14 Southern-Born Fast Food Chains That Made Their Mark Across America

There are numerous American fast food restaurants across the nation that have spread far and wide from their humble origins and found places in our daily lives. You probably don't often think about where those chains originated. But those now-famous restaurants did have to start somewhere, and for many of them, their origins can be traced back to the American South.

While it may be somewhat obvious that certain favorite eateries began below the Mason-Dixon line, some of them are surprising. For example, there's one major name in this category that's considered one of the biggest, widest spread chains in America. There's also another chain that you wouldn't immediately associate with the South, but instead (if you're like this writer) with the Northeast.

All of this to say you may not know that the fast food chains on this list actually originated in the South. Ready to discover which ones those are? Let's get into it.

Bojangles has been in business for nearly half a century and has more than 800 restaurants in 17 states today. But, this beloved chain restaurant has its humble origins in the Southern city of Charlotte, North Carolina, where the first store was opened in 1977.

People who frequent Bojangles know that they can find an assortment of fried chicken options on the menu. Boneless chicken, chicken sandwiches, and biscuit meals are all examples of popular items. The chain also provides "fixins" that include (but aren't limited to) fries, potato rounds, dirty rice, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, and coleslaw.

If you want to visit a Bojangles location for yourself so you can taste its delicious fried chicken, you may be in luck — as long as you live in one of the more than 20 states with a location. Those include Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, South Carolina, West Virginia, Arkansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, Florida, Kentucky, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Since this Southern chain has spread to so many states, you can definitely say Bojangles has made its mark across America.

Chick-fil-A is best known for three things — being closed on Sundays, their adorable cow mascots, and their chicken-only menu. Unlike Bojangles, however, it serves both fried and grilled chicken to cater to a slightly wider audience (including those who have to follow a gluten-free diet). But, what you may not know, is that the chain's roots are in Atlanta, Georgia, where it was founded in 1967.

When you visit Chick-fil-A, you'll be greeted by the friendly, helpful staff who will tell you it's their pleasure to serve you. Then, you can choose from a range of different chicken-based items, including sandwiches, soups, nuggets, and salads. No visit is complete without a side of the popular waffle fries.

Despite not working on their growth and expansion on Sundays, Chick-fil-A has managed to truly conquer America. So much so, in fact, that there are only two states without at least one location. If you live in Alaska or Vermont, we feel bad that you can't grab yourself some grilled nuggets, waffle fries, and Chick-fil-A sauce.

Zaxby's is another chicken-based restaurant — and yes, we've noticed the chicken trend of Southern-based fast food chains, too. This one, in particular, was founded in 1990 in Statesboro, GA.

If you're visiting the chain, you can find yourself quality chicken fingers, salads, sandwiches, grilled cheeses, and sides. Sides are unique and include things like loaded fries, egg rolls, or even traditional wings. Many of its offerings are more fast-casual than true fast food, which can make them the perfect choice for supper. Oh, and if you're feeling bold, make sure to try Zaxby's nuclear sauce, which has been dubbed the spiciest sauce offered by a fast food chain. 

If you're living in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, or Alabama, you've probably already visited a Zaxby's — after all, these states have the highest concentration of the chain's locations. However, not all is lost if you live outside of those. There's also a smattering of locations in Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, Virginia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Indiana, and Kansas. Plus, there's a single location in each California, Missouri, Nevada, New York, and Ohio.

Hardee's has been committed to bringing communities together with good food for over six decades. From that first location, opened in 1960 in Greenville, North Carolina, the chain has expanded to include over 1,800 locations across 31 states. Hardee's has also expanded their mark beyond America to thirteen different countries.

Hardee's is perhaps best known for its breakfast, which includes mouthwatering made-from-scratch biscuits that can be served as a sandwich, with sweet icing, or with sausage gravy. But it also offers a full menu of lunch and supper items that includes burgers, sandwiches, wraps, chicken tenders, and even milkshakes.

If you live in one of the 19 states without a Hardee's, we feel bad for you. Those states without at least one Hardee's location include Alaska, Hawaii, New Jersey, Colorado, Connecticut, California, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Arizona.

