NEW YORK (AP) — Across the country, there's a silent frustration brewing about an age-old practice that many say is getting out of hand: tipping.
Some fed-up consumers are posting rants on social media complaining about tip requests at drive-thrus, while others say they're tired of being asked to leave a gratuity for a muffin or a simple cup of coffee at their neighborhood bakery. What's next, they wonder — are we going to be tipping our mail carriers and dentists, too?
50 most popular chain restaurants in America
50 most popular chain restaurants in America
With the advent of Big Data, it's now easier than ever to quantify what people like around the globe. When it comes to food, Americans seem to have specific opinions. American dining brands have a long and storied history, and whether they're fast food, fast-casual, high-end, or super cheap, U.S. restaurants offer something for almost everyone.
What's clear about U.S. dining habits is that people love options. Restaurants across America are chock-full of variety, mixing ethnicities, food regions, and cultures into steaming melting pots of (often) fried deliciousness.
Stacker analyzed data from YouGov to rank the 50 mos popular chain restaurants in the U.S. The rating agency surveys people on a daily basis across a variety of areas—such as culture, politics, and business—to determine what people like, dislike, and might have no opinion on. YouGov's overall positive opinion scores represent the percentage of people who had a positive response out of those surveyed, and they are also broken down by generation—baby boomers, Gen X'ers, and millennials. In case you're dubious about the findings, YouGov has surveyed more than 20 million people online since 2017, so the data set isn't exactly small.
YouGov investigated the most popular dining brands in the country, and Stacker compiled the list to give readers context on the findings. Read on to look through America's vast and divergent variety of restaurants—maybe you’ll even find a favorite or two!
You may also like: Most fast food-friendly states in America
#50. Orange Julius
- Positive opinion score: 48%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 52%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 51%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 43%
In 1926, Julius Freed opened an orange juice stand in Los Angeles. When Freed’s business partner Bill Hamlin mixed the orange juice with a few other ingredients in an effort to lower the acidity that bothered his stomach, the chain’s iconic, frothy, creamy orange beverage was born. Dairy Queen acquired Orange Julius in 1987; its smoothies and fruit beverages can now be purchased at drive-throughs and malls around the country.
#48. Golden Corral
- Positive opinion score: 48%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 50%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 48%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 45%
Golden Corral's stated mission is to “offer guests real, wholesome foods in a family-friendly atmosphere and at a great value.” The restaurant, which opened` in 1973, is a buffet-style eatery offering up classic American dishes from salads and pizzas to fried chicken and ribs. Golden Corral has more than 400 locations around the United States.
#47. In-N-Out Burger
- Positive opinion score: 49%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 43%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 46%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 57%
Ask a group of Californians where to find their favorite burgers, and you’re guaranteed to hear In-N-Out Burger at least once. The chain’s first drive-through stand was opened in Baldwin Park, California, in 1948. It was years before customer favorites like Animal Style burgers, milkshakes, and secret menu items were added to the offerings. Today, there are 358 In-N-Out Burger locations, almost all of which are concentrated on the west coast.
#46. Long John Silver's
- Positive opinion score: 49%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 54%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 52%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 45%
Seafood fast-food chain Long John Silver's was born in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1969. The now-international brand offers a variety of fried and grilled seafood entrees, including salmon bowls, fish and chips boxes, and popcorn shrimp sides.
#45. Hard Rock Cafe
- Positive opinion score: 50%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 55%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 48%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 45%
What started as a small-themed restaurant in London in 1971 has since turned into a mega-franchise with 185 cafés, more than two dozen hotels, and multiple casinos all over the world. Two Americans, Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, just wanted a good burger in the UK; when they couldn't find one, they started their own company. The cafés are renowned for their extensive collections of rock ‘n' roll memorabilia that hang on every free space in the restaurants, as well as regularly scheduled live concerts at many of the venues. The food generally consists of burgers, fries, sandwiches, steaks, and other American favorites.
#44. Ruby Tuesday
- Positive opinion score: 50%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 52%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 45%
Founded in 1972 in Knoxville, Tennessee, Ruby Tuesday is a casual dining restaurant with primarily American-style cuisine consisting of fried appetizers, sandwiches, steaks, pastas, and burgers. The name Ruby Tuesday was derived from the Rolling Stones song of the same name, though there are no official ties to the band. Today there are more than 200 locations in America and around the globe. The original founder, Sandy Beall III, left the company in 2012.
#43. Marie Callender's
- Positive opinion score: 50%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 62%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 57%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 38%
Marie Callender was a real person who started selling her home-baked pies to supplement her family's income in the early 1940s. Callender, her husband Carl, and their son Don soon turned the small delivery business into a thriving bakery delivering pies to restaurants around Orange County, California. Pretty soon, the delivery business turned into a retail business with pie shops around California and beyond. Today, Marie Callender operates around 30 stores in the United States that serve a wide variety of pies. It is also a sit-down restaurant chain offering burgers, sandwiches, salads, and other American favorites, such as meatloaf and roasted turkey.
#42. Starbucks
- Positive opinion score: 50%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 43%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 47%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 57%
The first Starbucks coffee shop opened in Seattle's Pike Place Market in 1971. The name comes from the first mate in the book “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville. After Howard Schultz bought the brand in 1987, the chain eventually exploded into the biggest coffee empire in the world. Today, the company has more than 30,000 locations in nearly every country and sells a variety of sandwiches, pastries, and other goodies in addition to its coffee products.
#41. Chipotle Mexican Grill
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 47%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 52%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 54%
Based in Denver, Colorado, Chipotle serves up real food with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The burrito and bowl spot has more than 2,400 locations throughout the country. The owners chose not to franchise the business, believing instead that holding ownership allows them to set the tone for their employees and better control the quality of their ingredients. McDonald’s was an early and major investor but has since divested entirely.
#40. Five Guys
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 47%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 48%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 58%
The name Five Guys is derived from founders Jerry Murrell and his four sons Ben, Jim, Chad, and Matt. The family-owned business got its start in the Washington D.C. area in 1986, and has since expanded to more than 1,500 locations in the United States and around the world. Five Guys is a fast-casual chain known for its burgers, hot dogs, and fries, but true fans of the establishment know about the secret menu. It includes favorites like the patty melt, double-grilled cheeseburger, or the Presidential, so-named for President Barack Obama's special order: a cheeseburger with jalapeño peppers, lettuce, tomato, and mustard.
#39. Papa John's
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 47%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 49%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 56%
Although its founder John Schnatter was ousted as CEO over his controversial comments on the NFL in 2017, the franchise is still going strong with more than 3,000 locations around the United States. Papa John's was founded by Schnatter in 1984 and is known for its signature dipping sauce that separates it from other pizza delivery chains like Domino's and Pizza Hut.
#38. Boston Market
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 56%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 41%
Originally called Boston Chicken when it was founded in 1985 in Newton, Massachusetts, Boston Market is an inexpensive rotisserie chicken restaurant with nearly 350 locations across the United States. The company changed its name in 1995 after expanding its menu to include ribs, meatloaf, turkey, and a bevy of savory sides.
#37. Waffle House
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 52%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 54%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 49%
Waffle House is one of the biggest franchises in the United States, consisting of more than 2,000 locations across 25 states. The first Waffle House launched in Avondale Estates, Georgia, where partners Joe Rogers and Tom Forkner opened their restaurant on Labor Day of 1955. Every Waffle House is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and serves reasonably priced waffles (of course), as well as omelets, melts, steak and eggs, burgers, and sandwiches.
#36. Red Robin
- Positive opinion score: 53%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 54%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 54%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 53%
Founded in Seattle in 1940, the original name of the restaurant was Sam's Red Robin. That all changed when Gerry Kingen bought the restaurant in 1969 and began rapid expansion across the country. Today, there are more than 500 Red Robin restaurants, which are considered casual dining spots with American fare like burgers, sandwiches, and fried appetizers.
#35. TGI Fridays
- Positive opinion score: 54%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 55%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 50%
TGI Fridays is a casual dining establishment and bar that first opened in New York City in 1965. It quickly became a hotspot and was one of the first restaurants to use promotions like Ladies' Nights. On the food front, American fare is the order of the day with fried appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, and steaks on the menu. Today, there are more than 300 TGI Fridays in the United States and hundreds more around the world. In popular culture, TGI Fridays was the hopping bar in the movie “Cocktail” where Tom Cruise spun bottles and helped kick off an international flair bartending craze.
#34. Buffalo Wild Wings
- Positive opinion score: 55%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 52%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 54%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 61%
When Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery were living in Ohio in 1982, they had a hankering for Buffalo-style wings—only they realized there was nowhere to satiate their craving. As a result, the two men opened their own restaurant and Buffalo Wild Wings has since turned into an international craze with more than 1,000 locations around the globe. The restaurant is known for its Buffalo-style wings, but it's also a sports bar that serves sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and lots of cold brews.
#33. Mrs. Fields
- Positive opinion score: 55%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 61%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 66%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 49%
There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, and no one did it better than Debbi Fields. She opened her eponymous cookie shop, Mrs. Fields, in California in 1977 and quickly grew the business with outlets in malls across the United States. Today, the cookie business is still booming with more than 300 locations, in addition to a massive online ordering component.
#32. LongHorn Steakhouse
- Positive opinion score: 56%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 55%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 51%
First opened in 1981 in Atlanta as LongHorn Steaks Restaurant & Saloon, the LongHorn Steakhouse is a casual dining steak joint with more than 450 locations around the United States. The chain is owned and operated by Darden Restaurants, whose portfolio also includes the Olive Garden, Yard House, and The Capital Grille. Obviously known for its steaks, LongHorn Steakhouse also serves burgers, sandwiches, ribs, chicken, and fish.
