List of restaurant chains in the United States facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Did you know that some of your favorite restaurants are part of huge families called "chains"? A restaurant chain means there are many restaurants with the same name and menu, often owned by the same company. This article will tell you about some of the biggest and most famous restaurant chains in the United States, where you can find all sorts of yummy food!

Popular Restaurant Chains
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Popular Restaurant Chains

Asian/Pacific Food

Many restaurant chains offer delicious Asian and Pacific-inspired dishes.

Panda Express is a very popular Chinese-American fast-food chain. It started in Glendale, California, in 1983 and now has over 2,300 locations across the country! You can find their famous orange chicken almost everywhere.
Noodles & Company offers a variety of noodle dishes from around the world, like mac and cheese, Pad Thai, and spaghetti. It began in Denver, Colorado, in 1995 and has hundreds of restaurants nationwide.
BonChon Chicken is known for its crispy Korean fried chicken. It started in South Korea in 2002 and has grown to over 100 locations in the U.S.
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue brings the taste of Hawaii to the mainland with plate lunches. It started in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1976 and has over 200 locations, mostly in the Western states.

Baked Goods and Sweet Treats

If you love pastries, donuts, or cookies, these chains are for you!

Auntie Anne's is famous for its soft, warm pretzels. It started in Pennsylvania in 1988 and has over 1,100 locations, often found in malls.
Cinnabon makes giant, gooey cinnamon rolls that smell amazing. This chain began in Washington in 1985 and has almost 1,000 spots nationwide.
Krispy Kreme is well-known for its melt-in-your-mouth glazed donuts. It started way back in 1937 in North Carolina and has hundreds of stores across the U.S.
Crumbl Cookies is a newer chain, founded in Utah in 2017, but it has quickly become popular with over 700 locations. They are famous for their large, unique cookies that change weekly.
Einstein Bros. Bagels offers a huge variety of bagels and cream cheeses. It started in Colorado in 1995 and has nearly 700 locations nationwide.

Beef Dishes

For those who love beef, these chains specialize in different beefy delights.

Skyline Chili and Gold Star Chili are two famous chains from Cincinnati, Ohio. They are known for their unique "Cincinnati chili," which is often served over spaghetti or hot dogs. Skyline started in 1949 and Gold Star in 1965.

Drinks and Smoothies

Need a refreshing drink or a coffee boost?

Dunkin' (formerly Dunkin' Donuts) is a huge chain for coffee and donuts. It started in Massachusetts in 1950 and has over 9,000 locations across the country!
Starbucks is another giant coffee chain, famous for its lattes and specialty drinks. It began in Seattle, Washington, in 1971 and has over 15,000 locations nationwide.
Jamba Juice is a popular spot for smoothies and fresh juices. It started in California in 1990 and has over 750 locations.
Dutch Bros. Coffee is a drive-thru coffee chain that started in Oregon in 1992 and is very popular in the Western U.S.

Chicken Restaurants

Chicken is a favorite for many, and these chains serve it in many ways.

Chick-fil-A is known for its chicken sandwiches and waffle fries. It started in Georgia in 1946 and has over 2,700 locations nationwide. They are also famous for being closed on Sundays.
KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is one of the oldest and most famous chicken chains, started by Colonel Sanders in Kentucky in 1952. It has nearly 4,000 locations in the U.S.
Popeyes serves up Louisiana-style fried chicken and biscuits. It began in Louisiana in 1972 and has over 2,700 restaurants nationwide.
Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers specializes in chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, and their special Cane's sauce. It started in Louisiana in 1996 and has over 500 locations.
Wingstop is a popular place for chicken wings with many different flavors. It started in Texas in 1994 and has over 1,500 locations across the country.

Frozen Desserts

Cool down with ice cream, frozen yogurt, or custard from these chains.

Dairy Queen is famous for its soft-serve ice cream and "Blizzard" treats. It started in Illinois in 1940 and has over 4,300 locations nationwide.
Baskin-Robbins is known for offering "31 flavors" of ice cream. It began in California in 1945 and has over 2,300 locations.
Cold Stone Creamery lets you customize your ice cream with mix-ins on a frozen granite slab. It started in Arizona in 1988 and has over 870 locations.
Menchie's Frozen Yogurt and Yogurtland are popular spots for self-serve frozen yogurt with many toppings. Menchie's started in California in 2007 and Yogurtland in 2006.

Hamburger Joints

Hamburgers are a classic American meal, and these chains serve millions of them!

McDonald's is one of the largest fast-food chains in the world, famous for its Big Mac and Happy Meals. It started in California in 1940 and has over 13,500 locations in the U.S.
Burger King is another big name in burgers, known for its flame-grilled Whopper. It started in Florida in 1953 and has over 7,000 locations nationwide.
Wendy's offers square burgers and Frosty desserts. It began in Ohio in 1969 and has over 6,000 locations.
In-N-Out Burger is a beloved chain, especially in the Western U.S., known for its simple menu and "secret" items. It started in California in 1948.
Five Guys is known for its fresh, customizable burgers and fries cooked in peanut oil. It started in Virginia in 1986 and has over 1,400 locations.
Sonic Drive-In is a unique chain where you order from your car and carhops deliver your food. It started in Oklahoma in 1953 and has over 3,500 locations.
Whataburger is a popular chain, especially in Texas, known for its large, customizable burgers. It started in Texas in 1950 and has nearly 950 locations.