Popeye's is best known for serving Southern-fried chicken that's well-seasoned, heavily breaded, and absolutely mouthwatering. This is one of those fast food chains you may not be shocked to learn actually started in the South — in 1972, the first location was opened in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Here is another Southern-born restaurant that focuses primarily on chicken dishes. Besides individual, combo, or family meals featuring standard fried chicken, you can also find sandwiches, wings, seafood, and scrumptious sides. Those sides stay true to the Southern theme of the chain and include items like macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy, biscuits, or red beans and rice. And, if you're wondering what makes Popeye's fried chicken so delicious, it's the fact that they cook all their food in beef tallow rather than vegetable oil. 

If you love that chicken from Popeyes, you'll be happy to know you can get it in almost every state — except Vermont and Wyoming. We've noticed a trend here that many Southern-born fast food chains don't have locations in Vermont, although we aren't sure why. But, thankfully, a brief drive across state lines should get you to Popeyes quickly!

Burger King was the brainchild of two men who decided to join forces — one invented the Whopper and one invented the Flame Broiler. Together, they founded the household name we know and love in 1954. And, yes, this is a surprising Southern-born fast food chain, with the first location opened in Miami, Florida.

Although best known for its signature sandwich –the Whopper — Burger King's menu has an assortment of traditional fast food items. Choose from a range of different burgers, chicken fries, chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, fish sandwiches, wraps, and an assortment of sides or appetizers. A few examples include fries, mozzarella fries, onion rings, and cheesy tots.

If you're craving a flame-broiled Whopper, we've got good news for you — there's a Burger King in all 50 states. Yes, even in Vermont, Hawaii, and Alaska, where few other fast food chains on this list have managed to go. So, no matter where you are, there's a BK near you. Talk about making your mark across America!

Checkers and Rally's are the same entity, although they operate under different names in different states. That's because the two similar companies merged in 1999, but retained their individual names — and both companies began in the South. Rally's is based in Florida, while Checkers originated in Alabama.

If you've never experienced the blissful joy of Checkers' fries, you're really missing out. Unlike the pale, thin sticks of fries you'll find at other fast food chains, these are well-colored, heavily seasoned, and thicker than average — and trust us, it's just as good as it sounds. Besides these fries, you can get traditional All-American burgers from either the drive-up window or the patio window at your nearest location.

Thankfully, if you want to try those fries or burgers for yourself, Checkers and Rally's has made their mark across 29 states. But even if you live in one of the 21 states that don't have a Checkers or Rally's location, it's likely you're within a few hours' drive from a location thanks to how widespread they are.

After more than six decades in business, Whataburger now has over a thousand locations across 14 states. But, it had its humble start in Corpus Christi, Texas, where the first location opened in 1950.

As the name suggests, you can choose from various burgers when you eat at a Whataburger. But, you can also find sandwiches, salads, and chicken options. One nice thing is that the restaurant provides both kids and junior meals — so there's something for the children who have outgrown the kid's meals but aren't quite ready for an adult meal just yet. There's an assortment of desserts and snacks for you to enjoy once your meal is complete.

Wish there was a Whataburger near you? You may be in luck if you live in some select states. These include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. Texas has the most locations by a landslide, with 284 within its borders.

If you thought a restaurant focusing solely on chicken fingers couldn't succeed, you'd be wrong. Raising Cane's does just that — and no, we don't mean chicken, but just chicken fingers. The fast food chain opened its doors for the first time in 1996 in Louisiana.

Focusing in on a single thing can make a company masters of their craft. After all, if you made chicken fingers every day for nearly thirty years, you'd be pretty good at it, too. But, if you're not feeling like plain chicken fingers, there's also a sandwich combo that puts those on a bun with some lettuce and special sauce. Otherwise, choose from combos featuring varying amounts of chicken fingers with a drink, crinkle-cut fries, sauce, and Texas Toast.

Ready for some delicious chicken fingers? You're probably in luck because there's a Raising Cane's in 43 states. The only seven states that don't have a location are Idaho, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming, so if you live in one of those, you're one of the few unlucky ones.

Long John Silver's is a seafood-based fast food chain that advertises their food as "caught in cold water, fried in cozy, hot oil." This makes sense when you realize their primary offerings — Alaska Pollock, North Pacific Cod, and Alaska Salmon — are all cold-water fish. Of course that's not all the Southern-born chain offers. Long John Silver's has continued to expand their offerings since the first location was opened in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1969.