#31. A&W Restaurants
- Positive opinion score: 56%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 60%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 51%
This fast-food chain was first popularized back in 1919 as a root beer stand in California. With the advent of Prohibition in the 1920s, A&W played on the name root beer to attract alcohol drinkers to its establishment. Today, A&W is still famous for its draft-style root beer, root beer floats, and sizzling burgers. A&W's root beer was so popular that the company began selling the drink in bottles and cans. The company now has locations across the globe and is part of a conglomerate that includes Dr. Pepper, Snapple, and 7 Up.
#30. Denny's
- Positive opinion score: 56%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 56%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 61%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 52%
Harold Butler and Richard Jezak opened a donut stand in 1953 called Danny's Donuts, where they aimed to serve the best coffee and donuts 24 hours a day. The name was changed to Denny's Coffee Shops in 1959 and then finally Denny's in 1961. Since then, the breakfast joint—which is still open 24 hours each day—has expanded around the world with more than 1,600 restaurants. Denny's is typically known for its diner-style ambiance and breakfast items, but the restaurant also serves burgers, steaks, and other American fare throughout the day.
#29. Little Caesars
- Positive opinion score: 57%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 47%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 62%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 59%
Little Caesars was started by a husband-and-wife team in Michigan in 1959. Today, it is one of the biggest pizza chains in the United States. The company truly took off in 1979 when it coined its famous phrase “Pizza! Pizza!” and started selling two pizzas for the price of one. Today, the chain has thousands of locations around the world and is just as well-known for its sit-down restaurants as it is for delivery and carry-out.
#28. Red Lobster
- Positive opinion score: 57%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 58%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 63%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 51%
Bill Darden started Red Lobster in Lakeland, Fla., in 1968 with a single restaurant. Today, there are more than 700 Red Lobster joints around the world. Red Lobster is a family-friendly restaurant whose mission is to bring inexpensive seafood to the masses. The menu always includes a fresh catch of the day, in addition to lobster, shrimp, steaks, and sides. Red Lobster was formerly part of the Darden Restaurants group, which also counts Yard House, LongHorn Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille in its portfolio. Now, it is owned by Golden Gate Capital.
#27. McDonald's
- Positive opinion score: 58%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 54%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 63%
Though Ray Kroc is credited with McDonald's meteoric rise around the world, the fast-food burger joint was actually started by Dick and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California. After eating at the restaurant, Kroc was so impressed that he started franchising and bought the exclusive rights to McDonald's in 1961. Today, the fast-food chain—known for burgers, fries, and drive-thrus—is one of the most recognizable brands on the planet with over 30,000 restaurants and billions of dollars in sales.
#26. Cold Stone Creamery
- Positive opinion score: 58%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 56%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 57%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 59%
Cold Stone Creamery is an ice cream parlor chain where sugary treats are made to order. Cold Stone's specialty is mixing up ice cream flavors atop a 16-degree granite slab with a choice of numerous toppings. Cold Stone started in Tempe, Arizona, in 1988, and now has more than 1,000 locations. Today, the company is owned by Kahala Brands, which also has Baja Fresh, Blimpie, and Pinkberry in its portfolio.
#25. Chili's
- Positive opinion score: 58%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 61%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 55%
After falling in love with chili cook-offs, Chili’s Grill & Bar founder Larry Lavine decided to open his own restaurant in Texas in 1975 to share that love with the world. Chili’s concept was always a family-friendly, casual dining eatery at reasonable prices, and that mantra remains to this day. The sit-down restaurant is known for its burgers, fajitas, and all kinds of American fare at more than 1,000 locations across the globe.
#24. Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits
- Positive opinion score: 59%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 55%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 61%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 60%
New Orleans has a long and savory culinary history, and that's where Popeyes Louisiana Chicken was born and bred. Founded in 1972, Popeyes was launched by Al Copeland and allegedly takes its name from Detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle from the movie “The French Connection.” Today, Popeyes is known for its succulent and inexpensive fried chicken in restaurants around the world. There are currently more than 2,600 outlets and growing.
#23. Applebee's
- Positive opinion score: 59%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 63%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 58%
With over 2,000 locations, Applebee's is a fast-casual dining spot that is now ubiquitous around the world. With slogans like “Eating good in the neighborhood,” Applebee's solidified itself as a family dining destination with reasonable prices. The company first broke ground in 1980 in Atlanta and has been expanding ever since with American classics like sandwiches, burgers, ribs, pastas, and fried appetizers. Today, Applebee's is part of a dining group that also includes IHOP.
#22. Sonic
- Positive opinion score: 60%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 58%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 56%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 61%
When Sonic first opened in Oklahoma in 1953, it was considered revolutionary for its ordering process. Customers could drive into a lane, order through a speaker, and never leave their cars as their food was brought out to them. The company still features carhops (aka servers on skates) and now, there are more than 3,000 establishments across the United States serving burgers, milkshakes, hot dogs, and fries. Sonic is part of a restaurant group that also includes Buffalo Wild Wings and Arby's.
#21. Arby's
- Positive opinion score: 60%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 67%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 53%
The name Arby's comes from its founders Leroy and Forrest Raffel, known as the Raffel Brothers—hence R.B.'s. The brothers were looking to start a fast-food franchise that would be different than the popular burger chains. As a result, they landed on freshly sliced roast beef sandwiches and have been growing ever since. Arby's slogan “We have the meats” still holds true, as the sandwich shop serves everything from roast beef and turkey to brisket and Italian subs.
#20. Texas Roadhouse
- Positive opinion score: 60%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 61%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 67%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 55%
Despite its name, Texas Roadhouse is a western-themed steak joint that's headquartered in Louisville, Ky., and has origins in Clarksville, Ind. Opened by Kent Taylor in 1993, the Roadhouse has more than 600 locations around the world including the United States, Indonesia, and Turkey. The family-friendly restaurant is known for its variety of hand-cut steaks, but it also offers chicken, sandwiches, burgers, and other American specialties.
#19. Domino's
- Positive opinion score: 61%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 50%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 64%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 64%
Domino's Pizza used to be called DomiNick's, but the name was changed after brothers Tom and James Monoghan bought the restaurant for $500. Domino's concept was founded on delivering hot pizza to homes in a timely manner, and its meteoric success now equates to more than 17,000 restaurants in more than 90 countries. In addition to pizza, Domino's includes made-to-order salads, sides, and sandwiches on its menu.
#18. Taco Bell
- Positive opinion score: 61%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 56%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 61%
Founded by Glen Bell in San Bernardino, California, Taco Bell was originally a hot dog stand called Bell's Drive-in in 1954. Bell opened his first Taco Bell in 1962 and began franchising outlets around Los Angeles and beyond. The fast-food Mexican restaurant became one of the fastest-growing brands in the world, and there are now upwards of 7,000 locations. Bell eventually sold his stake in Taco Bell to PepsiCo, which then sold to Yum! Brands, which also owns Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
#17. Cracker Barrel
- Positive opinion score: 62%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 67%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 58%
With a Southern country ethos based on warm hospitality and home-style food, Cracker Barrel has been a roadside staple since 1969. The part restaurant, part gift shop got its start in Tennessee as a family-friendly, sit-down restaurant. There are now more than 600 Cracker Barrels around the country, and they can usually be found close to highways, as they're known to attract long-haul commuters with their food and general stores.
#16. Burger King
- Positive opinion score: 62%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 63%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 63%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 60%
The McDonald brothers didn't just inspire the McDonald's franchise. After eating at the famed San Bernardino restaurant in the 1950s, Matthew Burns and Keith Kramer bought the rights to a grill called the Insta-Broiler and opened Insta-Burger King in 1953 in Florida. The name changed to Burger King in 1954, and explosive growth has continued since. Today, Burger King has more than 18,000 locations around the world and serves a variety of fast-food items like charbroiled burgers, fries, chicken, and even breakfast items.
#15. Pizza Hut
- Positive opinion score: 62%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 58%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 69%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 63%
Known for its iconic red roofs, Pizza Hut is a part sit-down restaurant, part carry-out spot, and part pizza delivery place. Founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kan., as a single outlet, today, there are more than 18,000 locations around the world. Pizza Hut is also famous for its pizza innovations, trotting out items like stuffed crusts with melted cheese, a calzone-like pizza concoction called the P'zone, and the Dippin' Strips pizza, which features pieces that can be pulled off and dipped in marinara sauce.
#14. KFC
- Positive opinion score: 62%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 62%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 70%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 60%
The secrecy around Kentucky Fried Chicken's special recipe remains shrouded in mystery, but the fast-food chain is as popular as ever with 24,000 outlets around the world. Colonel Harland Sanders created KFC's famous fried chicken in 1940 and grew the company into the multibillion-dollar behemoth it is today. KFC is known for its buckets of fried chicken, along with sandwiches and sides that include everything from mac and cheese and corn to green beans and potatoes.
#13. Olive Garden
- Positive opinion score: 63%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 67%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 65%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 58%
The Olive Garden is a fast-casual Italian restaurant that caters to families looking for tasty pasta without breaking the bank. The company was originally founded as a division of General Mills in 1982 and is famous for its menu items and specials like unlimited breadsticks, salads, soups, and never-ending pasta bowls. Today, there are 900 Olive Gardens. The company is part of the Darden Restaurants Group that includes Yard House, LongHorn Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille.
#12. Chick-fil-A
- Positive opinion score: 63%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 61%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 66%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 65%
Founded as the Dwarf Grill in 1946 outside Atlanta, Chick-fil-A is now a multibillion-dollar fast-food chain that specializes in chicken sandwiches. The company's founder, S. Truett Cathy, was deeply religious, and because of that, Chick-fil-A is always closed on Sundays. It has also seen its fair share of controversy. Even though there are more than 2,000 locations, Chick-fil-A is still owned and operated by the founding family, and the restaurant maintains consistency throughout by selling the same chicken sandwiches, nuggets, strips, and wraps at all its locations.
#10. Panera Bread
- Positive opinion score: 65%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 65%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 68%
Panera Bread actually started as the St. Louis Bread Company in Missouri in 1987. When it was purchased by Au Bon Pain in 1993, the name was changed to Panera. The fast-casual, sit-down restaurant is famous for its freshly baked bread, sandwiches, and a variety of pastries, soups, and salads. Panera has more than 2,300 locations in the United States and Canada, and today it's owned by JAB Holding Company, a European group whose portfolio also includes Pret a Manger and Peet's Coffee.
