13 Beloved Fast Food Chains That Got Their Start in the American South

The fast food of the American South has as much charm as the people. The culture that gathered around Granny’s table on Sunday afternoons for ‘supper’ has, no doubt, turned into families looking for nostalgia in local drive-thru restaurants. Let’s get us a cup of ranch dressin’, y’all, and dip right on in! Here are thirteen very iconic and beloved fast-food chains that were born in The South.

1. Whataburger

Yes, I listed this as number one in fast food for a reason. It is my favorite, and it is from my home state of Texas! Corpus Christi, Texas, to be exact. Opened in 1950, Harmon Dodson took a beachside burger stand and transformed it into the two-handed burger giant we all know today! If you are ever in the Gulf Coast area of Texas, take a detour to Shoreline Boulevard on Corpus Christi Bay and visit this iconic and impressive location. Order you a “Number 5” with a Dr. Pepper and spicy ketchup! MMMM, mmm!

2. Sonic Drive-In

Opening in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 1959, this staple of American fast food rolled out its first orders to its patrons! Rolled out? Yes, the carhops were on skates! You can find Sonic Drive-in in just about any southern town, even if it is the only chain business you’ve seen for miles. I have noticed that the more rural the Sonic location, the more likely it is to have carhops on quad skates. When you are eight years old, waiting on some tater-tots and a cherry limeade, the inspiration to get a job as a carhop is real!

3. Popeye’s Chicken

In 1972, in a suburb of New Orleans, Louisiana, the friers heated up for the first of many times to come. Getting hot, fried chicken fast with the unmistakable flavor of Cajun country became a dream come true! Whoever stood in line in 2019 for their chicken sandwich, raise your hand! Cajun sauce and pickles, y’all! Popeye’s today expands way beyond The Delta lands, every bite of its tasty chicken encapsulates. Yes, we really do all “Love that Chicken from Popeye’s! I love the coleslaw, too.

4. Hardee’s

Their breakfasts, I mean, seriously. If you have not started your day with a breakfast biscuit from Hardee’s, have you even lived? This North Carolina fast food icon opened its doors in 1960 and has been serving a truly Southern menu ever since. I am not here to take any deserving spotlight off their burgers; they are wonderful, but y’all… You can order country-fried steak with pepper gravy on a homemade biscuit for breakfast. In a drive-thru. That’s about as Southern as you can get, right there.

5. Schlotzsky’s

Some of us may or may not have been toasted in Austin, Texas, before, but this toasty sandwich was born there. You will not go wrong ordering ‘The Original’ sandwich, and thanks to their fresh-baked bread, available in 3 sizes, you’ll get the exact right size meal for your appetite. In 1971, this hot sandwich chain opened a single location in Texas’s capital city and has been a delicious addition to the world of fast food sandwiches ever since! Just like one of their many slogans says, “Funny Name, Serious Sandwich.”

6. Burger King

Just hearing the name Burger King makes your mouth water for that flame-broiled greatness! This well-known fast food chain started its journey in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1953. At the time, they operated under the name Insta-Burger King, before changing to just Burger King in 1959 at their Miami-Dade locations, then the world. Insta-Burger? What, were they on The ‘gram decades before it was invented? The founders of the restaurant invented the legendary flame broiler and streamlined one of America’s favorite grilled meats. How do you order your Whopper?

7. Taco Bueno

Abilene, Texas, is the perfect place to see the South meeting the Southwest. It is no surprise that this fast food Tex-Mex chain was founded along the red brick streets of this historic city in 1967. The best part of dining at Taco Bueno is the salsa bar. Here you can get all the flavors you expect on your Big ‘ol Burrito, and more. This might be generational, but I cannot say Big ‘ol Burrito without making the corky hand puppet say it with me! You, too? I see you, and I identify this act as normal. The nineties were rad, y’all, totally rad!

8. Braum’s

The Braum Family had been in the dairy business since the late years of The Great Depression. It wasn’t until 1968 that Bill and Mary Braum opened the first restaurant location in Oklahoma City. Leaving generations since, so glad they did! Their history shows real grit, a strong determination to take something good and make it better. I have yet to visit a Braum’s where there isn’t a crowd of happy eaters. This is where the whole family goes after weekend ball games. The place you go to reward your kiddo with a double-dip waffle cone for a job well done. Setting a higher standard for drive-thru ice cream quality and fresh burgers.

9. Slim Chickens

In 2003, two guys, Tom Gordon and Greg Smart, opened the first Slim Chickens on College Avenue in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The fun atmosphere and the many choices of dipping sauce are only a small part of what makes this chicken chain one of the best! Just look at the logo. Like, I want to know that chicken, I want to hear the songs he plays on that guitar while eating chicken! Oof, well… maybe that idea is a tad barbaric. I would feel really bad eating chicken in front of a singing, guitar-playing chicken. Slim Chickens is an amazing restaurant with menu items beyond just basic fried chicken. They have banana puddin’ in a mason jar, y’all. That’s Southern all day long.

10. Long John Silver’s

To think once upon a time in 1969, a man from Lexington, Kentucky, said, “Hey, seafood and fast food need to come together.” At least that could have been the thought process. Jim Patterson was that man, and his idea was fantastic! Do you shrimp or do you fish? Red sauce, tartar sauce, malt vinegar, or lemon? The answer is yes, just yes! There will always be a feeling of nostalgia associated with LGSs. It was a favorite fast food dive for my grandparents, and we went every time they came to visit. Back in those days, your deep-fried servings of golden goodness were served over a crunchy bed of crispies. They should bring those back for old times’ sake.

11. Firehouse Subs

Another Jacksonville, Florida-born fast food chain is Firehouse Subs. Founded by firefighting brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen, they took an idea and a couple of hot dogs and started an empire that is worthy of its praise. Their subs are toasty hot, melty, gooey, steamy, and one of a kind. Fact: Firemen can cook really well, and the menu at Firehouse Subs is delicious! It can fit your moods, too. One day I can be all about the Turkey Bacon Ranch, add pickles, and another day I am 100% all about that Smokehouse Beef and Cheddar, add jalapenos. I do sometimes wish the kids’ meal fireman hats came in adult sizes.

12. McAlister’s Deli

There is not one single menu item I can recommend over another here. They are all so good, making a decision here can be a longer process. Luckily, this Oxford, Mississippi chain helps us out by offering a ‘pick two’ option. You can have your half sandwich and half salad, or you can get a cup of soup and half of a baked potato, which they call ‘spuds.’ Opened in 1989, McAlister’s Deli offered a comfort menu that the faster-paced Americans needed in their lives then and still need and enjoy today.

13. Raising Cane’s

Proving chickens really do have fingers, this Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based chicken chain changed everything. The sauce has love in it, y’all, you can taste the love! It was back in 1996 when the first establishment started serving customers, and these guys and gals have been rockin’ out combo boxes to ‘Caniacs’ daily! What comes in a combo box? Easy, everything you’ll need to go with your chicken fingers! Cole slaw, crinkle fries, and toast, a couple of cups of Cane’s Sauce, voila, everything. You will have to decide whether to get fresh-squeezed lemonade or sweet tea. If you get nervous, just order both!

Final Thoughts

The American South is a one-of-a-kind place. Beautiful, but with a convoluted history, large weather events, and high humidity. Lots and lots of humidity! But we love it down here in The South, and we love our food. Memories are made over dinner tables, always have been. Nothing can ever be better than that Sunday supper at your Granny’s, and even if there was, that’s your granny, and you’d better go eat whatever she made! But for those days that time gets away from you, or you just need that southern fried feeling in a hurry, remember these restaurants could be right around the corner from where you are, southern or not.