dolly1 BenSobeleone 4 days ago
The gravy isn't as good.
BenSobeleone 5 days ago
I'm hungry now! Gotta go to Burger King sometime for a Whopper with cheese.
StrayCat 5 days ago
Being from the East Coast, I've been to all but In-N-Out. Interestingly, In New Jersey, there is/was a chain named Stewart's, that looked exactly like A&W. They had the same logo except instead of the A&W, there was the name Stewart's. And they sold hot dogs, burgers, fries, etc. and A&W Root Beer.
MrsPhilHarris 5 days ago
Have not been to In-N-Out, Dunkin Donuts, Jack In The Box or Sonic.
Jacki MrsPhilHarris 5 days ago
There was too many I haven't been to, so I listed the ones I have actually been to. 😄
Jacki Jacki 5 days ago
I have to correct my grammar. I should have said "were" instead of "was".🤭
Peter_Falk_Fan 6 days ago
I've been to all on here except White Castle and In-N-Out. I miss going to an A&W drive-in.
Badge714 6 days ago
All but White Castle.
Dolly1 Badge714 4 days ago
They are called belly bombers for a reason.
Jacki 6 days ago
KFC, McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, and Burger King are the ones I have been to. In my opinion Burger King is better than McDonald's. They failed to mention Krispy Kreme Donuts, but they're probably a regional place. In my opinion Krispy Kreme Donuts is way better than Dunkin' Donuts.☺️
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Jacki AnnieM 5 days ago
That's for sure and to me they also seem greasy.
Jacki AnnieM 5 days ago
Also whenever I would eat a McDonald's burger, I would get sick from the grease.
SalIanni Jacki 4 days ago
I've been to the major places: McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Kentucky Fried Chicken (I hated it when they started calling it KFC!), but my favorite place for fast food and coffee will always be Tim Hortons!
Jacki SalIanni 4 days ago
I haven't heard of Tim Hortons so I googled it. It sounds like a good place, but there's none located near my area. There's one quite a distance from me and the rest are located clear across my state.
deltadart 6 days ago
All of them.
In and out is good for fast food Burgers.
leeroyprice 6 days ago
A&W has the best rootbeer. The Whopper at Burger King is the best. In my opinion.
Jacki leeroyprice 5 days ago
Yep, I agree with you about Burger King, but I usually get the Junior Whopper; it's very good. 🍔
15inchBlackandWhite 6 days ago
Have been to all except Jack In The Box and In-N-Out as I've never been to the parts of the country where they operate. And I have not set foot in a KFC in 48 years after they gave me food poisoning twice in a row.
Like you, I've been to all of them except Jack In The Box and In-N-Out...
I don't care for KFC; their food is way too greasy. I haven't eaten there in years.
KawiVulc 6 days ago
Half... most of it I wouldn't eat now.
Jacki KawiVulc 5 days ago
The only one whose food I have had recently is Burger King. 🍔
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