#9. The Cheesecake Factory
- Positive opinion score: 66%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 66%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 70%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 61%
Anyone who has ever eaten at a Cheesecake Factory knows the menu can be overwhelming, with its endless pages of food items. But the restaurant had much humbler beginnings as a small salad and sandwich shop in Beverly Hills, Calif., with a variety of cheesecakes that all fit on a one-page menu. Since its start in 1978, The Cheesecake Factory has grown into a family-friendly juggernaut with more than 200 outlets around the world serving everything from soups, salads, and appetizers to pastas, sandwiches, burgers, and, of course, a large variety of cheesecakes.
#8. IHOP
- Positive opinion score: 66%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 65%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 65%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 66%
The International House of Pancakes has been an American breakfast staple since it opened in 1958. The shortened name IHOP was coined about 15 years later and is now the official name of the company. Serving pancakes at more than 1,800 restaurants around the world, IHOP is a family-friendly enterprise known for clever branding and iconic menu items like the Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity Pancakes, Signature Pancake Sliders, and other savory dishes. It started as breakfast only, but today, the restaurants have sandwiches, burgers, and other lunch and dinner items.
#7. Dunkin'
- Positive opinion score: 69%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 67%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 72%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 69%
Formerly known as Dunkin' Donuts, Dunkin' is a coffee and donut shop founded by Bill Rosenberg in 1950 in Quincy, Mass. With the world's never-ending appetite for the round and sweet, Dunkin' has since opened more than 12,000 locations globally. While donuts are the specialty, the company's coffee also garners praise and the shops have expanded their menus to include sandwiches, wraps, and bagels.
#5. Cinnabon
- Positive opinion score: 69%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 65%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 72%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 72%
Cinnabon's mission was to create the world's greatest cinnamon roll, and with the level of success the company has achieved, it might just have accomplished that feat. The small cinnamon roll shop started in Seattle in 1985 and has grown to more than 1,200 locations around the world. Cinnabon is more bakery than a sit-down restaurant, and it serves a variety of cinnamon treats in addition to its famous rolls. Today, Cinnabon is owned by Focus Brands, which also owns Auntie Anne's, Jamba Juice, and Schlotzsky's.
#4. Subway
- Positive opinion score: 69%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 69%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 68%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 66%
When nuclear physicist Peter Buck loaned Fred DeLuca $1,000 to open a sub sandwich shop in 1965, the seeds of Subway were officially planted. The first store was located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and franchises began popping up soon after. The official Subway name was first used in 1968; since then, the fast-food sandwich chain has grown to over 40,000 locations around the world. The restaurant itself is known for its wide-ranging menu of sub sandwiches, but also salads, wraps, and some breakfast items.
#3. Wendy's
- Positive opinion score: 70%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 69%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 73%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 67%
Named after founder Dave Thomas's daughter Melinda Lou “Wendy” Thomas, Wendy's was first opened in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969. Known for its square-shaped burger patties, Wendy's was one of the first of the big chains to adopt a drive-thru window. Wendy's popularity has been boosted by its creative advertising campaigns, like the 1984 “Where's the Beef?” ad and Thomas's frequent spots as the company spokesman. Today there are more than 6,000 locations around the world serving the same square-shaped burgers, fries, baked potatoes, and Frostys.
#2. Dairy Queen
- Positive opinion score: 72%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 77%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 75%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 66%
The first Dairy Queen store opened in 1940 in Joliet, Illinois, after co-founder John Fremont McCullough developed a formula for soft-serve ice cream. McCullough opened the shop with Sherb Noble, and the brand has been expanding ever since. Known for its ice cream, Dairy Queen is also famous for sweet-treat inventions like the Peanut Buster Parfait and the Blizzard. Dairy Queen is much more than just an ice cream shop these days, as it also serves burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, and fries. There are more than 6,800 Dairy Queen's around the world and the uber-popular brand shows no sign of slowing down.
#1. Baskin-Robbins
- Positive opinion score: 75%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 80%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 74%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 70%
Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins were brothers-in-law who wanted to open an ice cream shop where families could gather to enjoy tasty treats. Though they originally opened separate stores, eventually the men merged to form Baskin-Robbins, boasting 31 flavors. Today there are more than 8,000 locations globally, and Baskin-Robbins is part of Inspire Brands, which also owns Dunkin'.
50 most popular chain restaurants in America
With the advent of Big Data, it’s now easier than ever to quantify what people like around the globe. When it comes to food, Americans have particularly specific opinions. American dining brands have a long and storied history, and whether it’s fast food, fast-casual, high-end, or super cheap, U.S. restaurants offer something for almost everyone.
What’s clear about U.S. dining habits is that people love options. Restaurants across America are chock-full of variety, mixing foods from various regions and cultures into steaming melting pots of deliciousness.
Stacker analyzed 2022 Q1 data from YouGov to rank the 50 most popular chain restaurants in the U.S. The rating agency surveys people on a daily basis across a variety of areas—such as culture, politics, and business—to determine what people like and dislike. YouGov’s overall positive opinion scores represent the percentage of people who had a positive response out of those surveyed, and they are also broken down by generation—baby boomers, Gen Xers, and millennials.
Read on for a look at America’s vast and divergent variety of chain restaurants.
You may also like: Popular snacks from your childhood
#50. Panda Express
- Positive opinion score: 48%
--- Popularity among boomers: 48%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 40%
--- Popularity among millennials: 52%
A subsidiary of the Panda Restaurant Group, Panda Express started as a formal, sit-down restaurant, called Panda Inn, in Pasadena, California, in 1973. The restaurant’s founders, father-and-son team Ming-Tsai Cherng and Andrew Cherng, crafted a menu of Mandarin and Sichuan dishes that filled a gap in the area’s market. Their success allowed them to open a number of similar restaurants in the surrounding community.
In 1983, a year after Ming-Tsai’s wife, Peggy Cherng, joined the company, the restaurant group opened a fast-food version of their restaurant in the Glendale Galleria, which they dubbed Panda Express. There are now more than 2,200 Panda Express restaurants.
#49. Jersey Mike’s Subs
- Positive opinion score: 48%
--- Popularity among boomers: 47%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 50%
--- Popularity among millennials: 46%
The original Jersey Mike’s Subs opened in a popular Jersey Shore town, Point Pleasant, in 1956. In 1971, 17-year-old high school student and Jersey Mike’s employee Peter Cancro bought the stand-alone restaurant from its aging founder, and after opening a handful of outlet stores in the area, began franchising in 1987. Today, there are over 2,000 Jersey Mike’s restaurants in the United States, as well as a couple of stores in Australia and Canada.
#47. Quiznos
- Positive opinion score: 49%
--- Popularity among boomers: 44%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 51%
--- Popularity among millennials: 55%
Not many chain restaurants can claim they were started by acclaimed chefs, but Quiznos can. Jimmy Lambatos, who had previously worked at Colorado Mine Company (a steakhouse in Glendale, Colorado), opened his own sandwich shop in Denver in 1981. The restaurateur claimed the unique heated subs he sold at Quiznos were inspired by the sandwiches he ate during his childhood living on Long Island.
In 1987, Lambatos sold his chain to a franchisee named Rick Schaden, who grew the chain to 5,000 restaurants in its heyday back in 2006. As of 2021, there were 255 locations in the U.S.
#46. Golden Corral
- Positive opinion score: 49%
--- Popularity among boomers: 54%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 47%
--- Popularity among millennials: 48%
Golden Corral’s stated mission is to “offer guests real, wholesome foods in a family-friendly atmosphere and at a great value.” The restaurant, which opened in 1973, is a buffet-style eatery offering up classic American dishes, from salads and pizzas to fried chicken and ribs. Golden Corral has more than 400 locations around the United States.
You may also like: Superfoods that have been used by other cultures for generations
#45. Hard Rock Cafe
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among boomers: 50%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
--- Popularity among millennials: 50%
What started as a small-themed restaurant in London in 1971 has since turned into a megafranchise with 185 cafés, more than two dozen hotels, and multiple casinos all over the world. Two Americans, Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, just wanted a good burger in the U.K.; when they couldn’t find one, they started their own company. The cafés are renowned for their extensive collections of rock ’n’ roll memorabilia that hang on every free space in the restaurants, as well as regularly scheduled live concerts at many of the venues. The food generally consists of burgers, fries, sandwiches, steaks, and other American favorites.
#44. Buffalo Wild Wings
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among boomers: 47%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 51%
--- Popularity among millennials: 56%
When Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery were living in Ohio in 1982, they had a hankering for Buffalo-style wings—only they realized there was nowhere to satiate their craving. As a result, the two men opened their own restaurant, and Buffalo Wild Wings has since turned into an international craze with more than 1,000 locations around the globe. The restaurant is known for its Buffalo-style wings, but it’s also a sports bar that serves sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and lots of cold brews.
#43. Chipotle Mexican Grill
- Positive opinion score: 52%
--- Popularity among boomers: 46%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 56%
--- Popularity among millennials: 52%
Based in Denver, Chipotle serves up real food with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The burrito and bowl spot has more than 2,400 locations throughout the country. The owners chose not to franchise the business, believing instead that holding ownership allows them to set the tone for their employees and better control the quality of their ingredients. McDonald’s was an early and major investor but has since divested entirely.
#42. Nathan’s Famous
- Positive opinion score: 52%
--- Popularity among boomers: 56%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 47%
--- Popularity among millennials: 52%
Polish Jewish immigrant Nathan Handwerker opened up the first Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand on Coney Island in 1916. Fellow immigrants flocked to his Brooklyn shop, eager to get their hands on his frankfurters, which were seasoned with his wife Ida’s secret blend and sold for only a nickel.
