13 Beloved Fast Food Chains That Started In The South

We'll happily vouch for these burger joints, biscuit palaces, and fried chicken hubs.

Jessica Farthing writes about food and has a busy speaking schedule teaching aspiring authors to do the same. She's published in numerous publications, tackling a range of subject related to the culinary world.

Courtesy Whataburger

Road trippers usually fall into two categories—those that want to get finished without stopping and those who’d like to take a break to get some dinner at a restaurant. I’m all for finishing the drive as soon as possible, arriving at the destination quickly to have the most time to enjoy. A good way to keep the Southern road trip moving? To fuel the family with some food—and of course, the fast food establishments of the South know how to make a delicious meal on-the-go. In this list of beloved Southern fast food chains, some are solely found in the South, and some have branched out due to popularity. Yet, all started right here in the South, so you can expect to see some biscuits and fried chicken on these menus.

When you hit the road this summer, watch for these signs at the exits. They rarely disappoint for a fast meal that you can eat in the car. Here are 13 Southern fast food chains we'll always love.

It's no secret that Chick-fil-A reigns supreme amongst Southerners, especially if the line in the drive-through is any indication. The restaurant's roots are firmly in the South, opening in 1967 in Hapeville, Georgia, a suburb close to Atlanta. Now, the expansion is country-wide. You can currently enjoy their classic chicken sandwich and seasonal favorites in 47 states and growing.

See also: 7 Discontinued Chick-fil-A Menu Items That We Still Wish They’d Bring Back

Courtesy Whataburger

With 930 locations in 14 states that serve around 60,000 customers, Whataburger has come a long way from its original Texas roots. Started in the 1950s, the restaurant is easily recognizable by its signature orange-and-white striped buildings—and its famed Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit. The go-to for many Southerners for burgers, Whataburger offers the choice of sweet or spicy fancy ketchup, which you can now buy at the grocery store. The menu is full of burger topping options, like jalapeño, bacon, and avocado. If you don't like beef, there are plenty of chicken choices to satisfy as well.

See also: Whataburger Has A Secret Menu—Here's What To Order

Courtesy Raising Cane's

Raising Cane's might be about freshly fried, crispy chicken; but in our house, we think it's about the sauce. We aren't alone. The dipping delight is made fresh daily in-house at the restaurants and used to decorate everything from fingers to fries. The recipe is top secret, known only to a lucky few.

The origin story is one of hard work and determination from founder Todd Graves. After a series of tough jobs to earn enough money to fund the effort and a loan from the Small Business Administration, the first location was opened near Louisiana State University. Now, with well over 500 locations and more on the way, this restaurant's success is a tribute to true grit. A side note: Raising Cane's is named for the founder's Labrador retriever. We approve.

A restaurant is going to be a favorite if you combine burgers and ice cream. That's the approach started in the original Cook Out in Greensboro, North Carolina, way back in 1989. Cook Out has over 40 different flavors of shakes on the menu, including strawberry cheesecake and peach cobbler. Add in a giant menu of burgers, hot dogs and barbecue and you’ve got yourself a satisfying and fast dinner. At the 210 locations all across the South, you can order the ultimate Southern drink touch, a Cheerwine float.

hapabapa/Getty Images

Almost all you need to know to appreciate Bojangles is that they make their biscuits from scratch. Those fluffy, buttery creations come out of the oven freshly baked about every 20 minutes. There's a 48-step process to make sure each one is the same quality when it emerges from the kitchen and a master biscuit maker in charge of the creating.

The freshness of their ingredients and friendly customer service has been a part of the company's culture since it opened in 1977. Today, there are over 500 Bojangles restaurants serving up those famous biscuits filled with chicken, sausage, eggs, ham, or steak—or simply with gravy!

Getty Images/Victoria Jones

Do you know who the five guys are in the name of this restaurant? It refers to the five sons of founders Jerry and Janie Murrell. The restaurant, serving hand-formed burgers and freshly cut fries, opened in the Washington, D.C. area in 1989. From family affair to franchise, the chain has grown to 1,700 locations worldwide with many more deals in production. You can even top the generous servings of fries with the old-school malt vinegar offered at the store.

Getty Images/HUM Images/Contributor

Lexington, Kentucky, was the location of the start of this beloved seafood chain. Opened in 1969, it quickly grew to 1,000 locations in the next few years. By 1980, they were nationwide. Patrons have always flocked to enjoy fried fish and chips, but the chain added some healthier grilled versions to their menu. You can also finish your meal with some Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake, which might not qualify as the health choice, but is certainly delicious.

Courtesy Zaxby's

Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley were best friends in Statesboro, Georgia, playing basketball one day and complaining about the fried chicken options available in the small college town. They came up with the concept of Zaxby's as a solution, and in 1990, with a sale of a drum set and a few credit cards, launched the business. Today, Zaxby's has over 900 restaurants serving Fingerz, Zalads, and their signature sandwich with a side of the incomparable Zax Sauce.

In the South, we’ve loved Popeyes chicken since the first restaurant opened in 1972 in New Orleans, well before the viral chicken sandwich. Additionally, there are delicious buttermilk biscuits and cane sugar sweetened tea on the menu also. Now, the parent company of Popeyes owns that restaurant and Church's Chicken, another Southern favorite.

The made-from-scratch biscuits at Hardee's originated in Greenville, North Carolina in 1960 and haven't stopped satisfying since. By the 1990s, there were well over 3,000 locations across the country. Hardee's continues to grow, serving up charbroiled burgers, chicken, and more.

Courtesy Captain D's

1969 must have been the year for seafood, as this ocean-inspired chain started then, just as its seafood chain counterpart. Captain D's opened in Donelson, Tennessee, with seafood and hamburgers on the menu, but changed the options to focus on fried shrimp and fish in 1974. Today, there are 500 plus restaurants serving grilled options, fried classics and sandwiches.

Courtesy Krystal

The first order from Krystal was six burgers and a coffee, costing just 35 cents. That's because this Southern burger chain started during the Great Depression, 1932 to be exact. As the owners were super concerned with cleanliness, the restaurant was named for the sayings: "clean as a crystal" or "crystal clean." At this point, after selling burgers for over 90 years, the Krystal company computes that they’ve sold over 10 billion burgers. That's a lot of burger patties on a steamed buns!

Courtesy KFC

There really was a Colonel Sanders. Founder Harland Sanders did serve in the military, but lore has it that he was made an honorary Colonel by Kentucky governor Ruby Laffoon. The original restaurant opened in 1930 in Corbin, Kentucky, but he didn't start wearing his instantly recognizable white suit until the 1950s. He's always cooked his fried chicken with those secret 11 herbs and spices though, which clearly accounts for some of the restaurant's popularity. After franchising, the Colonel sold his shares and later passed away in the 1980s, but his image remains a signal for hungry diners to pull off the road and enjoy a meal.

See also: This Is Where The Original Kentucky Fried Chicken Recipe Was Created