Do you remember McDonald’s before Ronald McDonald? Was Arthur Treacher’s still a hit when you were growing up? Over the decades America has been home to an array of incredible fast food brands, and while some are sadly long gone, others are still favorites today. Here, we've rounded up the best of them all.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the fast food brands everyone was loving during the decade you were born.
Though it hasn’t existed since the 1990s, for a long time Valle’s Steak House was a big player. It began in 1933, as a small café in Portland, Maine, but grew to 32 restaurants across the East Coast. They seated 800 to 1,400 customers and served steak and lobster – an operation made possible thanks to efficient kitchens, prompt service, and quick customer turnover. Pictured is a Valle's in Portland, Maine, in the 1950s.
These days, the last few remaining Wimpy locations are in Britain, but it was established in Bloomington, Indiana, in 1934 as Wimpy Grills. Named after J Wellington Wimpy from the Popeye cartoon, the burger and fries joint expanded to Chicago in 1936 and had 26 stores across six states at its peak. It achieved international success in the 1970s, but started to decline in the US around this time. Pictured is a branch in Chicago, Illinois, in 1958.
This was the decade America fell in love with Dairy Queen and its soft-serve ice cream. Invented by John Fremont McCullough and his son Alex, it was an instant hit when they held a tasting afternoon in Kankakee, Illinois, so they opened a store in neighboring Joliet in 1940. It got its name as the duo referred to cows as ‘the queen of the dairy business.’ Soon more stores were added and Dairy Queen became a small-town staple. Fast-forward to today and the chain is adored around the world, with more than 7,500 restaurants in 20 countries. Pictured is a Dairy Queen in New Drop, New Jersey, in 1952.
The first McDonald’s, opened by the McDonald brothers in San Bernardino, California, in 1940, was nothing like its restaurants today. It was a drive-in with carhops, and the menu included sandwiches such as peanut butter and jelly and melted cheese. In 1948, the brothers streamlined operations and cut the menu down to nine items including a 15-cent hamburger, shakes, and fries. A few years later, they began franchising their concept – and the rest is fast food history.
One of the first drive-thru restaurants was the now-iconic In-N-Out Burger, which was opened by Harry Snyder and his wife, Esther in Baldwin Park, Los Angeles in 1948. It had a two-way speaker box so customers could order from their car. Though the chain has expanded, its menu has barely changed and consists of burgers, fries, grilled cheese, milkshakes, and soft drinks. Pictured is a vintage photo of one of its old California locations.
Chicken lovers all over the world swear by KFC’s secret blend of 11 herbs and spices. It was at a roadside motel in Corbin, Kentucky, in the 1930s that Colonel Harland Sanders started perfecting the recipe. By 1952, the first KFC franchise opened in Salt Lake City, Utah (pictured). The chain hasn’t looked back since and KFC is now a global fast food empire, with around 30,000 locations in more than 147 countries around the world.
Did you know the home of the Whopper wasn’t always called Burger King? When it first opened in Jacksonville, Florida, in the early-1950s it was called Insta-Burger King (pictured) named after the Insta-Broilers used to cook its burgers speedily. It started franchising in 1954, upgraded its cooking equipment to flame-broilers, and the name change eventually followed. By the 1970s, Burger King was the third biggest fast food chain in the world – today it has around 20,000 locations globally.
Established in the 1950s by brothers Frank and Donald Thomas, who patented the flame broiler, Burger Chef was McDonald's' first real competitor. Operating from Indianapolis, it pioneered selling a hamburger, fries, and a drink as a complete meal for 45 cents. It also invented the Fun Meal, a similar concept to the McDonald's Happy Meal. Quickly the chain franchised into different states, but the last location closed in 1996. Pictured is a Burger Chef in North Dixie, Ohio, in 1962.
In 1954, witnessing the success of other fast food chains, the owners of Bresler’s Ice Cream decided they wanted to open a drive-in burger joint called Henry’s Hamburgers. Menu favorites included chili dogs, fish sandwiches, deep-fried shrimp, and crispy catfish. By the 1960s, there were more than 200 restaurants nationwide – more than McDonald’s at the time. However, in the mid-1970s they slowly started to close, and now a single franchise remains in Benton Harbor, Michigan (pictured).
Donuts may not be your first thought when it comes to fast food, but the iconic coffee and bakery chain was the bright idea of the 1950s. Its first post was in Quincy, Massachusetts (pictured), and for little while was called Open Kettle, before its name was changed to Dunkin’ Donuts (and later shortened to just Dunkin’ in 2019). In 1955, the brand started franchising and now there are around 14,000 stores worldwide.