In 1959, Nathan’s son, Murray Handwerker, began opening other branches of the restaurant in New York City, and by 2001, there were locations in every state in America as well as in several countries around the world. Today, the chain is the official hotdog sponsor of the MLB, runs its own annual hot dog eating contest on the Fourth of July, and also sells a line of products in grocery stores across the country.
#41. Little Caesars
- Positive opinion score: 52%
--- Popularity among boomers: 47%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
--- Popularity among millennials: 53%
Little Caesars was started by a husband-and-wife team in Michigan in 1959. Today, it is one of the biggest pizza chains in the United States. The company truly took off in 1979 when it coined its famous phrase “Pizza! Pizza!” and started selling two pizzas for the price of one. Today, the chain has thousands of locations around the world and is just as well-known for its sit-down restaurants as it is for delivery and carry-out.
You may also like: Best beers from every state
#40. TGI Friday’s
- Positive opinion score: 52%
--- Popularity among boomers: 54%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 51%
--- Popularity among millennials: 55%
TGI Friday’s began as a cocktail bar that catered to single folks on New York City’s Upper East Side. Alan Stillman opened the first location in 1965, and it was an instant success. Two years later, Stillman began franchising, and it was these early suburban locations, which focused on food and a family atmosphere rather than being a place for attractive young 20-somethings to be seen, that transformed it into the diner-style restaurant we know it as today. As of 2022, there are 900 TGI Friday’s locations in 60 countries around the world.
#39. Papa John’s
- Positive opinion score: 53%
--- Popularity among boomers: 50%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 50%
--- Popularity among millennials: 56%
Although its founder John Schnatter was ousted as CEO over his controversial comments on the NFL in 2017, the franchise is still going strong with more than 3,000 locations around the United States. Papa John’s was founded by Schnatter in 1984 and is known for its signature dipping sauce that separates it from other pizza delivery chains like Domino’s and Pizza Hut.
#38. Chili’s
- Positive opinion score: 53%
--- Popularity among boomers: 54%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
--- Popularity among millennials: 52%
After falling in love with chili cook-offs, Chili’s Grill & Bar founder Larry Lavine decided to open his own restaurant in Texas in 1975 to share that love with the world. Chili’s concept was always a family-friendly, casual dining eatery at reasonable prices, and that mantra remains to this day. The sit-down restaurant is known for its burgers, fajitas, and all kinds of American fare at more than 1,000 locations across the globe.
#37. Boston Market
- Positive opinion score: 53%
--- Popularity among boomers: 57%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 54%
--- Popularity among millennials: 52%
Originally called Boston Chicken when it was founded in 1985 in Newton, Massachusetts, Boston Market is an inexpensive rotisserie chicken restaurant with nearly 350 locations across the United States. The company changed its name in 1995 after expanding its menu to include ribs, meatloaf, turkey, and a bevy of savory sides.
#36. White Castle
- Positive opinion score: 54%
--- Popularity among boomers: 58%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 53%
--- Popularity among millennials: 57%
White Castle began in Whiticha, Kansas, in 1921 and claims it’s “the first fast-food hamburger chain in the world.” The brand’s focus on cleanliness, quality, and an affordable price point has been credited with convincing Americans that hamburgers (which had previously been viewed as an unsanitary and unsafe option) were good, healthy, and safe to eat. The company, which has never franchised and wholly owns every location, currently operates about 349 locations in just 14 states, primarily in the Midwest and on the East Coast.
You may also like: Biggest pizza chains in America
#35. LongHorn Steakhouse
- Positive opinion score: 54%
--- Popularity among boomers: 57%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 56%
--- Popularity among millennials: 49%
First opened in 1981 in Atlanta as LongHorn Steaks Restaurant & Saloon, LongHorn Steakhouse is a casual dining steak joint with more than 450 locations around the United States. The chain is owned and operated by Darden Restaurants, whose portfolio also includes the Olive Garden, Yard House, and The Capital Grille. Obviously known for its steaks, LongHorn Steakhouse also serves burgers, sandwiches, ribs, chicken, and fish.
#34. Five Guys
- Positive opinion score: 54%
--- Popularity among boomers: 53%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 54%
--- Popularity among millennials: 56%
The name Five Guys is derived from founders Jerry Murrell and his four sons Ben, Jim, Chad, and Matt. The family-owned business got its start in the Washington D.C. area in 1986 and has since expanded to more than 1,500 locations in the United States and around the world. Five Guys is a fast-casual chain known for its burgers, hot dogs, and fries, but true fans of the establishment know about its secret menu. It includes favorites like the patty melt, double-grilled cheeseburger, or the Presidential, so-named for former United States President Barack Obama’s special order: a cheeseburger with jalapeño peppers, lettuce, tomato, and mustard.
#33. A&W Restaurants
- Positive opinion score: 55%
--- Popularity among boomers: 64%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 52%
--- Popularity among millennials: 44%
This fast-food chain was first popularized back in 1919 as a root beer stand in California. With the advent of Prohibition in the 1920s, A&W played on the name “root beer” to attract alcohol drinkers to its establishment. Today, A&W is still famous for its draft-style root beer, root beer floats, and sizzling burgers. A&W’s root beer was so popular that the company began selling the drink in bottles and cans. The company now has locations across the globe and is part of a conglomerate that includes Dr. Pepper, Snapple, and 7 Up.
#32. Mrs. Fields
- Positive opinion score: 55%
--- Popularity among boomers: 64%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 62%
--- Popularity among millennials: 45%
In 1977, Debbi Fields opened the first Mrs. Fields store in Palo Alto, California, which served warm and fresh cookies to its patrons. The parent company, Famous Brands International, purchased TCBY, the country’s first frozen yogurt chain, in the 1990s. Today, the company is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, and there are more than 250 franchise locations around the world.
#31. Red Robin
- Positive opinion score: 55%
--- Popularity among boomers: 54%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 54%
--- Popularity among millennials: 57%
Founded in Seattle in 1940, the original name of the restaurant was Sam’s Red Robin. That all changed when Gerry Kingen bought the restaurant in 1969 and began rapid expansion across the country. Today, there are more than 500 Red Robin restaurants, which are considered casual dining spots with American fare like burgers, sandwiches, and fried appetizers.
You may also like: Most popular breakfast spot in every state
#30. Waffle House
- Positive opinion score: 56%
--- Popularity among boomers: 59%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 52%
--- Popularity among millennials: 54%
Waffle House is one of the biggest franchises in the United States, consisting of more than 2,000 locations across 25 states. The first Waffle House launched in Avondale Estates, Georgia, where partners Joe Rogers and Tom Forkner opened their restaurant on Labor Day of 1955. Every Waffle House is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and serves reasonably priced waffles (of course), as well as omelets, melts, steak and eggs, burgers, and sandwiches.
#29. Marie Callender’s
- Positive opinion score: 56%
--- Popularity among boomers: 71%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 52%
--- Popularity among millennials: 43%
Marie Callender was a real person who started selling her home-baked pies to supplement her family’s income in the early 1940s. Callender, her husband Carl, and their son Don soon turned the small delivery business into a thriving bakery delivering pies to restaurants around Orange County, California. Pretty soon, the delivery business turned into a retail business with pie shops around California and beyond. Today, Marie Callender operates around 30 stores in the United States that serve a wide variety of pies. It is also a sit-down restaurant chain offering burgers, sandwiches, salads, and other American favorites, such as meatloaf and roasted turkey.
#28. Denny’s
- Positive opinion score: 56%
--- Popularity among boomers: 59%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 63%
--- Popularity among millennials: 49%
Harold Butler and Richard Jezak opened a donut stand in 1953 called Danny’s Donuts, where they aimed to serve the best coffee and donuts 24 hours a day. The name was changed to Denny’s Coffee Shops in 1959 and then finally Denny’s in 1961. Since then, the breakfast joint—which is still open 24 hours each day—has expanded around the world with more than 1,600 restaurants. Denny’s is typically known for its diner-style ambiance and breakfast items, but the restaurant also serves burgers, steaks, and other American fare throughout the day.
#27. Cold Stone Creamery
- Positive opinion score: 56%
--- Popularity among boomers: 56%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
--- Popularity among millennials: 55%
Cold Stone Creamery is an ice cream parlor chain where sugary treats are made to order. Cold Stone’s specialty is mixing up ice cream flavors atop a 16-degree granite slab with a choice of numerous toppings. Cold Stone started in Tempe, Arizona, in 1988, and now has more than 1,000 locations. Today, the company is owned by Kahala Brands, which also has Baja Fresh, Blimpie, and Pinkberry in its portfolio.
#26. Red Lobster
- Positive opinion score: 58%
--- Popularity among boomers: 63%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 61%
--- Popularity among millennials: 48%
Bill Darden started Red Lobster in Lakeland, Florida, in 1968 with a single restaurant. Today, there are more than 700 Red Lobster joints around the world. Red Lobster is a family-friendly restaurant whose mission is to bring inexpensive seafood to the masses. The menu always includes a fresh catch of the day, in addition to lobster, shrimp, steaks, and sides. Red Lobster was formerly part of the Darden Restaurants group, which also counts Yard House, LongHorn Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille in its portfolio. Now, it is owned by Golden Gate Capital.
You may also like: Most fast food-friendly states in America
#25. McDonald’s
- Positive opinion score: 58%
--- Popularity among boomers: 54%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
--- Popularity among millennials: 61%
Though Ray Kroc is credited with McDonald’s meteoric rise around the world, the fast-food burger joint was actually started by Dick and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California. After eating at the restaurant, Kroc was so impressed that he started franchising and bought the exclusive rights to McDonald’s in 1961. Today, the fast-food chain—known for burgers, fries, and drive-thrus—is one of the most recognizable brands on the planet with over 30,000 restaurants and billions of dollars in sales.
#23. Cracker Barrel
- Positive opinion score: 58%
--- Popularity among boomers: 68%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
--- Popularity among millennials: 50%
With a Southern country ethos based on warm hospitality and home-style food, Cracker Barrel has been a roadside staple since 1969. The part restaurant, part gift shop got its start in Tennessee as a family-friendly, sit-down restaurant. There are now more than 600 Cracker Barrels around the country, and they can usually be found close to highways, as they’re known to attract long-haul commuters with their food and general stores.
