Sure, White Castle was the United States' first fast food chain, but many would
probably agree that the Southern swath of the country perfected the art of fast food. So,
the next time you're in a Southern state, add one of these unique food brands to your to-do list.
Ask any Texan, and they'll tell you without hesitation that Buc-ee's is the best convenience
store and gas station there is. Buc-ee's opened in 1982, and the business name was made by combining
the name of the founder's childhood Labrador Retriever, Buck, his childhood nickname,
Beaver, and a cartoon mascot called Bucky the beaver. The chain has since expanded to
40 locations across Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, with most situated near busy highways.
Buc-ee's has developed a cult-like following for its dizzying array of snacks,
prepared foods, beverages, and beef jerky. Although their Beaver Nuggets — sweet corn
puff snacks with a brown sugar caramel taste — are the chain's star, there's plenty of other options,
from candy and trail mix to breakfast tacos and brisket sandwiches.
If you're looking for a roadside attraction during a road trip,
Buc-ee's is the way to go. Not only will their variety of goodies keep you full
and satisfied until you reach your destination, Buc-ee's also boasts the cleanest bathrooms in
America, according to their website. Why would you plan a pit stop anywhere else?
While Californians have In-N-Out Burger, Texans have Whataburger, a Southern burger
restaurant with superfans so dedicated the brand launched its own Whataburger Museum of Art,
an Instagram page featuring fan-made artwork of the iconic fast food chain.
The Whataburger fandom got its start in 1950 when founder Harmon Dobson opened the first location,
a small burger stand, in Corpus Christi, Texas.
His vision was simple: grill a burger so gigantic it would require two hands to
hold and so delicious that customers would say, "What a burger!" Today,
the San Antonio-based burger chain is still family-owned, and its iconic
orange-and-white-striped buildings are visible at over 800 locations strewn
across 10 states in southwestern and southeastern sections of the country.
So, what about Whataburger makes its fans so fanatic? First,
it's open 24/7. Its famous burger is made to order with 100% beef and served on a large,
toasted bun. Fans are just as passionate about other menu items, including the chain's famous
breakfast taquitos made with fluffy scrambled eggs, cheese, and sausage,
bacon, chorizo, or potatoes, all wrapped in a tortilla and served with red or green salsa…
the list goes on and on, and it's worth practicing exactly what you're going to order.
"I would like to buy a hamburger. "I would like to buy an ambarger"
The first Waffle House opened in Avondale Estates, Georgia in 1955 by two neighbors,
Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner. From the beginning, it was intended to be a 24-hour,
sit-down restaurant with an emphasis on friendly customer
service and long-term career growth for its employees. Rogers is quoted as saying:
"We aren't in the food business. We're in the people business."
Not long after the first restaurant opened, more of its iconic yellow signs popped up near busy
highways in Georgia and neighboring states. Today, there are more than 1,900 locations
across 25 states, and the original location is a museum, featuring a plaque from the
Georgia Historical Society honoring its importance to American culture.
As the name suggests, Waffle House is known for its fluffy, buttery-sweet waffles.
It also serves typical breakfast fare, such as hash browns, bacon,
and biscuits, along with lunch staples, like sandwiches and burgers — and don't forget
the pies. While the menu is unlikely to get your nutritionist's approval,
18% of people polled by Mashed agree Waffle House is their favorite breakfast spot.
The first Fuzzy's Taco Shop set up shop in Fort Worth Texas in 2001,
and it didn't take long for the fast-casual Mexican restaurant to develop a loyal following
among students at the nearby Texas Christian University.
Its popularity grew, and in 2003, Fuzzy's was transferred to new ownership, who quickly started
franchising the business. Fuzzy's began popping up all over the metroplex and neighboring Southern
states, especially at locations near college campuses, and by 2016 it had 100 locations
under its belt. Fortunately, there are absolutely plans in the pipeline to keep that momentum going.
Fuzzy's is known for its mouthwatering Baja-style tacos, but the menu itself is huge,
with typical Tex-Mex fare from platters of nachos to burritos and enchiladas to chips and queso and
quesadillas — all served in a laid-back, colorful atmosphere. The chain's frozen margaritas are also
a big hit. In fact, during the pandemic, Fuzzy's implemented to-go alcohol and Baja-inspired family
meal packages, both of which are expected to stick around in the post-pandemic landscape.
Forget about dirty-water hot dogs you'd typically find from street vendors or
at a carnival. If you happen to find yourself in Louisiana, be sure to check
out one of Dat Dog's three locations in New Orleans for scrumptious gourmet hot dogs.
Founded in 2011, what started out as a humble hot dog stand eventually evolved into a New Orleans
cultural institution, and it's a shame Dat Dog can't be found outside The Big Easy these days,
because its unexpected creations are bound to ignite anyone's taste buds.
Sink your teeth into the Bacon Werewolf,
one of the hot dog chain's house specials that features smoked Slovenian bratwurst
topped with bacon, sauerkraut, dill relish, grilled onions, tomatoes, and Creole mustard.
Diners can also build their own hot dog with franks made of anything you can think of,
from crawfish, duck, and even alligator. Plus, they offer four types of vegan sausages,
if meat isn't your speed. The list of toppings includes more than 30 options,
some as out-of-the-box as crawfish etouffee and blackberry sauce.
It's safe to say that no other chicken
joint comes close to matching Golden Chick's trademarked Golden Tenders.
The name isn't an exaggeration — the Southern fast food chain's flagship marinated chicken
is hand-dipped and fried until each boneless fillet achieves the ideal golden texture and mouth
watering crunch. You can even ask them to make your chicken strips spicy, and if you go ahead and
dunk the tenders in Golden Chick's complimentary creamy gravy, you've got an unbeatable meal. Just
as delectable are the hot, freshly baked yeast rolls, made hourly at each location.
