New safety features included meal trolleys and designated waiting decals to distance customers. It was renamed Dominos Pizza in 1965, shortly after franchised pizza restaurants began to open. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-53563316-1&cid=2096376d-bf3b-44c4-8dae-49cfd39f5c28&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=3296891323046020240'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); RELATED: The easy way to make healthier comfort foods. RELATED:20 McDonald's Secrets Employees Don't Want You to Know, Harland Sanders, AKA The Colonel, first started selling fried chicken to hungry motorists in the year 1930. Today, there are thousands of fast food chains around the world, serving billions of people every year. every day. This was thanks to a number of factors, including the rise of suburbia and the growth of the car culture. Restaurant Chains We Miss 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. But just about everyone knows A&W root beer, which can be bought canned or bottled just about anywhere. Sambos Restaurants: The diner chains story and how it got that controversial name. ClickAmericana.com is made with and by Synchronista LLC 2011-2022. Next Door Restaurant And some of these are found no place else! While McDonald's was first founded in 1940, it wasn't until the 1950s that the chain's franchising efforts took off. Food is served from a central counter. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); 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to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety, but also in terms of outdated cultural depictions and social values. Some people can't get enough of their food, some will never even try it given the politics. It had a separate grill for quick service. In-N-Out Burgers first location was opened near Los Angeles in 1948, making it the first drive-thru hamburger stand in California. It had a separate grill for quick service. . Fast food chains began to spring up all over the country, offering convenient and affordable meals for busy families on the go. Oldest fast food establishments KFC. There arent many fast-food chains that offer fried okra! 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e, RELATED:15 Secrets About Chick-fil-A Every Fan Needs to Know. Sanders visited KFC restaurants around the world up until his death in 1980, at the age of 90, in Louisville, Kentucky. He sold hot dogs cooked using a recipe his wife developed, according to Nathan's Famous, and apparently, the recipe was quite good. Yes, the Enchirito, the enchilada-burrito combination, was in Taco Bells all over in 1970, making the decade the chain's most successful. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. 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The burger chain now has over 2,200 quick-serve restaurants in the US and Guam. Also at this time, chains of restaurants such as the Berni Inns began to appear in every British town and city, serving the classic 1970s favourites of Melon or Prawn Cocktail, Mixed Grill or Steak, and Black Forest Gateau or Lemon Meringue Pie for dessert. It's been called the "most valuable" fast-foodrestaurant chain and thebiggest quick-service restaurantin the world. Eventually franchised, there were over 200 locations in the United States by the end of the 1960s. Today, Burger Kingstill broils and flame-grills its burgers. The fast food industry began in the 1920s with the advent of drive-in restaurants. So, if you were born between 1960 and 1969, then KFC was probably where everyone you know went for a great, fast, and cheap meal. On opposite coasts of America, two very successful chains were founded. 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. Touch-screen kiosks have been added to most restaurants in order to make ordering even faster. All Rights Reserved. At first, they offered 25 different items served by carhops. Heres the most popular Chick-fil-A menu item right now. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); So, it's not surprising that throughout the decade that followed, Wendy's gained a huge new surplus of followers. As much as anything, snack foods and refreshments show the Californians love of color and high flavor with a minimum of fuss and ceremony. It was only in the late 1960s that McDonalds became a global sensation by introducing the fast food restaurant to a larger population. Founders Billy Ingram and Walter Anderson sold their small, square burgers (known as "sliders") for 5 cents. Dont feel like goin out? White Castle was the first fast-food chain to do so. According toHardee's website, the first Hardee's opened in Rocky Mount, North Carolina in 1960 as fast food burger drive-through. As more people discovered Chipotle, more people came back for more delicious burritos and bowls with a Mexican twist. Material on this site is provided for education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. PS: If you liked this article, please share it! restaurants But then Glen Bell realized there was an opportunity in the market for Mexican food, and started selling tacos for 19 cents. The company's specialty sandwiches and breakfast menu, the latter of which expanded to include new products like French Toast Sticks in the '80s, made the chain a huge hit with anyone without time for a sit-down morning meal. The company is also looking towards expanding its restaurants globally following the smash success of its new chicken sandwich. 