#22. Popeyes
- Positive opinion score: 59%
--- Popularity among boomers: 57%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
--- Popularity among millennials: 66%
New Orleans has a long and savory culinary history, and that’s where Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen was born and bred. Founded in 1972, Popeyes was launched by Al Copeland and reportedly takes its name from Detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle from the movie “The French Connection.” Today, Popeyes is known for its succulent and inexpensive fried chicken in restaurants around the world. There are currently more than 2,600 outlets and growing.
#21. Taco Bell
- Positive opinion score: 59%
--- Popularity among boomers: 61%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
--- Popularity among millennials: 55%
Founded by Glen Bell in San Bernardino, California, Taco Bell was originally a hot dog stand called Bell’s Drive-In and Taco Tia in 1954. Bell opened his first Taco Bell in 1962 and began franchising outlets around Los Angeles and beyond. The fast-food Mexican restaurant became one of the fastest-growing brands in the world, and there are now upwards of 7,000 locations. Bell eventually sold his stake in Taco Bell to PepsiCo, which then sold to Yum! Brands, which also owns Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
You may also like: Best Mexican restaurant in every state
#20. Texas Roadhouse
- Positive opinion score: 59%
--- Popularity among boomers: 65%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 61%
--- Popularity among millennials: 55%
Despite its name, Texas Roadhouse is a Western-themed steak joint that’s headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, and has origins in Clarksville, Indiana. Opened by Wayne Kent Taylor in 1993, the eatery has more than 600 locations around the world including the United States, Indonesia, and Turkey. The family-friendly restaurant is known for its variety of hand-cut steaks, but it also offers chicken, sandwiches, burgers, and other American specialties.
#19. KFC
- Positive opinion score: 59%
--- Popularity among boomers: 61%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
--- Popularity among millennials: 57%
The secrecy around Kentucky Fried Chicken’s special recipe remains shrouded in mystery, but the fast-food chain is as popular as ever, boasting 24,000 outlets around the world. Col. Harland Sanders created KFC’s famous fried chicken in 1940 and grew the company into the multibillion-dollar behemoth it is today. KFC is known for its buckets of fried chicken, along with sandwiches and sides that include everything from mac and cheese and corn to green beans and potatoes.
#18. Arby’s
- Positive opinion score: 59%
--- Popularity among boomers: 65%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
--- Popularity among millennials: 59%
The name Arby’s comes from its founders Leroy and Forrest Raffel, known as the Raffel Brothers—hence R.B.’s. The brothers were looking to start a fast-food franchise that would be different than the popular burger chains. As a result, they landed on freshly sliced roast beef sandwiches; the company’s been growing ever since. Arby’s slogan, “We have the meats,” still holds true, as the sandwich shop serves everything from roast beef and turkey to brisket and Italian subs.
#17. Olive Garden
- Positive opinion score: 60%
--- Popularity among boomers: 64%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
--- Popularity among millennials: 56%
The Olive Garden is a fast-casual Italian restaurant that caters to families looking for tasty pasta without breaking the bank. The company was originally founded as a division of General Mills in 1982 and is famous for its menu items and specials like unlimited breadsticks, salads, soups, and never-ending pasta bowls. Today, there are 900 Olive Gardens. The company is part of the Darden Restaurants Group that includes Yard House, LongHorn Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille.
#16. Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar
- Positive opinion score: 60%
--- Popularity among boomers: 58%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
--- Popularity among millennials: 63%
With over 2,000 locations, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar is a fast-casual dining spot that is now ubiquitous around the world. With slogans like “Eating good in the neighborhood,” Applebee’s solidified itself as a family dining destination with reasonable prices. The company first broke ground in 1980 in Atlanta and has been expanding ever since with American classics like sandwiches, burgers, ribs, pastas, and fried appetizers. Today, Applebee’s is part of a dining group that also includes IHOP.
You may also like: Most diverse food cities in the world
#15. Burger King
- Positive opinion score: 60%
--- Popularity among boomers: 66%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 61%
--- Popularity among millennials: 56%
The McDonald brothers didn’t just inspire the McDonald’s franchise. After eating at the famed San Bernardino restaurant in the 1950s, Matthew Burns and Keith Kramer bought the rights to a grill called the Insta-Broiler and opened Insta-Burger King in 1953 in Florida. The name changed to Burger King in 1954, and explosive growth has continued since. Today, Burger King has more than 18,000 locations around the world and serves a variety of fast-food items like charbroiled burgers, fries, chicken, and even breakfast items.
#14. Chick-fil-A
- Positive opinion score: 62%
--- Popularity among boomers: 61%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 63%
--- Popularity among millennials: 57%
Founded as the Dwarf Grill in 1946 outside Atlanta, Chick-fil-A is now a multibillion-dollar fast-food chain that specializes in chicken sandwiches. The company’s founder, S. Truett Cathy, was deeply religious, and because of that, Chick-fil-A is always closed on Sundays. It has also seen its fair share of controversy. Even though there are more than 2,000 locations, Chick-fil-A is still owned and operated by the founding family, and the restaurant maintains consistency throughout by selling the same chicken sandwiches, nuggets, strips, and wraps at all its locations.
#13. Sonic
- Positive opinion score: 62%
--- Popularity among boomers: 58%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 61%
--- Popularity among millennials: 69%
When Sonic first opened in Oklahoma in 1953, it was considered revolutionary for its ordering process. Customers could drive into a lane, order through a speaker, and never leave their cars as their food was brought out to them. The company still features carhops (aka servers on skates) and now, there are more than 3,000 establishments across the United States serving burgers, milkshakes, hot dogs, and fries. Sonic is part of a restaurant group that also includes Buffalo Wild Wings and Arby’s.
#12. Subway
- Positive opinion score: 62%
--- Popularity among boomers: 64%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
--- Popularity among millennials: 61%
When nuclear physicist Peter Buck loaned Fred DeLuca $1,000 to open a sub sandwich shop in 1965, the seeds of Subway were officially planted. The first store was located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and franchises began popping up soon after. The official Subway name was first used in 1968; since then, the fast-food sandwich chain has grown to over 40,000 locations around the world. The restaurant itself is known for its wide-ranging menu of sub sandwiches, but also salads, wraps, and some breakfast items.
#11. Panera Bread
- Positive opinion score: 63%
--- Popularity among boomers: 63%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 63%
--- Popularity among millennials: 60%
Panera Bread actually started as the St. Louis Bread Company in Missouri in 1987. When it was purchased by Au Bon Pain in 1993, the name was changed to Panera. The fast-casual, sit-down restaurant is famous for its freshly baked bread, sandwiches, and a variety of pastries, soups, and salads. Panera has more than 2,300 locations in the United States and Canada, and today it’s owned by JAB Holding Company, a European group whose portfolio also includes Pret A Manger and Peet’s Coffee.
You may also like: IPAs to Oktoberfest: the best beer of every type
#10. Domino’s
- Positive opinion score: 63%
--- Popularity among boomers: 59%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 62%
--- Popularity among millennials: 65%
Domino’s Pizza used to be called DomiNick’s, but the name was changed after brothers Tom and James Monoghan bought the restaurant for $500. Domino’s concept was founded on delivering hot pizza to homes in a timely manner, and its meteoric success now equates to more than 17,000 restaurants in more than 90 countries. In addition to pizza, Domino’s includes made-to-order salads, sides, and sandwiches on its menu.
#9. The Cheesecake Factory
- Positive opinion score: 63%
--- Popularity among boomers: 64%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
--- Popularity among millennials: 62%
Anyone who has ever eaten at a The Cheesecake Factory knows the menu can be overwhelming, with its endless pages of food items. But the restaurant had much humbler beginnings as a small salad and sandwich shop in Beverly Hills, California, with a variety of cheesecakes that all fit on a one-page menu. Since its start in 1978, The Cheesecake Factory has grown into a family-friendly juggernaut with more than 200 outlets around the world serving everything from soups, salads, and appetizers to pastas, sandwiches, burgers, and of course, a large variety of cheesecakes.
#8. IHOP
- Positive opinion score: 64%
--- Popularity among boomers: 62%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 70%
--- Popularity among millennials: 59%
IHOP has been an American breakfast staple since it opened in 1958. The shortened name IHOP was coined about 15 years later and is now the official name of the company. Serving pancakes at more than 1,800 restaurants around the world, IHOP is a family-friendly enterprise known for clever branding and iconic menu items like the Rooty Tooty Fresh ’N Fruity Pancakes, Signature Pancake Sliders, and other savory dishes. It started as a breakfast-only eatery, but today, the restaurants have sandwiches, burgers, and other lunch and dinner items.
#7. Cinnabon
- Positive opinion score: 65%
--- Popularity among boomers: 66%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 65%
--- Popularity among millennials: 64%
Cinnabon’s mission was to create the world’s greatest cinnamon roll, and with the level of success the company has achieved, it might just have accomplished that feat. The small cinnamon roll shop started in Seattle in 1985 and has grown to more than 1,200 locations around the world. Cinnabon is more bakery than a sit-down restaurant, and it serves a variety of cinnamon treats in addition to its famous rolls. Today, Cinnabon is owned by Focus Brands, which also owns Auntie Anne’s, Jamba Juice, and Schlotzsky’s.
#6. Pizza Hut
- Positive opinion score: 65%
--- Popularity among boomers: 66%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 67%
--- Popularity among millennials: 64%
Known for its iconic red roofs, Pizza Hut is a part sit-down restaurant, part carry-out spot, and part pizza delivery place. Founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas, as a single outlet, today, there are more than 18,000 locations around the world. Pizza Hut is also famous for its pizza innovations, trotting out items like stuffed crusts with melted cheese, a calzone-like pizza concoction called the P’zone, and the Dippin’ Strips pizza, which features pieces that can be pulled off and dipped in marinara sauce.