Golden Chick has been dazzling diners' taste buds since the first location was opened by Howard and
Jacque Walker in San Marcos, Texas in 1967. Back then, the original menu was just fried chicken
and biscuits — all for 49 cents! Although the first location has since closed and times have
changed a bit, the made-from-scratch recipes and Southern comfort hospitality remain today.
Zaxby's is the brainchild of childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley,
who opened the first location in Statesboro, Georgia in 1990. The co-founders were actually
inspired by another smaller chicken finger fast food chain called Guthrie's
located near the University of Georgia in Athens, where McLeroy was a student at the time.
The chain's first location outside of Georgia opened in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1994,
but the company didn't see rapid expansion until the 2000s. Now, it's safe to say the fast
food chicken chain has conquered the Southern U.S., with roughly 700 locations in 16 states
and more underway in North Carolina and Indiana. Business is on an upswing, as well.
In 2014, Zaxby's sales reached $1 billion, achieving more sales per
unit than traditional fast food heavy hitters like Taco Bell or Chick-fil-A.
Other than fried chicken, the company is known for its impressive lineup of sauces, including
its signature, moderate heat Zax Sauce, along with the mild Wimpy Sauce, the spicier Nuclear Sauce,
and the intense heat Insane Sauce. In fact, Zaxby's takes sauces so seriously, the chain even
has an online quiz, which will tell you what your "saucenality" is, a word the company coined, which
basically tells you what combinations of their in-house sauces might best suit your taste buds.
Not all burger joints are created equal, and fans of Cook Out are adamant the chain is the
best in the South. The beloved Southern chain got its start in Greensboro, North Carolina in
1989, and since then, the North Carolina fast food chain has spawned a devoted
cult following — there are nearly 300 locations in 10 states — and it's not hard to see why.
The best way to sample the expansive menu is to order a Cook Out Tray, which allows diners to
order hearty combinations of entrees, sides, and a drink — all for under $5. The chain's real shining
star, though, is the barbecue sandwich, which packs a punch with its tender and fatty pork.
But here's the thing: it gets even better. Cook Out is known for its hand-spun milkshakes,
of which there are more than 40 flavors, from mint chocolate chip to Southern-style peach cobbler.
"Wow! This milkshake is incredible!" "Right? This is how I spend most of my time."
Unless you've been to eastern Tennessee or southwest Virginia, you've probably never
beheld the spectacular storefronts of Pal's Sudden Service, a wildly popular fast food
chain. The bright blue buildings adorned with massive sculptures of burgers, hot dogs, and
French fries are impossible to miss, but there's more to this charming than colorful pageantry.
Called Pal's for short, the Southern chain is known for its lightning-fast
service — true to its name, all but two of Pal's total 30 locations are drive-thru only.
Pal's is also noted for its exceptional customer service.
Since the first Pal's opened in 1956 in Kingsport, Tennessee by founder Fred "Pal" Barger,
the quirky chain has put a unique Southern spin on run-of-the-mill fast food fare. Its breakfast
menu is bound to make a convert of anyone, with its savory cheddar rounds and buttery biscuits
that come with creamy sausage country gravy. The Big Pal burger is famous, but the Bar-B-Dog,
a hot dog bun loaded with BBQ pulled pork, onions, and sweet coleslaw, is Pal's main attraction.
Recent years haven't been kind to Southern fast food chain Taco Cabana — after closing
19 locations, the San Antonio-based fast-casual Mexican was sold by its parent company to pay
off a debt totaling $74.6 million. But one thing we hope doesn't change are Taco Cabana's
breakfast tacos, an innovation unique to the Lone Star State, involving variations of eggs,
beans, cheese, and meats, all wrapped in a tortilla.
Taco Cabana reigns supreme for their soft and flavorful flour tortillas, handmade daily
onsite. Taco Cabana's famed breakfast menu, served all day at its more than 165 locations
across Texas and New Mexico, features a wide array of those oh-so-delicious breakfast tacos.
"Can tacos get any more kick-butt than this?" "They're about to!"
Just as iconic are the chain's slew of alcoholic drink options; they boast a lineup of 12 margarita
flavors, including the polarizing pickle flavor. The margaritas are also a steal at $2 apiece. Not
to mention its dining rooms and drive-thrus are open 24-7. Taco Cabana's popularity has endured
since it was opened in the 1970s by a former nightclub-owner — and it's not hard to see why.
In 1980, a man named Joel Stanley moved to Austin, Texas from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
bringing with him a love for Philly's iconic sandwich, the cheesesteak. A year later, Stanley
opened the first Texadelphia location in Austin, where he grilled and served up the "Original Texas
Cheesesteak" — a Philly cheesesteak with Texas fixings, like jalapenos and homemade queso.
In addition to cheesesteaks, Texadelphia also serves burgers, salads, and deli sandwiches.
In typical Tex-Mex fashion, all entrees come with complimentary tortilla chips and salsa.
Customers can also top their cheesesteaks with any one of the chain's specialty in-house sauces,
and they only use high quality, fresh ingredients and make each cheesesteak to order.
Locations began popping up in and around Austin, and eventually spread to Houston,
Dallas, and even Oklahoma City. In 2008, Stanley sold the company and the headquarters moved from
Austin to Dallas. The Southern fast food chain has no plans to expand to Philadelphia,
but the "Texified" cheesesteak got the stamp of approval from a native
Philadelphian in a restaurant review, so maybe nationwide locations wouldn't be a bad idea.
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