If you believe the latest chain restaurant statistics, you already know that chain restaurants are a dying breed. However, just because these restaurants are less well-liked than they were a decade ago doesn’t imply that they will soon cease to exist. In truth, there are still many regions of the nation where people enjoy going to eat family-friendly dinners in a comfortable setting. The Shorty’s list won’t surprise true fans of Hamilton pizza.
Not every chain restaurant is about to close. Some, especially the ones that have been there for a while, are flourishing. In this article you will learn everything about the 10 oldest chain restaurants in the United States. So keep reading!
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TGI Friday’s
A lonely man in New York City who struggled to find love launched your favorite franchise for appetizers and cocktails. Alan Stillman envisioned a location where singles might congregate, mingle, and perhaps even find a date. What degree of the idea’s success? He just so happened to open a cocktail bar targeted at singles in the same year as the development of The Pill.
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Domino’s
Even though they had a different name at the beginning (Domi- Nick’s), this establishment always served pizza. For about $500, brothers Tom and James Monaghan bought the pizzeria in Ypsilanti, Michigan. To satisfy all appetites, they now provide sandwiches, spaghetti, appetizers, and desserts in addition to pizza.
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Pizza Hut
It’s not only Domino’s that has been in business for a long time. The first pizza restaurant in America is technically Pizza Hut, two years older. Only 25 people could fit in the first establishment’s seating, and the sign could only include nine letters on the building because it was so small in Wichita, Kansas. For this reason, they just referred to it as “Pizza Hut.” They distributed free pizza to generate interest in the new idea among the community for opening night.
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IHOP
In 1958, a Los Angeles suburb became the first location of the nation’s favorite breakfast restaurant. Due to the popularity of pancake orders at all hours of the day, franchising helped the International House of Pancakes grow swiftly. In 1973, they began using the abbreviation IHOP.
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Waffle House
The distinctive black and yellow sign distinguishes them and brings in clients from a great distance. In 1955, Waffle House opened its doors in Decatur, Georgia. The official Waffle House museum is still housed at the original premises, which was once a place to get breakfast.
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McDonald’s
Does anyone still haven’t heard of McDonald’s? Ray Kroc recognized the potential of a little hamburger stand run by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald in 1955, and he went on to launch the most prosperous chain restaurant in history. The rest is history; he purchased the name and the rights.
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Sonic
Although the drive-in idea failed due to shifting consumer preferences, Sonic, a chain restaurant, defied the odds. This retro-style restaurant is one of the few remaining drive-ins with consistently fantastic burgers and milkshakes. In 1953, the first one began operations in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
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Denny’s
Denny’s may be one of the most well-known diners in America, but before selling egg platters, their specialty was donuts. Although Danny’s Donuts was open daily, it changed its name in 1959 to avoid being confused with Coffee Dan’s. In 1977, the first Grand Slam breakfast was presented in memory of legendary baseball star Hank Aaron.
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KFC
After dropping out of the sixth grade, Colonel Harland Sanders began selling fried chicken in his native Corbin, Kentucky. When the Colonel realized there was room for growth, the first “Kentucky Fried Chicken” franchise launched in Salt Lake City in 1952. He maintained the recipe for his special fried chicken in his head for many years, but it is now preserved in a safe in Kentucky.
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Jack in the Box
Robert O. Peterson, a businessman, built the first Jack in the Box restaurant in 1951 at a prime location. It quickly became a well-liked stopping place for hungry commuters due to its location on the east-west road entering San Diego. Instead of the dining room, the drive-thru was their primary focus as the first quick-service restaurant.
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In-N-Out
If you’re fortunate enough to call the Southwest or the Pacific coast home, there’s a good chance you’ve had an In-N-Out burger or something from their fabled “secret menu.” The 1948-founded chain is still privately held and does not franchise because of concern for the quality of its meals.
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Dunkin’ Donuts
Before Starbucks introduced PSLs, Dunkin’ Donuts dominated the coffee and donut industry. They first opened as Open Kettle in Quincy, Massachusetts, with donuts for just five cents. Later, they changed their name to Kettle Donuts. They presently operate 12,000 outlets throughout 45 countries and don’t have any plans to scale down their expansion anytime soon.
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Dairy Queen
Ice cream is a universal favorite, which explains why DQ has endured for so long. In the little Illinois town of Joliet, the first establishment debuted in 1940. In just two hours on their first day of operation, Dairy Queen served 1,600 servings of the novel soft serve ice cream idea.
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White Castle
What is less expensive than a burger? A small hamburger In Wichita, Kansas, in 1921, White Castle began selling value-priced sliders for just five cents each. According to Time Magazine, the “most influential burger of all time” is White Castle’s Original Slider.
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A&W
Root beer is what the oldest restaurant group in the country is famous for! On June 20, 1919, a walk-up root beer shop opened in Lodi, California. In 1923, the first A&W was established in Sacramento by founder Roy W. Allen and his employee Frank Wright. They were well known for offering their delicious root beer in crisp, ice-cold mugs.
Final Verdict
Due to its extreme popularity, there may be a wait of an hour or more for your pie at Shorty’s Pizza, but the wait will be well worth it. A less common option like the White Pizza, which has mozzarella, ricotta, pesto, lime juice, and just a nutty seed oil crust, is always ready to wow. Standard types like the traditional New York Cheese are filled with balanced flavor (that sauce!).
