# Regional Fast Food Restaurants **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 14, 2002, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980 "2002-05-14T05:53:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![glilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@glilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glilly)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/61 "2002-05-15T20:32:33Z")
I went to Mos Burger’s site, and it looks as though the company is quite Japanese. According to their history section (English version) in the company timeline, > [@](#): > > _from [http://www.mos.co.jp/company/history/history\_e.html](http://www.mos.co.jp/company/history/history_e.html)_ > > 1989 February MOS Foods (Hawaii), Inc., a subsidiary is established in Hawaii, U. S. A. I only ate at the ones in Japan. Better than McD. ---
**Author:** ![slipster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@slipster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slipster)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/62 "2002-05-16T00:38:59Z")
As an earlier submission metnioned, Jack in the Box is found in St. Louis. In fact, we are lousy with them, and have been since the 70’s. I read once in the Wall St. Journal that the St. Louis area is the only place west of the Mississippi where one can find White Castles. They were the inspiration for restaurant in the movie White Tower, with Susan Sarandon. Carla and her ex on Cheers thought White Castles were deluxe eatin’ which gives some idea of where they fit in the social strata; while they are frequented by all sorts of folks, I know a couple of locations which seem to be frequented primarily by people waiting for the commercial blood bank to open. At the opposite end of the spectrum are Steak 'n Shake restaurants–though they are fast food restaurants with a drive-through window, they are far more upscale and very good. They are found primarily in Missouri, although I know there is one as far east as Dayton, Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/63 "2002-05-16T03:38:39Z")
The only General Question here is the locations of Jack in the Box outlets. That is answered here: [http://www.jackinthebox.com/site-cgi/jackbit.pl](http://www.jackinthebox.com/site-cgi/jackbit.pl) Actually, the true answer is given here: [http://www.jackinthebox.com/about/index.php3](http://www.jackinthebox.com/about/index.php3) One thing that is NOT mentioned is that in the late 1960s, Jack-in-the-Box had at least one store in Boston, just about as far from its San Diego birthplace as you can get without leaving the country. Currently, it has no stores in the northeast. Jack-in-the-Box had drive through windows (and 4 deep fried jumbo shrimp with fries for $0.69) in 1951. Did anybody else have drive in windows in 1951? ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/64 "2002-05-16T06:11:42Z")
In reading about In And Out Burger, I’m reminded of how we used to deface their bumper stickers when I was in high school. The stickers simply read: IN AND OUT BURGER Well, of course, we couldn’t leave well enough alone, so out came the single edged razor blade, the “B” and the “R” was sliced off, leaving a sticker on your car that read: IN AND OUT URGE Yeah, we were bored…But the burgers are the best, the shakes are great, and the fries are very fresh and taste good. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/65 "2002-05-16T09:57:24Z")
We had Del Taco in Atlanta in the late 70s when I lived there, but it seems like they just quietly disappeared at some point… I don recall seeing a shut-down, boarded-up Del Taco once. Has no one been to **Backyard Burgers**? HQ here in Memphis? Most of their stores are drive-thru only, and to speed things up they’ve got a DOUBLE drive-thru, where you can drive up to either of two windows, one on either side of the building. If you picture the logistics of this, it means that if you’re alone in the car and you go to the window on the left side of the building, you have to lean over and do business out the passenger-side window. Still, it works OK. In Tokyo in the mid-80s, there was **Lotteria** , hands-down the foulest fast-food joint I have ever seen. But yes, my all-time favorite is **Waffle House**. It’s not really fast food, but it’s wonderful. In college I was a cook–I mean of course, “Grill Operator”–at a Waffle House, graveyard shift. I learned that Harley riders are the nicest people (and biggest tippers) in the world, as long as you play along with them. I learned how to cook ANYTHING breakfast-related (I can make shirred eggs with the best of them). And I learned how to break up fights between drunk people who are WAY bigger than me. Ahhh, good ol’ Casa Del Waffle. ---
**Author:** ![glilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@glilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glilly)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/66 "2002-05-16T14:50:03Z")
**Lotteria** has somehow been sucessful enough to expand into Taiwan. ---
**Author:** ![TelcontarStorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ab097/32.png) [@TelcontarStorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TelcontarStorm)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/67 "2002-05-16T16:09:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slipster \* > \*\* At the opposite end of the spectrum are Steak 'n Shake restaurants–though they are fast food restaurants with a drive-through window, they are far more upscale and very good. They are found primarily in Missouri, although I know there is one as far east as Dayton, Ohio. \*\* They have recently moved into Toledo Ohio as well. **Waffle House** has the best grilled chicken sammiches in the world.I used to have to go to Findlay to get one of these wonders! let’s hear it for palatable expansion! I’ve heard no mention of **Blimpie’s Subs** Although I find them no better than Subway. Neither have I seen mention of **Rally’s** Lovingly known in my circle as “burger for a buck” **Friendly’s** ;Primarily an Ice Cream joint, that serves overpriced grilled sammiches **Frishe’s** the local **Big Boy’s** Which I spent many hours in my youth. Is there a better hotfudge cake out there? What of Pizza places? \*\* Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Marco’s, Papa John’s, & Hungry Howie’s \*\* Prevail here. But we also have some rocking local places, **Bambino’s** being the best Places closed down now, but worth mentioning only to pick on are **Hot ‘N’ Now** Thier fries were nasty and thier buns soggy. **Top Hat** If you can imagine _Crystal’s_ colliding with_White Tower_ you may be able to immagine the vileness of these mini burgers sold in the 1/2 doz. box! **Pizza Inn** though I don’t know why it died, I thought it better than that other Pizza place. All the other Places mentioned in this thread have had thier history’s hunted down. Here’s a new batch for you!I’ll be back to check as I’d really like to know who’s responsible for changing the Rally Burger to the cheep McD’s it is now as opposed to the cheep Wendy’s it was.(they dropped the rabbit food off the buck burger) Thanks for listnin’ ---
**Author:** ![misshannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@misshannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misshannah)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/68 "2002-05-16T16:24:50Z")
> [@](#): > > They were the inspiration for restaurant in the movie White Tower, with Susan Sarandon. actually, that’s [White Palace](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0103251) ---
