Wendy’s
Wendy’s was started by Dave Thomas in 1969. It opened up its first outlet in Colombus, Ohio (as seen in the image.) During the ’80s, Wendy’s had an immensely popular salad bar.
The fast-food outlet was also known for its training videos (which you can binge-watch on YouTube). In no time, the quick-service chain became known for its square beef patties – made from fresh beef – and iconic Frosty shakes.
Dunkin’ Donuts
Dunkin’ Donuts is also known as Dunkin’ for short. It opened its first grub post in 1948 in Quincy, Massachusetts – under the name, Open Kettle. Here you can see one of the oldest signs of Dunkin’ Donuts.
It instantly takes us back to what the fast-food outlet was decades ago in terms of vibe and appearance. In this picture, you can see its logo in cherry red and pastel pink as opposed to the brighter colors of today’s logo.
White Castle
White Castle is known for its ‘too yum to describe in words’ sliders. It was first founded in 1921 in Wichita (refer to the image below.) Ironically, no White Castle exists today in the state of Kansas, the birthplace of the fast-food chain.
The fast-food chain landed itself in Time magazine, a publication that referred to White Castle burgers as one of the most influential burgers of the times. That’s sayin’ something!
Arby’s
Known for finger-lickin’ sandwiches, Arby’s opened its first outlet way back in 1964. In the image, you can see the original Arby’s building at Hikes Lane. The building has more or less retained its original architecture.
Did you also know that Arby’s was the first fast-food chain to ban smoking across all its outlets?! This was definitely a good move to make.
Jack in the Box
Pictured here is the first Jack in the Box shop, opened to the public in 1951. A burger at this American fast-food outlet used to cost 18 cents at one point in time. Jack in the Box made a lot of first moves – introducing portable salad in 1982, among plenty of other things.
Sadly, Jack in the Box has since discontinued some of its original creations as per the needs and wants of its customers. Looks like they already knew that ‘Customer is always right.’
Popeyes
No, you won’t get spinach here nor will you find the lissome Olive Oyl. Here, you’ll only get chicken – and whatever other food items they serve. Popeyes was founded in 1972 in New Orleans.
Since then, it has grown by leaps and bounds, to the point that it’s now one of the top five chicken QSRs (Quick Service Restaurants) across the US. Plus, did you know that Popeyes provided Beyoncé with a lifetime supply of their chicken?
Culver’s
Founded in 1984, Culver’s is famed for its frozen custard. Since its opening, the restaurant has been following the tradition of ‘flavor of the day’ in which the customer can create their own flavor by choosing mix-ins to go with their custard.
Culver’s was started by Craig and Lea Culver after they were inspired by their mother’s preparation of hamburgers and custard. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In is commonly known as Sonic. This 1980 image from the drive-in takes us back to the good old days. The term sonic is actually a nod to its speediness, which inspired their slogan, “Service With the Speed of Sound.”
Here are a couple of fun facts for your guys – (1) Sonic and Dr. Pepper have been teaming for years to host their annual carhop competition, and (2) Cherry Limeade is one of the frequently ordered items from the Sonic Drive-In menu.
El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco was founded in 1975 by the Pancho family, who can be seen posing together in the image at one of the original outlets of El Pollo Loco. The chain is known for its grilled Mexican-style chicken.
Did you know that they were one of the first employers of Brad Pitt? Apparently, Pitt’s job description involved getting dressed up in a chicken costume and handing out the flyers to the crowd.
Pizza Hut
Beloved pizza giant Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 after its founders, Dan and Frank Carney, took a $600 loan from their mother to open a pizzeria. They opened their first outlet on the campus of Wichita State University, where they were studying.
Pizza Hut’s name was inspired by the bar it was replacing. During its early days, it had a mascot named Pizza Pete. In 1980, Pizza Hut revolutionized the pizza scene by introducing pan pizza.
Domino’s Pizza
Domino’s Pizza owner Tom Monaghan was originally a college dropout. In the image, you can see its 1960 logo, which has evolved over the course of years. Domino’s Pizza started as DomiNick’s Pizza.
As per their official website, Domino’s claims to sell an average of three million pizzas a day, with most of their sales coming from outside the US! Not that we don’t believe it, but that sounds like quite a lot of sales.
Subway
The following picture is of the first Subway restaurant in 1965. It was opened by Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck using a $1,000 loan. Subway’s first outlet was called Pete’s Submarines. Customers were charged 70 cents for the subs.
In 1968, Fred re-branded the outlet and changed the name to Subway – and the rest is history. Subway was also featured in the movie, Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
Starbucks
Seattle-headquartered Starbucks was founded by trio Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin, and Zev Siegl. Surprisingly, not a single one of them was a coffee connoisseur. The image that you see here is of Starbucks’ first outlet.
Originally, they only sold coffee beans. Currently, there’s a Starbucks coffee shop in 30,000 different locations worldwide, indicating just how far its come. An uber-cool fact about this coffee chain is that there’s a secret Starbucks for CIA members.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A was founded in 1946 by S. Truett Cathy. The image from 1967 is of a Chick-fil-A outlet inside Atlanta’s Greenbriar Mall. Cathy also owns another grub post called The Dwarf House, which is primarily a US-based chain.
Chick-fil-A is credited for popularizing chicken sandwiches. The ‘A’ in the brand name indicates the quality of its food and service offered – i.e. Grade A.
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen was founded in 1940 by John Fremont McCullough. This vintage picture is of Dairy Queen’s outpost in Indiana. Originally, the curl on top of Dairy Queen soft serve (shaped like a Q) was considered to be a trademark.
Their first location in Illinois is considered a landmark. Dairy Queen is particularly famous for its Blizzard, a soft-serve treat that’s so cold, it can be held upside-down without any spillage.
