There are dozens of ethnic groups here, but the ones that have most influenced the cooking and eating habits of every Californian are the Italian, Chinese and French in San Francisco, Armenians in the Fresno area and the Mexican and Japanese in Southern California. When the restaurant first opened, the family-owned business sold its 5-cent sliders by the stack. With that concept, the first Whataburger opened in Corpus Christie, Texas. See how Subway became the worlds most popular chain. But that's not all that made Taco Bell the place to eat during the 70s. April 19, 2023. Fast Food According toHardee's website, the first Hardee's opened in Rocky Mount, North Carolina in 1960 as fast food burger drive-through. You know how you associate hot dogs with New York's Coney Island? Perhaps the most unsurprising item on this list is McDonald's. RELATED:We Tasted Every Taco at Taco Bell & This Is the Best. Nonetheless, it all started more than 90 years ago and KFC is now a global sensation. Diners must present their school ID to qualify for the discount. Potato Crisps were another one of General Mills' signature crunchy snacks that dominated in the 1970s. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); According to Fast Food: Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age, Taco Bell started franchising in 1964, and it didn't take long until it was just about the most popular fast food chain out there. Erica is a cleaning and home dcor expert. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); I remember as a young child going with my grandmother to Next Door. It paid off right away, when in 1989 Pizza Hut delivered pizzas to the White House for a pizza party hosted by First Lady Barbara Bush. Ronald McDonald! } Because of that, the fast food chain expanded even further and got even more popular between 1998 and 2001. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e, RELATED:15 Secrets About Chick-fil-A Every Fan Needs to Know. Now that you know, have fun looking around! Your email address will not be published. Material on this site is provided for purposes of education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. I miss Pizza Inn. } ); In 1950, Harmon Dobson had the idea to make a burger bigger than the competitors, so big, in fact, that when a customer saw it they'd say, "What a burger!" Do you remember the old Arthur Treachers Fish & Chips fast food restaurants? RELATED: Sign up for our newsletter for breaking food news and healthy eating tips. After it opened more stand-alone locations in 1987 and 1988, it's no wonder that Chick-fil-A became more and more popular. The Hardee's website reported that there were already Hardee's in international cities such as Heidelberg, Germany. White Castle was there long, long before Harold and Kumar headed there on that fateful, wacky night. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Minute Man The chain has a brand new logo, and the official brand colors are now orange and white. Though the popular burger joint Hardee's (also known as Carl's Jr. in some places)actually first opened in 1960, it took some time for the chain to become super popular. The restaurant chain was founded in Jacksonville, Florida, by Keith Kramer and Matthew Burns. The fast food industry began to take off in the 1970s and 1980s. Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety, but also in terms of outdated cultural depictions and social values. While some chains have managed to stand the test of time and remain popular favorites (such as McDonalds), others have come and gone relatively quickly (such as Burger Kings short-lived attempt at selling pizzas). The chain debuted its now-iconic roast beef sandwich made with the exact same recipe still used today in 1971. Founded in 1950, Dunkin used to be a small coffee shop called Open Kettle. At that time, two pieces of chicken and a roll cost only 49 cents. single Industry observers estimate that fast-food restaurant sales accounted for about 20 percent of the $87 billion Americans spent on food eaten away from home last year. Fast food chains began to spring up all over the country, offering convenient and affordable meals for busy families on the go. The first Wendys opened in 1969 and dominated fast food into the 1970s. And 1980, in particular, was a big year for the establishment. So sad. Now that you know, have fun looking around! The Columbus-based seafood chain peaked in the 1970s, when it boasted 826 stores around the country. Today, Sonic locations are still designed with a retro flair and are known for their use of carhops, some on roller skates. The menu in 1964 offered hamburgers for 15 cents, fries for 10 cents and milkshakes for 20 cents. Dont feel like goin out? America has been exporting fast food around the world since the 1970s, and it no longer seems so novel to hear about a McDonald's in Moscow or a Taco Bell in Tokyo. The newest fast food chain is called Freshii, which specializes in healthy salads, wraps, and bowls. Founded in 1977, the chain focused on gourmet burgers. Howard johnson's. According to CNBC, it was in 1998 that Chipotle really got the push it needed in terms of expansion. Today, Burger King has approximately 18,000 locations worldwideand is regarded as a leader in plant-based fast food due to its introduction of the Impossible Whopper, a meatless version of its signature burger. Dominos. EatThis.com is part of the Dotdash Meredith Publishing Family. Touch-screen kiosks have been added to most restaurants in order to make ordering even