**Author:** ![Mooney252](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7c8e57/32.png) [@Mooney252](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooney252)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/69 "2002-05-16T16:46:00Z")
The OP mentioned how much he likes the Jack-in-the-Box ads. Here’s the agency that does them: [http://www.apollointeractive.com/index2.php](http://www.apollointeractive.com/index2.php) I like most of the ads but hate the Carnivores Football series. Regional burger chains are the rage. One of the best in the northwest is the Kidd Valley chain. As for the most local of tastes, there’s the Cincinnati chili phenomenon, exemplified by Skyline Chili. It’s really a meal, as a “three way” is chili and spaghetti and a coney dog (locals in SW Ohio can correct that if I’m off – or add the four way and five way dishes.) ---
**Author:** ![kemp\_ridley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a3d4f5/32.png) [@kemp\_ridley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kemp_ridley)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/70 "2002-05-16T18:08:33Z")
If there is one thing I know about it is fast food. The best place I have ever eaten is in Eastern Carolina, Andy’s Cheesesteaks and Cheeseburgers. It is more like Steak and Shake, ‘quick’ food rather then ‘fast’. Anyone else been there? [www.andyscheesesteaks.com](http://www.andyscheesesteaks.com) ---
**Author:** ![WavyDavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3da27b/32.png) [@WavyDavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WavyDavy)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/71 "2002-05-16T18:10:06Z")
I haven’t seen one in a few years, but there used to be **Arthur Treacher’s Fish 'n Chips** around northern Delaware. Did anyone mention \*\* Hardee’s\*\*? They had a pretty good burger as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Aleq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@Aleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aleq)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/72 "2002-05-16T18:14:52Z")
Another Pacific NW person here, in Portland OR. Yep, Burgerville USA is pretty awesome, as is our local Mike’s Hamburgers. As a California refugee, there are a few things I miss, mostly Tommy’s in SoCal (now THERE’S a hangover cure!) There is actually a Der Wienerschnitzel (Der VeenerVagger in our home parlance) in Newburg and one in Everett WA for those expats who miss the sleazy chili cheese dogs. And yeah, Jimboy’s is pretty awesome, I especially miss the one out at Denio’s… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/73 "2002-05-16T18:22:42Z")
**Chipotle** is but a pale reflection of the great **Freebird’s** (which BTW, is from College Station, as is **Double Dave’s** ). There WAS an **A&W** down near New Braunfels until about a year ago…and our **Backyard Burger** (on Parmer) closed recently as well… ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/74 "2002-05-16T18:24:10Z")
Rap/Fastfood Question: Do White Castle fries REALLY only come is one size? ---
**Author:** ![Morgainelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Morgainelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgainelf)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/75 "2002-05-16T19:08:14Z")
**erislover** , I’m in Massachusetts, and we have a Denny’s and a Bob Evan’s. We used to have Abdau’s Big Boy, which I think must have been Shoney’s at one point because it had the big Shoney’s boy on the roof. There’s even a Cracker Barrel in Lowell! **Ringo** , I _love_ the Takee Outee! No one here believes me when I tell them about it. Is that chain still open? For some reason I thought they closed a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/76 "2002-05-16T21:35:18Z")
A slight hijack: Does anyone remember a restaurant called “Burger Chef”? They had a Happy Meal type thing, with the burger, fries, drink and prize. They had it several years before McDonalds. I was raised in DC, so I don’t know if they were local or not. **Caveman** , where in Austin do you live? I live right near that closed Backyard Burger. It’s a small world, isn’t it? Isn’t there one somewhere down south? ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/77 "2002-05-16T23:56:50Z")
i just read that mcdonalds is the majority owner of chipotle. i once painted the house of the guy who drew the big boy comic. he was an old pervy german guy who would hang around the bottom of the ladders and make comments about our ‘firm bicyclists’ legs’ and try to look up our shorts. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/78 "2002-05-17T00:03:31Z")
We’ve got a couple of Backyard Burgers here in Asheville. Good eating. Nobody’s mentioned **Bojangles** , which surprises me. They’re good, and have the best biscuits of any fast food place I’ve been to. Bring along some leftover curry, put it on their biscuits…yum! And then there’s the weird fast food restaurants that can’t survive outside of a mall: S’Barro’s Nasty Pizza and Orange Julius are the only ones I can think of right now. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Jerrybear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jerrybear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerrybear)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/79 "2002-05-17T00:06:50Z")
Ann Arbor, Michigan has Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger. Not to be confused with the “Blimpie” sub shop chain. KJBB is a one-of-a-kind place, with the one and only location in Ann Arbor near the University of Michigan’s main campus. Flint, Michigan has the Halo Burger chain, as well as quite a few local, family owned chili dog restaurants. We used to have Jack in the Box in Michigan in the 1970s. In fact, I have several Detroit Tiger baseball programs from that era that have Jack in the Box ads in them. I think they closed down their Michigan locations by the early 80s or so. We also had Burger Chef in Michigan until sometime in the 8 ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980/80 "2002-05-17T01:34:50Z")
And yet I’ve seen no Wisconsonite mention Taco John’s. “Taco Tuesday, Taco Tuesday, at Taco John’s” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-fast-food-restaurants/108980.md?page=5)