You may also like: 50 ways food has changed in the last 50 years
#5. Dunkin’
- Positive opinion score: 66%
--- Popularity among boomers: 67%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 63%
--- Popularity among millennials: 65%
Formerly Dunkin’ Donuts, Dunkin’ is a coffee and donut shop founded by Bill Rosenberg in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts. With the world’s never-ending appetite for the round and sweet, Dunkin’ has since opened more than 12,000 locations globally. While donuts are the specialty, the company’s coffee also garners praise and the shops have expanded their menus to include sandwiches, wraps, and bagels.
#3. Wendy’s
- Positive opinion score: 69%
--- Popularity among boomers: 71%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 69%
--- Popularity among millennials: 68%
Named after founder Dave Thomas’ daughter Melinda Lou “Wendy” Thomas, Wendy’s was first opened in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969. Known for its square-shaped burger patties, Wendy’s was one of the first of the big chains to adopt a drive-thru window. Wendy’s popularity has been boosted by its creative advertising campaigns, such as its 1984 “Where’s the Beef?” ad. Today there are more than 6,000 locations around the world serving the same square-shaped burgers, fries, baked potatoes, and Frostys.
#2. Dairy Queen
- Positive opinion score: 71%
--- Popularity among boomers: 77%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 75%
--- Popularity among millennials: 63%
The first Dairy Queen store opened in 1940 in Joliet, Illinois, after co-founder John Fremont McCullough developed a formula for soft-serve ice cream. McCullough opened the shop with Sherb Noble, and the brand has been expanding ever since. Known for its ice cream, Dairy Queen is also famous for sweet-treat inventions like the Peanut Buster Parfait and the Blizzard. Dairy Queen is much more than just an ice cream shop these days, as it also serves burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, and fries. There are more than 6,800 Dairy Queen locations around the world and the uber-popular brand shows no sign of slowing down.
#1. Baskin-Robbins
- Positive opinion score: 74%
--- Popularity among boomers: 79%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 77%
--- Popularity among millennials: 67%
Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins were brothers-in-law who wanted to open an ice cream shop where families could gather to enjoy tasty treats. Though they originally opened separate stores, eventually the men merged to form Baskin-Robbins, boasting 31 flavors. Today there are more than 8,000 locations globally, and Baskin-Robbins is part of Inspire Brands, which also owns Dunkin’.
You may also like: 50 delicious slow cooker recipes that will warm you up this winter
#50. Chipotle Mexican Grill
- Positive opinion score: 52%
-- Popularity among boomers: 46%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 48%
-- Popularity among millennials: 54%
Based in Denver, Chipotle serves food with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The burrito and bowl spot has been going strong since 1993, now with more than 3,500 locations throughout the country. The owners chose not to franchise the business, believing instead that holding ownership allows them to set the tone for their employees and better control the quality of their ingredients. McDonald's was an early and major investor, but has since divested entirely.
#49. Chuck E. Cheese's
- Positive opinion score: 53%
-- Popularity among boomers: 34%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 42%
-- Popularity among millennials: 58%
When the first Chuck E. Cheese opened in 1977 in San Jose, California, it was like nothing diners had ever seen. Then called Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre, the restaurant's animatronic show and arcade made it a kids' dining paradise.
Over the years, some things have changed for Chuck E. Cheese: paper prize tickets have been replaced with electronic ones, wristbands have taken the place of tokens, and ball pits have been swapped for trampoline zones and obstacle courses. But in present day, the place "where a kid can be a kid" continues to delight across its 600 locations.
#48. In-N-Out Burger
- Positive opinion score: 53%
-- Popularity among boomers: 43%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 51%
-- Popularity among millennials: 59%
Harry and Esther Snyder founded the West Coast legend In-N-Out Burger in 1948 in Baldwin Park, California, where it was the first drive-thru concept in the region. The chain, known for its simple menu of burgers, fries, and shakes, has a cult following, particularly in California.
With over 400 locations, it remains family-owned and has resisted franchising to maintain quality control. In-N-Out is also famous for its "secret menu" (no longer much of a secret) and commitment to fresh ingredients.
#47. Buffalo Wild Wings
- Positive opinion score: 53%
-- Popularity among boomers: 54%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
-- Popularity among millennials: 54%
After moving to Ohio from Buffalo, New York, Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery were hankering for Buffalo-style wings—only to discover nowhere to satiate their craving existed. The pair opened their restaurant in 1982, and Buffalo Wild Wings has since become an international craze with over 1,300 U.S. locations and more across the globe. The restaurant is known for its wings, naturally, but it's also a sports bar serving sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and beer.
#45. Starbucks
- Positive opinion score: 53%
-- Popularity among boomers: 39%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 48%
-- Popularity among millennials: 58%
Starbucks has become synonymous with coffee, but it wasn't always so omnipresent. Founded in 1971 in Seattle as a small coffee bean shop, Starbucks had humble beginnings before expanding into a global coffeehouse chain under Howard Schultz's leadership in the 1980s.
Starbucks had over 38,000 locations worldwide as of December 2024, according to a report by Cafely. The brand, known for its specialty coffee drinks, teas, and seasonal beverages, emphasizes sustainability initiatives, such as reducing single-use plastics. However, it has faced recent challenges with inflation and controversy over the company's response to unionization efforts. Starbucks' headquarters remain in Seattle, where the original Pike Place store is still operating.
#44. Nathan's Famous
- Positive opinion score: 54%
-- Popularity among boomers: 54%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 54%
-- Popularity among millennials: 57%
Polish Jewish immigrant Nathan Handwerker opened the first Nathan's Famous hot dog stand on Coney Island in 1916. Fellow immigrants flocked to his Brooklyn shop, eager to get their hands on his frankfurters, which were seasoned with his wife Ida's secret blend and sold for only a nickel.
In 1959, Nathan's son, Murray Handwerker, began opening other branches of the restaurant in New York City. By 2001, there were locations in every state in America and several countries around the world. Today, the chain is the official hot dog sponsor of the MLB, runs its iconic hot dog eating contest on the 4th of July, and sells a line of products in grocery stores nationwide.
#43. Arby's
- Positive opinion score: 54%
-- Popularity among boomers: 58%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 62%
-- Popularity among millennials: 59%
The name Arby's comes from founders Leroy and Forrest Raffel, known as the Raffel Brothers—or R.B. for short. The brothers were looking to start a fast-food franchise different from the popular burger chains. They landed on freshly sliced roast beef sandwiches. Arby's slogan, "We have the meats," still holds, as the sandwich shop serves an array of meats, including roast beef, turkey, brisket, and Italian deli meat subs.
#42. TGI Friday's
- Positive opinion score: 54%
-- Popularity among boomers: 60%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 50%
-- Popularity among millennials: 58%
TGI Friday's began as a cocktail bar that catered to single folks on New York City's Upper East Side. Alan Stillman opened the first location in 1965, and it was an instant success. Two years later, Stillman began franchising, and it was those early suburban locations, which focused on food and a family atmosphere rather than being a place for 20-somethings, that transformed it into the diner-style restaurant it is today.
TGI Friday's has faced its fair share of hardships in recent years, leading to mass closures. According to its store locator, just 85 locations remain in the United States as of April 2025.
#41. Jersey Mike's Subs
- Positive opinion score: 55%
-- Popularity among boomers: 60%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 53%
-- Popularity among millennials: 52%
The original Jersey Mike's Subs opened in a popular Jersey Shore town, Point Pleasant, in 1956. In 1971, 17-year-old high school student and Jersey Mike's employee Peter Cancro bought the stand-alone restaurant from its aging founder. After opening a handful of outlets in the area, he began franchising in 1987.
Today, there are close to 3,000 Jersey Mike's restaurants in the United States, but the brand has been expanding internationally. In January 2024, Jersey Mike's announced a major expansion in Canada.
You may also like: America's 8 most-visited ice cream shops — and the hottest new chain
#39. Denny's
- Positive opinion score: 56%
-- Popularity among boomers: 65%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 56%
-- Popularity among millennials: 51%
Harold Butler and Richard Jezak opened a donut stand in 1953 called Danny's Donuts, aiming to serve the best coffee and donuts 24 hours a day. The name became Denny's Coffee Shops in 1959 and finally Denny's in 1961. Since then, the breakfast joint—still open 24 hours daily—has expanded with more than 1,500 restaurants globally.
Denny's is typically known for its diner-style ambiance and breakfast items, but the restaurant also serves burgers, steak, and other American fare throughout the day (and night).
#38. LongHorn Steakhouse
- Positive opinion score: 56%
-- Popularity among boomers: 60%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
-- Popularity among millennials: 53%
First opened in 1981 in Atlanta as LongHorn Steaks Restaurant & Saloon, LongHorn Steakhouse is a casual dining steak joint with more than 520 locations around the United States. The chain is owned and operated by Darden Restaurants, whose portfolio includes Olive Garden, Yard House, and The Capital Grille. Known for its steaks, LongHorn Steakhouse also serves burgers, sandwiches, ribs, chicken, and fish.
#37. Jimmy John's
- Positive opinion score: 57%
-- Popularity among boomers: 48%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
-- Popularity among millennials: 53%
Jimmy John's was founded in 1983 in Charleston, Illinois, by Jimmy John Liautaud. It originally served just four sandwiches, but its focus on fresh ingredients and quick service helped the restaurant expand. The chain now boasts over 2,600 U.S. locations and is known for its "freaky fast" rewards and customizable menu of sandwiches.
In 2019, Jimmy John's became part of Inspire Brands, which owns Arby's and Dunkin'. It remains a favorite among the sandwich chains for its continued promise of fresh bread and premium deli meats.
#36. Waffle House
- Positive opinion score: 57%
-- Popularity among boomers: 52%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
-- Popularity among millennials: 63%
Waffle House is one of the biggest franchises in the United States, consisting of more than 1,900 locations across 25 states. The first Waffle House launched in Avondale Estates, Georgia, where partners Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner opened their restaurant on Labor Day of 1955. Every Waffle House is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and serves reasonably priced waffles, as well as omelets, melts, steak and eggs, burgers, and sandwiches.