Hot Dogs

For a quick and tasty hot dog, check out these places.

Nathan's Famous is a classic hot dog stand that started in New York in 1916. It's famous for its annual hot dog eating contest! It has over 200 locations.
Wienerschnitzel is the world's largest hot dog chain, known for its chili dogs. It started in California in 1961 and has over 300 locations.

Mexican and Tex-Mex Food

These chains serve up tacos, burritos, and other Mexican-inspired dishes.

Taco Bell is a very popular fast-food chain for tacos, burritos, and nachos. It started in California in 1962 and has over 7,000 locations nationwide.
Chipotle Mexican Grill is known for its build-your-own burritos and bowls with fresh ingredients. It started in Colorado in 1993 and has nearly 3,000 locations.
Moe's Southwest Grill also offers customizable burritos, tacos, and salads. It started in Georgia in 2000 and has over 650 locations.

Pizza and Italian Food

Who doesn't love pizza? These chains make it easy to get a slice.

Domino's is one of the largest pizza delivery chains. It started in Michigan in 1960 and has over 6,500 locations in the U.S.
Pizza Hut is another huge pizza chain, known for its pan pizzas. It started in Kansas in 1958 and has over 6,500 locations.
Little Caesars is famous for its "Hot-N-Ready" pizzas that are ready to pick up quickly. It started in Michigan in 1959 and has over 4,000 locations.
Papa John's Pizza is known for its "better ingredients, better pizza" slogan. It started in Indiana in 1984 and has over 3,100 locations.
Olive Garden is a popular casual dining chain for Italian-American food, like pasta and breadsticks. It started in Florida in 1982 and has over 870 locations.

Sandwiches

For a quick and easy meal, a sandwich chain is a great choice.

Subway is the largest sandwich chain in the world, where you can build your own submarine sandwiches. It started in Connecticut in 1965 and has over 21,000 locations in the U.S.
Arby's is known for its roast beef sandwiches. It started in Ohio in 1964 and has over 3,400 locations nationwide.
Jimmy John's offers "freaky fast" delivery of gourmet sandwiches. It started in Illinois in 1983 and has over 2,600 locations.
Panera Bread is a popular spot for sandwiches, salads, soups, and baked goods. It started in Missouri in 1987 and has over 2,100 locations.
Firehouse Subs serves hot submarine sandwiches with a firefighter theme. It started in Florida in 1994 and has over 1,100 locations.

Seafood Restaurants

If you're craving fish or shrimp, these chains have you covered.

Red Lobster is a well-known casual dining chain specializing in seafood, especially their famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits. It started in Florida in 1968 and has over 670 locations.
Long John Silver's offers fast-food seafood like fish and chips. It started in Kentucky in 1969 and has over 640 locations.

Casual Dining Favorites

Casual dining restaurants are places where you can sit down and be served, but they are usually less formal than fancy restaurants.

Applebee's is a popular neighborhood grill and bar, serving American food. It started in Georgia in 1980 and has over 1,500 locations.
The Cheesecake Factory is known for its huge menu and, of course, its many kinds of cheesecake. It started in California in 1978 and has over 200 locations.
Chili's serves Tex-Mex and American food in a fun, casual setting. It started in Texas in 1975 and has over 1,200 locations.
Cracker Barrel is a unique chain that combines a restaurant serving Southern comfort food with a country store. It started in Tennessee in 1969 and has over 660 locations.
Denny's is a classic American diner, open 24/7, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It started in California in 1953 and has nearly 1,500 locations.
IHOP (International House of Pancakes) is famous for its pancakes and breakfast foods, but also serves other meals. It started in California in 1958 and has over 1,600 locations.
Waffle House is another popular diner chain, especially in the South, known for its waffles and quick service. It started in Georgia in 1955 and has over 1,900 locations.
Outback Steakhouse is a popular Australian-themed steakhouse. It started in Florida in 1988 and has nearly 700 locations.
Texas Roadhouse is known for its hand-cut steaks, ribs, and free peanuts. It started in Indiana in 1993 and has nearly 600 locations.

Fun and Games Restaurants

Some chains combine food with entertainment!

Chuck E. Cheese is a family entertainment center with arcade games, rides, and pizza. It started in California in 1977 and has nearly 500 locations.
Dave & Buster's is a restaurant and arcade for older kids and adults, with games, food, and drinks. It started in Texas in 1982 and has over 140 locations.
Topgolf combines a driving range with a lounge, offering food, drinks, and golf games. It started in the UK in 2000 and has over 70 locations in the U.S.