# Chains that refuse to expand outside of a certain area out of loyalty **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 26, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-that-refuse-to-expand-outside-of-a-certain-area-out-of-loyalty/465337 "2008-09-26T14:59:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-that-refuse-to-expand-outside-of-a-certain-area-out-of-loyalty/465337/41 "2008-09-28T23:38:23Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > Ivars in Seattle, I dont know why they dont expand beyond the area but the food is great and good quality all the way around. > > Taco Time, another Seattle chain that I sort of worked for way back when, real food served fast is kind of their motto, its more expensive than regular fast food but the quality is way way better than crap like taco bell. Taco Time came out to the food court at the Mall of America (Bloomington, MN) when it opened in the early '90’s. It did not last very long, unfortunately. I doubt they will ever come back out this way ☹ ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2008, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-that-refuse-to-expand-outside-of-a-certain-area-out-of-loyalty/465337/42 "2008-09-28T23:51:51Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > There are a couple in the Reno-Sparks area, about 450 miles north of Vegas. There’s also at least one (in Auburn, CA) on I-80 between Reno and Sacramento Oh, I know. I’m not saying that Vegas is the central hub, just that I guess if they’re already driving to Vegas it’s easy enough to go 2 more hours to reach Washington City. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-that-refuse-to-expand-outside-of-a-certain-area-out-of-loyalty/465337/43 "2008-09-29T00:01:49Z")
Privately owned businesses don’t really have the same drive to expand that publically owned ones do. It may only be the original founder who has an ownership stake, and they may be satisfied with the profits from the restaurants they already have. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-that-refuse-to-expand-outside-of-a-certain-area-out-of-loyalty/465337/44 "2008-09-29T04:17:39Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > Ivars in Seattle, I dont know why they dont expand beyond the area but the food is great and good quality all the way around. > > Taco Time, another Seattle chain that I sort of worked for way back when, real food served fast is kind of their motto, its more expensive than regular fast food but the quality is way way better than crap like taco bell. There is at least one Taco Time left in downtown Los Angeles, but the food is God-awful in my opinion. There was a second one that I was aware of, but it only lasted a couple of years. Good riddance. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-that-refuse-to-expand-outside-of-a-certain-area-out-of-loyalty/465337/45 "2008-09-29T07:23:37Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > There is at least one Taco Time left in downtown Los Angeles, but the food is God-awful in my opinion. There was a second one that I was aware of, but it only lasted a couple of years. Good riddance. There’s at least one Taco Time in Salt Lake–probably a lot more than that. It is the single most horrifying place I have ever dined at. It was insanely expensive for a fast food place, and they sold tater-tots and called them “Mexican fries.” Their other interpretations of “Mexican” cuisine were equally suspect. I honestly don’t know who the target demographic is–I guess it’s Mexican food for people who hate Mexican food. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-that-refuse-to-expand-outside-of-a-certain-area-out-of-loyalty/465337/46 "2008-09-29T10:08:58Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > I was just thinking about this today. If In-N-Out does eventually expand, I believe they will never get very far north because then they won’t be able to have their trademark crossed palm trees outside each restaurant. I did not know that. From here on in I’ll always be on the lookout for it. ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-that-refuse-to-expand-outside-of-a-certain-area-out-of-loyalty/465337/47 "2008-09-29T10:30:27Z")
We’ve got most of the other big chain takeaway stores in .au, but not Jack in the Box. Which sucks, 'cos it’s better than the ones we do have. I also can’t work out why Burger King/KFC/McD’s etc don’t do the US-style ‘biscuits’ here. They could easily do so, and call them ‘damper’. The difference (between biscuits and damper) is fairly minimal, and I’d love to have damper instead of standard bread rolls. ---
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-that-refuse-to-expand-outside-of-a-certain-area-out-of-loyalty/465337/48 "2008-09-29T19:42:53Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > Winstead’s has been in business in the Kansas City area for 65 years. They’re a KC tradition and currently have ten locations spreading across both the metro and state lines. But that’s it. It’s only in KC. They’ve never once ventured past our city in their efforts to expand. I don’t know why. There is one in Topeka, FWIW. And those are some good burgers. The cherry limeade with lime sherbert is nice too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-that-refuse-to-expand-outside-of-a-certain-area-out-of-loyalty/465337.md?page=2)