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. 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." Texas company snaps up Krystal fast-food chain. Howard johnson's. McDonalds is the original fast food restaurant and has dominated the fast food industry throughout history. Produced by Will Reid and Michael Simon Johnson. Because of that, the fast food chain expanded even further and got even more popular between 1998 and 2001. Note: This article may feature affiliate links, and purchases made may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. 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. } ); Mix this exaggerated bounty, which is available year-round, with the exotic traditions of the ethnic cuisines, add a little homey Yankee or Southern or Middle America cooking, then stir it up with the casual, rather unorthodox freshness that seems to come with living here and you have an idea of what cooking in the California style is all about. The fast food history in america is a timeline that shows the fast food history of America. Specifically, it really took off in the 1970s, as it had already expanded to 673 locations by 1975. You can also get our free newsletter, follow us on Facebook & Pinterest. The newest fast food chain is called Freshii, which specializes in healthy salads, wraps, and bowls. Hardees is hot again todaythanks to trendy new menu items like these. By the late 1970s, there were more than 800 locations nationwide, but the number tumbled to just two in 2021, and then one in 2022. Originally called Chicken on the Run, it opened in 1972 to compete with Kentucky Fried Chicken. With just 25 seats, the first restaurant was rather small. Dont want a footlong? The first Wendy's closed its doors in 2007, and the building has since been torn down. Red patent leather-like booths and tables are equipped with red individual telephones for ordering. Recipes many spirited away from famous drive-ins and coffee shops for the hefty hamburgers, tacos, tostadas, hot dogs, dips and drinks that on-the-go Californians have made a way of life, Article by Ruth Conrad Bateman in Womans Day (September 1972). Burger Chef, much like McDonald's and Burger King, was obviously known for its burgers, but it might have burned too bright to last as long. Starbucks just can't stop, and it definitely didn't in 1990. xhr.send(payload); When she's not writing you'll find her organizing a closet, buying more bins she doesn't need or bingeing her latest TV show obsession. See how Dominos ranked in our pizza taste test. The industry has also begun to focus more on healthy options, with many chains now offering salads, fruits, and veggie-based options. Pictured, is the restaurant in 1996. Specifically, the early and mid- 1990s were huge for McDonald's, with more and more international locations of the chain opening worldwide and a new menu item being introduced that continues to be popular today. Subway is pretty much ubiquitous today, given the relatively low cost of franchising and operation. It was Italy where it all began. Popular items like the Beef n Cheddar, curly fries and their signature Horsey Sauce didnt join the menu until the 1970s. Franchising began two years later, and by the close of the decade, there were 100-plus locations. Thats the growth you get with all-day access to caffeine! By the end of fiscal 1970, the prototype unit was in operation in East Wichita, and a second company-owned outlet was near operational status in the western part of the city. McDonalds, Waffle House Papa Johns. Then, in 1954, the company was taken over by David Edgerton and James McLamore, who decided to expand its locations. Next Door was a concept restaurant chain from the early 1970s that was owned by, 14 retro hamburger recipes for some differently delicious dinners, Vintage McDonald's menus & food: See 5 decades of the famous fast food chain's history, Look back at these vintage Pizza Hut restaurants & foods from the '70s. Californians also have a passion for their own products. 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 his first ad appearance, Ronald McDonald pulled hamburgers out of his belt and had a McDonald's cup for a nose. Like 1953, 1948 was a big year for fast-food restaurants. Today, there are dozens of major fast food chains operating all over the world. 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. His hat was a tray with a Styrofoam hamburger, fries, and a milkshake on top of it. RELATED:The Best and Worst Menu Items at Jack in the Box. Glen Bell opened his first Taco Bell restaurant in Downey, California, the same site as the oldest McDonald's in the country. a Burger King. 