Look past the fast food giants, and you'll discover a world of local and regional fast food chains with legions of loyal fans. From the small restaurants that have begun to spread their wings (chicken or otherwise) to cult brands that may have slipped under your radar, here's our pick of the fast food restaurants in the US you probably haven’t tried – but really should.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover America’s hidden gem fast food chains, counting down to the most iconic.

We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each restaurant in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.

America's best local fast food chains, ranked