You may also like: Two agencies oversee food inspection in the US, but who regulates what? It's complicated.
#35. Dave & Buster's
Dave & Buster’s has confirmed plans to open a new location in Bristol, Tennessee. An opening date and a location for the business have not yet been announced.
#34. Sonic
- Positive opinion score: 57%
-- Popularity among boomers: 51%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 61%
-- Popularity among millennials: 61%
When Sonic opened in Oklahoma in 1953, it was considered revolutionary for its ordering process. Customers could order through a speaker, and a worker would bring their food to them so they would never have to leave their cars.
The company still employs carhops (servers on skates), and there are now more than 3,500 establishments across the United States serving burgers, milkshakes, hot dogs, and fries. Sonic is part of the restaurant group Inspire Brands, which includes Buffalo Wild Wings, Arby's, and Baskin-Robbins.
#33. Five Guys
- Positive opinion score: 59%
-- Popularity among boomers: 50%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 50%
-- Popularity among millennials: 62%
The name Five Guys derives from founders Jerry Murrell and his four sons, Ben, Jim, Chad, and Matt. The family-owned business started in the Washington D.C. area in 1986 and has since expanded to over 1,600 locations in the United States and around the world.
Five Guys is a fast-casual chain known for its burgers, hot dogs, and fries, but true fans of the establishment are familiar with its secret menu. It includes favorites like the patty melt, double-grilled cheeseburger, or the Presidential, so-named for former President Barack Obama's special order: a cheeseburger with jalapeño peppers, lettuce, tomato, and mustard.
#32. McDonald's
- Positive opinion score: 59%
-- Popularity among boomers: 57%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 50%
-- Popularity among millennials: 59%
Though Ray Kroc is credited with the meteoric rise of McDonald's around the world, Richard and Maurice "Mac" McDonald started the fast-food burger joint in San Bernardino, California. After eating at the restaurant, Kroc was so impressed that he started franchising and bought the exclusive rights to McDonald's in 1961.
The fast-food chain—known for burgers, fries, and drive-thrus—is one of the most recognizable brands on the planet, with over 40,000 restaurants and billions of dollars in sales.
#31. Hard Rock Café
- Positive opinion score: 59%
-- Popularity among boomers: 55%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
-- Popularity among millennials: 60%
Two Americans, Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, just wanted a good burger in the U.K.; when they couldn't find one, they started their own company. What started as a small American-themed restaurant in London in 1971 has since turned into a megafranchise with over 300 cafés, shops, hotels, casinos, and performance venues all over the world.
The cafés are renowned for their extensive collections of rock 'n' roll memorabilia that hang on every free space in the restaurants, as well as regularly scheduled live concerts at many venues. The food generally consists of burgers, fries, sandwiches, steaks, and other American favorites.
You may also like: Fright night done right: Here are 10 tricks for throwing the ultimate Halloween party
#30. Panda Express
- Positive opinion score: 59%
-- Popularity among boomers: 43%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 56%
-- Popularity among millennials: 68%
A subsidiary of the Panda Restaurant Group, Panda Express started in 1973 as a formal sit-down restaurant called Panda Inn in Pasadena, California. The restaurant's founders, father-and-son team Ming-Tsai Cherng and Andrew Cherng, crafted a menu of Mandarin and Sichuan dishes that filled a gap in the area's market. Their success allowed them to open a number of similar restaurants in the surrounding community.
In 1983, a year after Ming-Tsai's wife, Peggy Cherng, joined the company, the restaurant group opened a fast-food version of their restaurant in the Glendale Galleria, which they dubbed Panda Express. There are now more than 2,300 Panda Express restaurants.
#29. Burger King
- Positive opinion score: 59%
-- Popularity among boomers: 59%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
-- Popularity among millennials: 65%
The McDonald brothers didn't just inspire the McDonald's franchise. After eating at the famed San Bernardino restaurant in the 1950s, Matthew Burns and Keith Kramer bought the rights to a grill called the Insta-Broiler and opened Insta-Burger King in Florida. The name changed to Burger King in 1954, and explosive growth continued.
James McLamore and David Edgerton were the first franchisees. The pair, responsible for inventing the Whopper and introducing the flame-broiler, acquired the company in 1959. The chain went through several more owners before becoming part of the Restaurant Brands International portfolio. Burger King has around 20,000 locations globally and serves a variety of fast-food items, like charbroiled burgers, fries, chicken, and breakfast items.
#28. Subway
- Positive opinion score: 60%
-- Popularity among boomers: 64%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 64%
-- Popularity among millennials: 53%
When nuclear physicist Peter Buck loaned 17-year-old Fred DeLuca $1,000 to open a sub sandwich shop in 1965, neither man could have imagined what would follow. The first store was in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and franchises began popping up soon after.
The official Subway name was first used in 1968; since then, the fast-food sandwich chain has grown to over 20,000 U.S. locations and thousands more abroad. Subway is known for its wide-ranging menu of sub sandwiches, but also sells salads, wraps, and some breakfast items.
#27. Panera Bread
- Positive opinion score: 60%
-- Popularity among boomers: 65%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
-- Popularity among millennials: 62%
Panera Bread started as the St. Louis Bread Company in Missouri in 1987. When Au Bon Pain purchased it in 1993, the name changed to Panera. The fast-casual, sit-down restaurant is famous for its freshly baked bread, sandwiches, and various pastries, soups, and salads. Panera has over 2,200 U.S. locations, and today, it's part of JAB Holding Company, a European group whose portfolio also includes Pret A Manger, Peet's Coffee, and Krispy Kreme.
#26. Little Caesars
- Positive opinion score: 61%
-- Popularity among boomers: 50%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 57%
-- Popularity among millennials: 67%
Married couple Mike and Marian Ilitch started Little Caesars in Michigan in 1959. Today, it is one of the biggest pizza chains in the United States. The company truly took off in 1979 when it coined its famous phrase "Pizza! Pizza!" and started selling two pizzas for the price of one. Today, Little Caesars is the third-largest pizza chain in the world, with thousands of global locations, and it's just as well-known for its sit-down restaurants as it is for delivery and carry-out.
You may also like: How this James Beard Award-winning restaurant handles high demand
#25. Cold Stone Creamery
- Positive opinion score: 61%
-- Popularity among boomers: 57%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
-- Popularity among millennials: 63%
Cold Stone Creamery is an ice cream parlor chain where sugary treats are made to order. The chain's specialty is mixing up flavors atop a 16-degree Fahrenheit granite slab with an eclectic choice of toppings. Cold Stone started in 1988 in Tempe, Arizona, and now has nearly 1,000 locations. Today, the company is owned by Kahala Brands, which also has Pinkberry, Baja Fresh, and Blimpie in its portfolio.
#24. Papa John's
- Positive opinion score: 61%
-- Popularity among boomers: 49%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 53%
-- Popularity among millennials: 59%
Although founder John Schnatter was ousted as CEO over his controversial comments on the NFL in 2017, this franchise is still going strong with close to 6,000 locations globally. Papa John's was founded by Schnatter in 1984. It is known for its signature garlic dipping sauce that distinguishes it from other popular pizza delivery chains, like Domino's and Pizza Hut.
#23. Red Lobster
- Positive opinion score: 61%
-- Popularity among boomers: 57%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 56%
-- Popularity among millennials: 62%
Bill Darden started Red Lobster in Lakeland, Florida, in 1968 with a single restaurant. Today, there are more than 700 Red Lobster joints around the world. Red Lobster is a family-friendly restaurant with a mission to bring inexpensive seafood to the masses. The menu always includes a fresh catch of the day, in addition to lobster, shrimp, steaks, and sides.
Darden went on to found the highly successful Darden Restaurants group, with Red Lobster as the foundational restaurant, but the conglomerate sold the seafood chain in 2014 to Golden Gate Capital, which also owns Bob Evans, California Pizza Kitchen, and On the Border.
#21. Applebee's
- Positive opinion score: 61%
-- Popularity among boomers: 62%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 52%
-- Popularity among millennials: 58%
Applebee's was founded in 1980 in Decatur, Georgia, as a casual dining restaurant offering American classics. The mouthful of a name, T.J. Applebee's Rx for Edibles & Elixirs, has thankfully since been shortened. Now owned by Dine Brands Global, which also owns IHOP, the chain operates over 1,500 locations worldwide. Applebee's menu includes burgers, pasta, ribs, and signature cocktails, though it may be best known for its "riblets."
You may also like: Signature side dish from each state
#20. IHOP
- Positive opinion score: 62%
-- Popularity among boomers: 60%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 64%
-- Popularity among millennials: 59%
IHOP has been an American breakfast staple since it opened in 1958. The shortened name—from International House of Pancakes—was coined 15 years later and is now the company's official name.
Serving pancakes at more than 1,750 restaurants around the world, IHOP is a family-friendly enterprise known for clever branding and iconic menu items like the Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity Pancakes and the Signature Pancake Sliders. It started as a breakfast-only eatery, but the restaurants have sandwiches, burgers, and other lunch and dinner items today.
#19. Chili's
- Positive opinion score: 62%
-- Popularity among boomers: 54%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
-- Popularity among millennials: 69%
After falling in love with chili cook-offs, Chili's Grill & Bar founder Larry Lavine opened his own restaurant in Texas to share that love with the world. From its start in 1975, Chili's concept was always a family-friendly, casual dining eatery at reasonable prices.
While that ethos remains to this day, the chain has become a surprisingly hip destination for younger customers. The sit-down restaurant is known for its burgers, fajitas, and a variety of American fare at more than 1,600 locations across the globe.