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. April 19, 2023. Take a look at how some of America's most popular chains have evolved over the years. According to the In-N-Out website, the fast food chain was actually launched back in 1948 in California. Inspired by popular burrito stands in California, Steve Ells opened the first Chipotle Mexican Grill in Denver, Colorado in 1993. Sonic. When Marriott acquired the company in 1979 Burger King also expanded rapidly during this period, opening up thousands of locations across America and around the globe. It initially went by the name Insta-Burger King based on the name of the device used to cook up its burger. Sure, Starbucks is on every corner now. The chain that is now known as Nathan's Famous was founded there as a hot dog cart by a Polish immigrant named Nathan Handwerker way back in 1916. Arthur Treachers Fish & Chips fast food restaurants were based on the English tradition of serving fried fish together with crispy potatoes. Fast | The Most Popular Fast Food Chain The Year You Were Born, Burger King was originally started in 1953. In fact, in 2017, McDonald's saw its best sales growth in six years. RELATED:We Tasted Every Taco at Taco Bell & This Is the Best. 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. Pizza! var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-53563316-1&cid=42c0189e-2cdf-4b04-8b92-4d7663e54b5c&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=1693107020304441909'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); According to Insider, the most popular fast food chain in 1990 wasn't even really a question, and it wasn't even food. 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. 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. 7 Oldest Fast-Food Items Still Being Sold In America. } White Castle opened in Wichita, Kan. in 1921. Your favorite burger chain has beat out its competition every single year since 2010. Learn more surprising facts about McDs. Required fields are marked *. The ease of access is a key aspect in the appeal of fast food. Facebook Remembering the old Next Door Restaurant chain from the '70s, See these 40 vintage diners from the '40s (and try the blue-plate special!). Rather than pizza, though, the restaurant served steaks, seafood, hamburgers, sandwiches, salads and desserts. You can also get our free newsletter, follow us on Facebook & Pinterest. MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images/Getty Images. And all Californians seem eager to have a go at all the ethnic foods found among our varied peoples. Getty Images. In addition to being credited with the invention of the hamburger bun, it is also officially recognized as the oldest fast-food chain in America. The Kentucky Fried Chicken manager responded: Well, its finger lickin good!. Craving a waffle (or any other breakfast delight) at 3 a.m.? Read more about your favorite restaurants: 11 Secrets Texas Roadhouse Doesn't Want You to Know, 10 Secrets Chili's Doesn't Want You to Know, 8 Secrets Wendy's Doesn't Want You to Know, Get the best food tips and diet advice every single day, Now, you'll have the best and latest food and healthy eating news right in your inboxevery The fast food industry has continued to grow and evolve in the 2010s. Before that, only potato chips were available. Additionally, Minute Man was the first to offer a specialty meal for children, called the Magic Meal. One year later, the chain brought out a brand new menu item: the cheeseburger slider. It was unique thanks to its square hamburger patties and the introduction of a salad bar in 1979. 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. Take a look at the first-ever Pizza Hut. On the east coast, it was Dunkin' Donuts, now just Dunkin', then called Open Kettle, which opened its doors in Quincy, Massachusetts. Still, Pizza Hut had a pretty great run for a while, there, and if you were born during that time frame, there's a good chance Pizza Hut was on your parents' minds. It may feel as though there's a pizzeria on every corner these days, but back in the 1960s, there wasn't widespread access to this Italian treat in the United States. Get the best food tips and diet A brilliant red roof tops the colonial-style, white-walled Next Door restaurant, and the red front doors feature leaded glass windows in red, white and blue. Note: This article may feature affiliate links, and purchases made may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. 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. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. According to Encyclopedia, when founder Robert Peterson opened the first Jack in the Box location in 1951, he was already a successful restaurateur with several hamburger restaurants in his portfolio. To set Hardees apart from McDonalds, the Hardees buildings were designed in a hexagonal shape with a pointed roof. Mamma Desta (19781983) 4840 Georgia Ave., NW. Gino's Hamburgers And instead of servers, you ordered your food by calling it in through the red telephone receiver at your table, and then picked it up at a counter. Perhaps the most popular hamburger is the patty with an option of cheese melted on top, and a thick glop of Thousand Island (or Russian) dressing on a sesame-seed bun, with pickles and catsup on the side. But in 1989, it was one of America's most popular fast food chains, and it really got people talking. Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 by two brothers, and within a year the chain already had six locations. RELATED:7 Fast Food Logos With Hidden Messages. The menu also now features the plant-based version of its famous, "crave-able" slider: the Impossible Slider. Seriously, fast food is a beloved part of American culture, and different chains offer many different cuisines, with there being something for everyone. Original music by Elisheba Ittoop and Dan Powell. if( 'moc.sihttae.www' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { And 1980, in particular, was a big year for the establishment. According to the Pizza Hut website, 1995 was a big year for Pizza Hut as it launched a new, fan-favorite menu item that might have changed the course of pizza history. 1970s-1980s. To describe it in a few words, as many eastern writers attempt to do after a few days of observing our ways with foods, clothes, houses, gardens, and year-round recreation, is, to say the least, gross simplification. Erica is a cleaning and home dcor expert. 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. Burger King was the most popular fast food chain for a while, from about 1981 to 1984, while its commercials played on the televisions of families across the nation, and fans of quality burgers got there as fast as they could. From Fun Meals to fast Mexican to pizza, you could find just about anything you wanted with a little elbow grease and ingenuity. Potato Crisps were another one of General Mills' signature crunchy snacks that dominated in the 1970s. Granted, Pete was a pretty smart guy, being that he was Dr. Peter Buck, a nuclear physicist. MORE: Do you remember the old Arthur Treachers Fish & Chips fast food restaurants? According to CNBC, it was in 1998 that Chipotle really got the push it needed in terms of expansion. After increasing the size of his roadside eatery to a 142-seat restaurant in KFC in the 1930s, the chain grew exponentially into the 1940s. 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. The company soon became known for its Whopper sandwich, which remains one of its most popular menu items today. So, if you were born in 1985 or 1986, dinner from a newly built Domino's might have been consumed by your family for pizza night. The first fast food chains began to appear in the United States, and the industry began to grow rapidly. This was thanks to a number of factors, including the rise of suburbia and the growth of the car culture. The company quickly grew in popularity, thanks to its efficient assembly-line style of service. Like 1953, 1948 was a big year for fast-food restaurants. Orders are placed by individual red telephones and food is served from a central counter. 1970s: Wendy's Shutterstock Introduced to the United States market at the end of 1969, when the chain's first restaurant opened in Columbus, Ohio, Wendy's dominated the 1970s. Heres another flashback from the disco era. But that's not all that made Taco Bell the place to eat during the 70s. The company took off in the 1950s with the involvement of Ray Kroc, who opened thefirst McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois, on April 15, 1955. McDonalds first opened its doors in 1940, serving hamburgers, fries, and shakes. By 1980, company sales were up 15%! Newer chains like Shake Shack and Five Guys have become popular, while older chains like McDonalds and Burger King have continued to expand their reach. These 48 vintage indoor malls were so dazzling, you'll want to hop in a time machine and shop 'til you drop. This is what it looked like in 1955, complete with its old mascot, Speedee, a chef with a burger for a head. Long before its chicken sandwich took the world by storm in 2019, Popeyes was a humble restaurant. For a long time, if you wanted Pizza Hut pizza, you had to eat at the restaurant. The Whopper came with sauce, cheese, lettuce, pickles, and tomato, all piled on top of a larger patty. From the Pizza Hut International (PHI) Annual Reports, 1970-1973. John-Henry Perera. It was originally marketed as a take-out joint, but later had some seating. Out west, it was In-N-Out Burger, the first location of which opened that same year in Baldwin Park, CA. Theme: Fameup by Themeansar. In the US, McDonald's has also taken measures to protect customers, such as limiting the number of customers eating inside, requiring all employees and patrons to wear PPE, and frequently cleaning all surfaces. And while not the first fast-food chain in America, White Castle can fairly claim to be the original American burger joint. 1970s restaurants Fast food has been a part of the American story for more than a century now. Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise. Practically everything grows in this golden land or swims in its waters. 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. For while the heaviest hitters like McDonald's and Burger King have been around for well over half a century and then some, even they were established decades after the OGs. 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. These years also saw the advent of new technologies that allowed for the mass production and consumption of fast food on a scale never before seen. It includes information about the first fast food restaurant, who founded it and when.