No longer around today, during the 1950s White Tower was all the rage. Opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1926, it was almost an exact replica of White Castle. Its restaurants looked like castles and it sold five-cent hamburgers. Then, when White Castle took White Tower to court and ordered it to redesign its buildings, its new Art Deco look boosted its popularity further. Pictured is a White Tower in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1957.
Still adored today, Pizza Hut was founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 1958, set up by two college-aged brothers who borrowed $600 from their mother in order to do so. They started in a 500-square-foot building (pictured) and called it Pizza Hut as that’s all there was space for on the sign. On the opening day a large pizza cost $1.50. People loved it and the brand can now be found in over 100 countries.
Known for its steamed hot dogs, Lum’s was opened in 1956 by lawyer and entrepreneur Cliff Perlman and his brother. The 16-seat diner in Miami Beach sold its star menu item for 35 cents, as well as fried seafood, hot roast beef sandwiches, and subs. Quickly, Lum’s expanded across Florida, then nationally; however, the company went bankrupt in 1982 and the chain largely vanished – the last location to survive in Bellevue, Nebraska finally closed in 2017. Pictured is Lum's in Fort Lauderdale in 1966.
The very first Chick-fil-A opened in Greenbriar Shopping Center, Atlanta in 1967. Needless to say, founder S. Truett Cathy’s idea for those famous chicken sandwiches with two pickles on a toasted butter bun proved hugely popular in the decades that followed. Despite its success, the company has remained in the family, with Cathy's son – and later, grandson – taking over as CEO. The first location closed in 2023, but you can still get a taste of the original menu at Cathy's first business, The Dwarf House, in Hapeville.
Still very much missed in the New York area, Carrols had its heyday in the 1960s, with more than 150 outposts at one point. People flocked here to chow down on Club Burgers (double-decker sandwiches), fries, and shakes and slurp sodas from Looney Tunes drinking glasses. Much to the dismay of the chain’s many fans, the parent company converted most of its locations into Burger Kings in the late 1970s.
The 1960s was the heyday of Howard Johnson, when it was the largest restaurant chain in the US, known for its 28 ice cream flavors, fried clams, and hot dogs. It started out in Quincy, Massachusetts, but expanded all across the US. These days all its venues are shut, with the last closing in 2022. Pictured is an outpost between Allentown and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1960.
Remember the TV jingle: ‘When the hungries hit, hit the Red Barn?’ Founded in Ohio in 1961, Red Barn was a solid competitor to the bigger players. Menu innovations such as the fish sandwich, salad bar, and Big Barney (similar to a Big Mac) pre-dated many of the McDonald's items. It had 400 restaurants across 22 states at its peak, plus outlets in Canada and Australia. Pictured is a Red Barn on Route 67, Texarkana, Arkansas, in 1979.
Bright orange, deep-fried chicken is what everyone went to Pioneer Chicken for in the 1960s. Founded in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California, in 1961, at one point you could spot its signposts which depicted a chicken wagon driven by Pioneer Pete all over the Golden State (pictured). Nowadays, just two remain, located in Boyle Heights and Bell Gardens, Los Angeles.
Restaurateur Glen Bell already had two businesses in San Bernardino, Bell’s Drive-In and Taco-Tia. However, in 1962 he sold his shares to open Taco Bell in Downey, California. It served tacos made with crunchy, pre-formed taco shells, so it could sell high volumes to customers quickly. The concept proved hugely popular and by 1967, the chain had reached 100 restaurants. Pictured is one of its earliest.
This was the decade we began our love affair with Subway and its submarine sandwiches. It was founded by Peter Buck and high school graduate Fred DeLuca in 1965, and the average cost of a sub was 49 cents. Initially the pair called their sandwich shop in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Pete’s Super Submarines, but in 1968 it changed its name to Subway and owners Buck and Deluca franchised the concept not long after.
You don’t find many around today (there are a handful left in northeast Ohio), but in the 1970s Arthur Treacher’s was king. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969 and rapidly expanded, peaking at around 826 locations. After all, you could get a burger anywhere, but only at Arthur Treacher’s could you tuck into traditional British fish and chips. However, the following decade the Cod Wars and the resulting sharp increase in cod prices saw its demise. Pictured is a branch in its golden age.
Wendy’s really took off in the 1970s, having been launched in 1969 by high school dropout Dave Thomas at 257 East Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio. It quickly became known for its square beef patties, Frosty desserts, and drive-thru pick-up windows (pictured). By the end of the decade, it had grown to 1,000 restaurants and continued expanding from there.
When Popeyes first opened in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1972, it didn’t have instant success. Initially called Chicken on the Run, it wasn’t until it rebranded to Popeyes and started selling spicy, New Orleans-style chicken that the brand really made an impact and was able to start franchising in 1976. By 2011, Popeyes had some 2,000 restaurants in the US, as well as international locations.