You can order fried fish almost any way you could want it when you stop by a Long John Silver's location — fried and eaten by itself, on a sandwich, in a bowl, or even in a taco. But you can also find snacks like fried clam strips, popcorn shrimp, cheese bites, and hushpuppies. And, almost everything you get comes with at least one side. Choose from waffle fries, green beans, coleslaw, corn, or rice.

There are 35 states with Long John Silver's locations and the restaurant has expanded to several countries and United States territories, too. The only states who don't have at least one location of this seafood fast food chain are Alabama, Idaho, Alaska, Utah, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Mississippi, Maine, Delaware, Hawaii, and Vermont.

Want seafood but don't live in an area where there isn't a Long John Silvers? Captain D's might have you covered. First founded in 1969 under "Mr. D's Seafood and Hamburgers" in Donelson, Tennessee, Captain D's is one of only two fast food chains on this list dishing up seafood.

The primary offerings of this fast food chain are similar to Long John Silver's and includes various fried fish options. You can have it served on its own, with lobster bites, with shrimp, or as part of the ultimate seafood platter. However, you can also order grilled fish, making this a better option for people who can't have gluten. Other offerings include family meals, desserts, sandwiches, sides, and varying bite-sized appetizers.

You'll find Captain D's locations in 23 states. Primarily, these states overlap with those where you'll find a Long John Silver's, with the exceptions of locations in Alabama and Mississippi. If you live in those states and want seafood, this fast food chain is your best bet. If you live in one of the thirteen states that don't have either seafood fast food chain, you'll have to settle for fast casual like Red Lobster instead.

The Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise may have begun in Utah in 1952, but the original restaurant was founded in Corbin, Kentucky, more than 20 years earlier. That first location was a roadside motel that served Southern-style chicken — thus, setting the standard for the chain we know and love today.

The primary offering at KFC is, well, fried chicken. Back in the day, the chain only sold buckets (also known as family meals) and individual combos. Of course, these would come with your choice of sides, which might include mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, or coleslaw, among others — and no Kentucky Fried Chicken meal is complete without a biscuit. However, in more recent times, the chain has continued to expand its menu to include tenders, pot pies, bowls, sandwiches, nuggets, and even sweet treats for dessert.

If you have a hankering for the Colonel's chicken, fear not because there's at least one KFC location in every state, as well as Washington, D.C. Several states lay claim to more than 150 locations within their borders, making a convenient location to you almost a guarantee. Those states include California, Florida, North Carolina, New York, Michigan, and Texas.

Church's Texas Chicken was founded as simply Church's Chicken in San Antonio, Texas, in 1952. After over seven decades of success under their original moniker, the chain decided to add the Texas portion and come up with a catchy new motto: "Welcome to the Great State of Flavor."

Walk into a Church's location and you'll find an assortment of chicken-based options to choose from. Opt for standard fried chicken, tenders, or boneless wings that come with a solid kick of Southern spice. Pair it with mouthwatering sides like honey-butter biscuits, fried okra, buttered corn, or baked mac and cheese, among others. You can also choose family meals if you want to forgo cooking but still eat family style. Oh, and don't forget to grab an individual apple pie (or two) when you're finished licking your fingers.

Church's Texas Chicken has made its mark across 27 American states, with the highest concentration of locations in Texas. You'll also find locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

To me, Five Guys feels like a northeast restaurant, and that may be because I've only ever been to locations in New Jersey. But, that assumption is wrong because this is another Southern-born fast food chain that's made its mark across America. The first Five Guys was opened in 1986 in Arlington, Virginia, and quickly spread to become a Washington, D.C. staple.

The menu at Five Guys revolves around classic All-American favorites like burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches. Every main course on its menu is fully customizable, so you can choose whatever toppings you want and generally at no extra cost — although some premium toppings may cost a little. Then, pair it with a side of fries and a drink, before wrapping up your meal with a milkshake.

Today, you'll find a Five Guys location in almost every state. The only place you won't find one is Alaska. The highest concentration of locations (with more than 50 restaurants each) are in California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.