faster. WebAug 28, 2022 - Vintage 1970s & 80s USA Mall Stores Some Defunct The County Seat Aladdin's Castle Walden Book Florisheim Shoes Contempo Casuals Wicks n' Sticks Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor Mervyn's Fast Food Restaurant Chains Arcade Orange Yellow Brown McDonalds Taco Bell Sambo's Dairy Queen Orange Julius Burger King Shakey's Pizza Parlor In its heyday, the chain had more than 1,000 locations, which served fried clams and a whopping 28 ice cream flavors. Although there were few fast food restaurants to contend with at the time, McDonald's far outpaced the growth of its fellow chains. See how Dominos ranked in our pizza taste test. . Californians also have a passion for their own products. In-N-Out Burgers first location was opened near Los Angeles in 1948, making it the first drive-thru hamburger stand in California. The Kentucky Fried Chicken manager responded: Well, its finger lickin good!. Additionally, the 1950s was huge for McDonald's in terms of new menu offerings like milkshakes, and people flocked to the restaurants. Fast food is a part of American culture, with the industrys history dating back to the early 1900s. Getty Images. Oldest fast food establishments KFC. The brand began testing the renovated restaurants in 2014, and thousands of locations were updated over the following few years. This was likely because the chain launched their beloved Blizzard soft-serve creation in 1985 (and it sold 175 million units in one year), followed by an acquisition of Orange Julius in 1987. White Castle was the first fast-food chain to do so. But before you hit up the Golden Arches again, make sure you know how your favorite McDonald's order stacks up nutritionally. Vintage Cleveland restaurants: fast food, lasting I remember their all you can eat bar with several selections of pizza and other items (similar to the food bar at Pizza Hut). . By the 1970s, McDonalds had thousands of locations across the United States and around the world. In addition to their addictive drinks, the earliest version of Starbucks' loyalty program made customers eager to visit time and time again, making more stores an inevitability. However, Burger King always wanted to set itself apart and was originally called Insta-Burger King because it had the rights to a unique grill called the Insta-Broiler. I cant find anything on YouTube. If you were a 1970s baby and have an obsession with Mexican food, then that might just be because Taco Bell was the most popular fast food chain the year you were born. Fast food operators claim to offer a new concept in catering and their outlets have a number of characteristic features. Learn more:11 Secrets KFC Doesn't Want You to Know. If you didn't already know the interesting history of KFC, then you might be pretty fascinated by how it all began. Although McDonald's continued to dominate the fast food market financially, no chain earned the wide acclaim in the 1980s that Burger King enjoyed. Sarah Crow is a senior editor at Eat This, Not That!, where she focuses on celebrity news and health coverage. 50 Most Influential DC Restaurants of the Check out this collection of pictures showing vintage 1970s restaurant chains fast food and dine-in along with some other small-but-iconic eateries. It franchised and exploded in popularity because they were known for offering 52 kinds of doughnuts, when a mere four or five options was the norm. Chick-fil-A was actually only in mall food courts for a while, until it opened its first stand-alone establishment in 1986. Another Ohio city, Columbus, was christened a test market for new fast-fooderies while Junction City KS, bordering Fort Riley, looked like a franchisers fast food heaven. Specifically, according to the Wendy's website, the fast food chain opened its 2,000th location that year, capping a decade when Wendy's was the most popular fast food joint in the country, according toInsider. However, the Colonel had been perfecting his chicken recipe for years before he opened his first restaurant. They opened their first pizza restaurant in 1959 in Garden City, Michigan. This increased popularity was due not only to the chain's global reach, but to the new products it rolled out in the 2000s, including its Premium chicken sandwiches, Snack Wraps, and the introduction of the McDouble on the Dollar Menu. Although younger generations may know of Howard Johnson's thanks to Mad Men, '70s kids will remember actually visiting the orange-roofed restaurant chain. Take a look at how some of America's most popular chains have evolved over the years. The Most Popular Fast Food Chain The Year You Were Born, Burger King was originally started in 1953. Produced by Will Reid and Michael Simon Johnson. Today, Burger Kingstill broils and flame-grills its burgers. Get the best food tips and diet The fast food history in america is a timeline that shows the fast food history of America. You could order The Snak, Subways original name for its 6-inch sandwich. It was founded in 1940 but really began to take off in the early 1950s. Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); Most Popular Fast Food Chains in Every Decade Steak and Ale; Two Pesos; Wag's; Wetson's; White Tower Hamburgers one location remains in Toledo, Ohio [citation needed] In 1970, Wendy's pioneered the first drive-thru window. It is one of the most famous names in pizza, but in fact only got its name because the founders, brothers Dan and Frank Carney, could only fit eight letters on the sign of the location they had selected for their restaurant. RELATED:The Worst Fast-Food French Fries. It was unique thanks to its square hamburger patties and the introduction of a salad bar in 1979. By 1989, two years after its expansion, Dairy Queen reached top status in the country. Did you know that fast food chains originated from drive-ins and hamburger stands? Original music by Elisheba Ittoop and Dan Powell. Starbucks just can't stop, and it definitely didn't in 1990. In 1916, Walter Anderson opened the first White Castle restaurant in Wichita, ushering in the high-volume, low-priced, fast-food hamburger concept. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Subway became the worlds most popular chain, Taco Bell at home with our best copycat recipes, fast-food restaurants are best for vegetarians, secrets Chipotle employees wont tell you, Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Fast Food California is more than a state its a way of life! A quarter century ago, Genevieve Callahan said it in her California Cook Book, one of the first and best of many books on the so-called California lifestyle. In 1970, Wendy's pioneered the first drive-thru window. Aside from one location in Nebraska that closed in 2017, all other Lum's had closed by 1983. of a decade: 1970s restaurants Believe it or not, Taco Bell started as a hot dog stand! McDonalds, Waffle House Papa Johns. Plus, even today the chain will bring back original favorites from that timelike the Big New Yorker. Instead, it used to be called Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, and after that, Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken & Biscuits. } ); By the late '70s, though, the company had been sold. Starbucks expanded to include over 3,500 more stores from 1990 to 2000, and it all started with that loyalty program. MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images/Getty Images. Fast Food Restaurants With a market dominated by burgers, KFCs chicken and secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices was an instant hit. One of the companys breakthroughs was letting clients see meals being cooked. But before they stopped being so popular in the 1980s, Burger Chef was all anyone wanted, and according to TIME,the restaurant, which was even featured in the hit TV show Mad Men, hit its peak in 1971 when it had 1,200 locations. WebHenry's Hamburgers is a former American fast-food restaurant chain of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. According to the KFC website, it started "in a Kentucky gas station way back in 1930 when Harland Sanders first started cooking for hungry travelers." WebJohn C. Maxwell Jr., a food industry analyst, calls the 1970s the decade of the fast-food business and predicts excellent growth in the years ahead. In addition to offering a variety of All-American hamburgers, the Next Door serves steaks, spaghetti and shrimp dinners, chili, and other sandwiches, all in the medium price range. Today, given their lack of presence in some regions, some people might not know that A&W is a restaurant chain at all. Today, there are thousands of fast food chains around the world, serving billions of people every year. In 1955 and 1954, respectively, McDonalds and Burger King launched their franchised food businesses. Henry's Hamburgers document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { As more people discovered Chipotle, more people came back for more delicious burritos and bowls with a Mexican twist. Facebook The chain serves approximately 2 billion cups of hot and iced coffee every year around the world. Sign up for our newsletter for breaking food news and healthy eating tips. Pictured, is the restaurant in 1996. According to the Domino's website, the fast food chain actually became the "fastest-growing pizza restaurant" in all of the United States by 1985. Long before its chicken sandwich took the world by storm in 2019, Popeyes was a humble restaurant. if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { Even after worldwide expansion, Chipotle continues to have a basic menu. Vintage McDonald's: See 5 decades of the famous fast food chain's retro restaurants, menus & history, Vintage Pizza Hut restaurants & food from the '70s, Sambo's Restaurants: The diner chain's story - and how it got that controversial name, Vintage KFC: About Colonel Sanders & the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food chain's history, Burger King: The vintage fast food restaurant they once called 'delightfully different', Vintage Taco Bell restaurants & see what the Mexican fast-food chain used to serve, Howard Johnson's ice cream shops & restaurants: Good old days goodness from the '50s & '60s. Some Hardees burger patties were also hexagonal. Now that you know, have fun looking around! Founded in 1921, the chain had a handful of restaurants scattered across the central United States by 1930, including Indianapolis White Castle #3, a White Castle built in 1927 that has since been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Such words as colorful, unique, vivid and mobile certainly do apply, however: as many meals are eaten outdoors as in. Food Defunct Fast Food Chains and What Happened Walls are paneled in dark pecan and accented by distinctive Revolutionary War-era wall hangings and colorful cut glass light fixtures. While Wendy's growth has been slower than some of its competitors, clients became loyal customers of the chain because of its salad bar and its low burger prices, which undercut McDonald's by a significant margin. Like 1953, 1948 was a big year for fast-food restaurants. Toledo was bestowed with Hardees, Perkins Pancakes, a Mexican chain, and, in 1972, the arrival of two Bob Evans eateries. The following favorites youll find everywhere in hamburger drive-ins and sandwich shops, pizza parlors, coffeehouses and juice bars, walk-up hot-dog and taco stands, on the beach or around the family pool, in the patio or by the television set. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); According to Eat This, Not That!, Burger Chef used to be the most popular fast food joint during the 1970s, second only to the behemoth that was McDonald's. After all, you can't reach tens of thousands of locations worldwide and billions of customers served if you never sell that first burger, slice, hot dog, or taco. This Changing World - JSTOR Marina Nazario contributed to an earlier version of this post. You might not know that for many years Chick-fil-A was strictly a mall food court restaurant, not opening its first freestanding location until 1986. The industry has also begun to focus more on healthy options, with many chains now offering salads, fruits, and veggie-based options. Out west, it was In-N-Out Burger, the first location of which opened that same year in Baldwin Park, CA. In the 1940s, McDonalds and Burger King both opened their doors for business. The newly designed locations will place a bigger emphasis on curbside pickup and drive-thru orders, as well as offer more outdoor dining options. The colorful Americana interior features wooden soldiers watching over the diners. Specifically, it really took off in the 1970s, as it had already expanded to 673 locations by 1975. 1948: Dunkin' Donuts and In-N-Out. Geris Hamburgers was an Illinois based fast food burger chain with glaring similarities to McDonalds. If you've ever found yourself in need of a caffeine boost and quick, you've probably dashed to the nearest Starbucks a few times (or every day, no judgement!). Material on this site is provided for purposes of education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. Five Guys was founded in 1986 by Janie and Jerry Murrell. And in fact, all well-known fast food chains have gone through different waves of popularity over the years, typically because of new menu items, prices, or locations. So, read on to find out the most popular fast food chain the year you were born, because it's pretty interesting. She knows exactly how to tidy a filthy kitchen and straighten out a mixed-up pantry! These restaurants were designed to be quick, efficient, and affordable, and they quickly became popular with busy urbanites who didnt have time to cook or sit down for a traditional meal. And indeed this flagship product flows at A&W restaurants, just as it has since 1919 when the chain was founded as a small roadside stand serving root beer floats to returning World War I service people. He had been cooking fried chicken for decades already, having learned it as a child, but it would still be another decade until he hit on the famed "11 herbs and spices" we still know today. The Next Door Special is a quarter pound of ground chuck on a sesame seed bun, Suzy-O style French fries, and a fresh green tossed salad. Fast food became even more popular after World War II, when families began to have more disposable income and time to eat out. White Castle opened in Wichita, Kan. in 1921. This was thanks to a number of factors, including the rise of suburbia and the growth of the car culture. Now that you know, have fun looking around! Now both are gone. A lot of people think that Arby's is meant to be an abbreviation of roast beef, as in "RB," but it is really a play on the first two letters of "Raffel Brothers." In fact, it wasn't until 1960, when KFC already had 200 locations, that the fast food chain really started to gain traction. According to the McDonald's website, the company now operates a total of 36,525 restaurants worldwide. In the early 1970s, the company attempted to expand from its Mid-Atlantic base into the Midwest ; however, these locations only operated a short period. To stay competitive, fast-food chains across America have to revamp their menus and redesign their stores almost as quickly as they prepare their food. single You can obtain a whole dinner at a fast food restaurant in a matter of minutes rather than having to spend time in your home and at the grocery store making a meal. Specifically, Pizza Hut came out with its Original Stuffed Crust, which apparently "set company sales records" in record time. In addition to classic tacos, burritos and burgers, Del Taco also offers a variety of vegetarian and vegan menu items using plant-based crumbles they call Beyond Meat. See what other fast-food restaurants are best for vegetarians. Plus, this is what Americas best pizza chain of 2022 is. Restaurants As the founder says, Its important to keep the menu focused, because if you just do a few things, you can ensure that you do them better than anybody else. Here are the secrets Chipotle employees wont tell you. The company quickly grew in popularity, thanks to its efficient assembly-line style of service. Just like McDonald's or Burger King, Wendy's has been a mainstay in the fast food business for years. From Fun Meals to fast Mexican to pizza, you could find just about anything you wanted with a little elbow grease and ingenuity. According to a previous article by Business Insider, customers will have pickup options like lockers and even be able to have their orders delivered to their car via conveyor belts.