When Harmon Dobson launched the first Whataburger on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1950, he did so with the aim of selling a burger so tasty that customers would exclaim “What a burger!” on their first bite. The joint proved popular from the start, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that the brand really hit its stride, installing its first drive-thru in 1971 and opening its 100th restaurant the next year. Today there are over 1,1000 Whataburger restaurants across 16 states.
The first orange-roofed Pup ‘N’ Taco opened in Pasadena, California in 1965, and the popularity of the brand’s tacos, tostadas, hot dogs, and South Californian–style pastrami saw the business expand across the state. While in its heyday there were over 100 Pup ‘N’ Taco stores, in 1984 Taco Bell bought the majority of its locations, leaving just three in operation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. These remaining locations subsequently changed names to Pop ‘N’ Taco (pictured), and two continued into the 2010s.
This popular Tex-Mex chain was launched in downtown Minneapolis in 1975 by former American football star Max McGee and restaurateur Marno McDermit. It served chimichangas, nachos, and salsa, and the timing was perfect as Mexican cuisine was becoming mainstream. However, it began to struggle in the 2000s due to increased competition and a hepatitis A outbreak at a restaurant near Pittsburgh in 2003. Now existing franchises can only be found outside the US.
Founded by Theodore Holmes in 1979, Baltimore-based Chicken George quickly became a hit, expanding to multiple locations in several states and establishing a reputation for serving delicious Southern dishes including gumbo, corn on the cob, collard greens, biscuits, and spicy fried chicken 'better than mama's.’ At its peak it was the nation’s largest Black-owned restaurant business, but sadly the pressure of financial problems and competing chains meant that in 1991 it filed for bankruptcy and its stores were sold off.
Launched as DomiNick’s Pizza in Ypsilanti, Michigan in 1960, the now-iconic chain wasn’t renamed Domino’s Pizza, Inc. until 1965. It was a few years later that success really came to the company, though– a solid reputation for speed, innovation, and seriously tasty pizza meant that by the 1980s Domino’s was the largest pizza chain in the US. International expansion quickly followed, and the brand remains hugely popular all over the world today.
It was in 1983 that Jimmy John’s joined the world. Graduate Jimmy John Liautaud (pictured) was given a choice by his father: join the military or start a business. He chose the latter and set up shop in Charleston, Illinois, selling four sandwiches made with freshly sliced meats and bread baked in his mom’s kitchen – the Pepe (ham and provolone) is still a favorite today. The gourmet sandwich chain took off and has now reached over 2,600 locations across the US.
The Midwest’s most-loved regional chain, family-run Culver’s was first opened in Sauk City, Wisconsin, in 1984. It was started by Craig and Lea Culver, plus Craig’s parents George and Ruth, and quickly became famous for its ButterBurgers (a fresh Midwest-raised beef patty and melty Wisconsin Cheddar served in a buttered bun, with your choice of salad and condiments) and fresh frozen custard. Today the brand has over 1,000 restaurants across 26 states and continues to grow.
This global chain began as a family business in Arlington County, Virginia, in 1986 (pictured is the first location). It was opened by Jerry and Janie Murrell, plus their five sons, hence the name Five Guys. It sold fresh beef burgers with customizable toppings and fresh-cut fries cooked in peanut oil. Over the next 15 years, the brand expanded to five locations around the DC metro area and by the 2000s was franchising nationwide.
By the 1970s, people were craving an alternative to burger joints. Enter Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin and Zev Siegl, three college roommates from the University of San Francisco with a shared love for good coffee. They opened the first Starbucks store in 1971 at Seattle’s Pike Place Market, selling high-quality beans. In the 1980s, the focus shifted to offering espresso drinks but it wasn’t until the 1990s that the company's big expansion came, with significant international and domestic growth.
Founded by country singer Kenny Rogers and former KFC CEO and governor of Kentucky John Y. Brown Jr in Coral Springs, Florida, in 1991 (pictured), Kenny Rogers Roasters served wood-fired rotisserie chicken. The chain expanded all over America, helped by an episode of Seinfeld featuring a fictional branch. However, success in the US ran out for the chain during the late 1990s.
While fast food was still hugely popular, in the 2000s customers were becoming more health conscious. Shake Shack emphasized its use of fresh, hormone and antibiotic-free Angus beef from the outset, making the brand perfect for the decade. It started as a hot dog and hamburger cart in Madison Square Park, New York City in 2001 (pictured) and, by 2004, had become a permanent fixture. Demand has remained high ever since; in 2010, Shake Shack had locations throughout New York, as well as in Miami, Florida. Today, there are more than 500 branches around the world, with further plans to open 1,500 more in the near future.
Now check out the vintage photos that show where America's most famous food companies started
Last updated by Emily Shardlow-Price.