#18. Red Robin
- Positive opinion score: 62%
-- Popularity among boomers: 59%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 61%
-- Popularity among millennials: 65%
Founded in Seattle in the 1940s, the restaurant's original name was Sam's Tavern before being renamed Sam's Red Robin—and it had just one location. That all changed when Gerry Kingen bought the restaurant in 1969 and began rapidly expanding across the country, dropping the "Sam's" from the name. There are more than 500 Red Robin restaurants today, which are considered casual dining spots with American fare like burgers, sandwiches, and fried appetizers.
#17. Cracker Barrel
- Positive opinion score: 63%
-- Popularity among boomers: 65%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 62%
-- Popularity among millennials: 65%
With a Southern country ethos centered on warm hospitality and home-style food, Cracker Barrel has been a roadside staple since 1969. The part-restaurant, part-gift shop got its start in Tennessee as a family-friendly, sit-down establishment. There are now more than 650 Cracker Barrels around the country, and they can usually be found close to highways, as they're known to attract long-haul commuters with comfort food and general stores.
#16. The Cheesecake Factory
- Positive opinion score: 63%
-- Popularity among boomers: 69%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
-- Popularity among millennials: 67%
Anyone who has ever eaten at The Cheesecake Factory knows the menu can be overwhelming, with its seemingly endless pages of food items. But the restaurant had humbler beginnings as a small salad and sandwich shop in Beverly Hills, California, with a variety of cheesecakes that all fit on a one-page menu.
Since its start in 1978, The Cheesecake Factory has grown into a family-friendly juggernaut with 348 outlets in the United States and Canada serving everything from soups, salads, and appetizers to pasta, sandwiches, and burgers—not to mention, of course, a vast number of cheesecakes to choose from.
You may also like: How much fiber do you need to eat to meet your goals?
#15. A&W Restaurants
- Positive opinion score: 63%
-- Popularity among boomers: 66%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
-- Popularity among millennials: 50%
This fast-food chain began in 1919 as a root beer stand in California. With the advent of Prohibition in the 1920s, A&W played on the name "root beer" to attract alcohol drinkers to its establishment. The root beer was so popular that the company began selling the drink in bottles and cans in 1971.
Today, A&W is still famous for that draft-style root beer, along with decadent root beer floats and sizzling burgers. The company has locations across the globe and is part of a conglomerate that includes Dr Pepper, Snapple, and 7 Up.
#14. Pizza Hut
- Positive opinion score: 64%
-- Popularity among boomers: 58%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 67%
-- Popularity among millennials: 63%
Known for its iconic red roofs, Pizza Hut is a sit-down restaurant, carry-out spot, and pizza delivery place. Founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas, as a single outlet, there are close to 20,000 locations around the world. Pizza Hut is also famous for its pizza innovations, like stuffed crusts, the calzone-inspired P'Zone, and Dippin' Strips, which are pizza pieces that can be pulled off and dipped in sauce.
#13. KFC
- Positive opinion score: 65%
-- Popularity among boomers: 57%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 63%
-- Popularity among millennials: 69%
The truth behind Kentucky Fried Chicken's secret recipe remains shrouded in mystery, but the fast-food chain is as popular as ever, opening its 30,000th outlet in 2024. Colonel Harland Sanders created KFC's famous fried chicken in 1939 and helped grow the company into the multibillion-dollar behemoth it is today. The restaurant is known for its buckets of fried chicken, along with sandwiches and sides that include mac and cheese, corn, green beans, and potatoes.
#12. Chick-fil-A
- Positive opinion score: 65%
-- Popularity among boomers: 63%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 62%
-- Popularity among millennials: 72%
Founded as The Dwarf Grill in 1946 outside Atlanta, Chick-fil-A is now a multibillion-dollar fast-food chain specializing in chicken sandwiches. The company's founder, S. Truett Cathy, was deeply religious, so Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays.
Even though there are more than 3,000 locations, Chick-fil-A is still owned and operated by the founding family, and the restaurant maintains consistency by selling the same chicken sandwiches, nuggets, strips, and wraps at all its locations.
#11. Wendy's
- Positive opinion score: 65%
-- Popularity among boomers: 73%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 69%
-- Popularity among millennials: 66%
Named after founder Dave Thomas' daughter Melinda Lou "Wendy" Thomas, Wendy's opened in 1969 in Columbus, Ohio. Known for its square-shaped burger patties, Wendy's was one of the first of the big chains to adopt a drive-thru window.
The fast-food destination's popularity has been boosted by its creative advertising campaigns, such as its iconic 1984 "Where's the Beef?" ad. Today, more than 7,000 locations around the world serve the same square-shaped burgers, fries, baked potatoes, and Frostys.
You may also like: 26 Thanksgiving side dishes ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest
#10. Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits
- Positive opinion score: 66%
-- Popularity among boomers: 55%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 67%
-- Popularity among millennials: 69%
"Love that chicken" from Popeyes? You're not alone. The restaurant was founded in 1972 in New Orleans by Alvin Copeland, with an emphasis on Southern-inspired fried chicken and Cajun flavors. Originally named Chicken on the Run, the chain operates over 4,000 locations globally.
The menu features its signature fried chicken, spicy chicken sandwich, and red beans and rice. Popeyes gained significant attention for its chicken sandwich, sparking a "chicken sandwich war" among fast-food competitors.
#9. Texas Roadhouse
- Positive opinion score: 66%
-- Popularity among boomers: 62%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 64%
-- Popularity among millennials: 64%
Despite its name, Texas Roadhouse is a Western-themed steak joint that's headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, and has its origins in Clarksville, Indiana. Opened by Wayne Kent Taylor in 1993, Texas Roadhouse now has more than 750 locations around the world—including in Texas. The family-friendly restaurant is known for its variety of hand-cut steaks, but it also offers chicken, sandwiches, burgers, and other American specialties.
#8. Cinnabon
- Positive opinion score: 67%
-- Popularity among boomers: 64%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 66%
-- Popularity among millennials: 64%
Cinnabon's mission was to create the world's greatest cinnamon roll, and if the level of success the company has achieved is any indication, it might just have pulled that off. The cinnamon roll shop started in Seattle in 1985 and has grown to over 1,800 locations around the world.
Cinnabon is more of a bakery than a sit-down restaurant, now serving a variety of cinnamon treats in addition to its famous rolls. Today, Cinnabon is owned by GoTo Foods, which also has Auntie Anne's, Carvel, and Jamba in its portfolio.
#7. Olive Garden
- Positive opinion score: 68%
-- Popularity among boomers: 74%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
-- Popularity among millennials: 61%
Olive Garden is a fast-casual Italian restaurant that caters to families looking for tasty pasta without breaking the bank. The company was founded in 1982 as General Mills' first original restaurant. It is famous for its menu specials like unlimited breadsticks, salads, and soups, along with its never-ending pasta bowls. Today, there are more than 900 Olive Garden locations where you can feel right at home, according to its "when you're here, you're family" slogan.
#6. Taco Bell
- Positive opinion score: 68%
-- Popularity among boomers: 65%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 70%
-- Popularity among millennials: 70%
Founded by Glen Bell in San Bernardino, California, Taco Bell has its roots in a stand called Bell's Drive-In and Taco Tia. The first Taco Bell opened in 1962 in Downey, California, and Bell began franchising outlets around Los Angeles and beyond.
The fast-food Mexican chain became one of the fastest-growing brands in the world, and there are now more than 8,000 locations in the United States. Bell eventually sold his stake in Taco Bell to PepsiCo. It's now part of the Yum! Brands portfolio, which includes Pizza Hut and KFC.
You may also like: Hopping into spring: Instacart reveals America's most loved and loathed Easter and Passover foods
#5. Domino's
- Positive opinion score: 68%
-- Popularity among boomers: 54%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 62%
-- Popularity among millennials: 75%
Domino's Pizza used to be called DomiNick's, but the name was changed after brothers Tom and James Monaghan bought the restaurant with a $500 down payment and $900 they borrowed. Domino's was founded on delivering hot pizza to homes in a timely manner, and its meteoric success now equates to over 20,000 restaurants in more than 90 countries. In addition to pizza, Domino's menu features made-to-order salads, sides, and sandwiches.
#3. Dunkin'
- Positive opinion score: 72%
-- Popularity among boomers: 65%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 62%
-- Popularity among millennials: 76%
Formerly Dunkin' Donuts, Dunkin' is a coffee and donut shop founded by Bill Rosenberg in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts. With the world's never-ending appetite for donuts, Dunkin' has since opened close to 10,000 U.S. locations. While donuts remain the specialty, the company's coffee also has countless fans, and the shops have expanded their menus to include sandwiches, wraps, and bagels.
#2. Dairy Queen
- Positive opinion score: 73%
-- Popularity among boomers: 75%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 69%
-- Popularity among millennials: 75%
The first Dairy Queen store opened in 1940 in Joliet, Illinois, after co-founder John Fremont McCullough developed a formula for soft-serve ice cream—and the brand has been expanding ever since. Dairy Queen is famous for inventions like the Peanut Buster Parfait and the Blizzard.
The chain has become more than just an ice cream shop in recent decades. It also serves burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, and fries. There are more than 5,700 Dairy Queen locations worldwide, and the brand's popularity shows no sign of slowing down.
#1. Baskin-Robbins
- Positive opinion score: 74%
-- Popularity among boomers: 84%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 77%
-- Popularity among millennials: 66%
Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins were brothers-in-law who wanted to open an ice cream shop where families could gather to enjoy tasty treats. Though they originally opened separate stores, the men eventually combined their powers to form Baskin-Robbins, which famously boasts 31 ice cream flavors. Today, there are nearly 8,000 locations globally, and Baskin-Robbins is part of Inspire Brands, which also owns Dunkin'.
Data reporting by Wade Zhou. Additional writing by Cynthia Rebolledo and Jaimie Etkin. Story editing by Louis Peitzman. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.
You may also like: 7 key food trends for 2025 forecasted by Instacart purchasing data
50 most popular chain restaurants in America
Close up hands holding burger at outdoor restaurant table.
50 most popular chain restaurants in America
Close up hands holding burger at outdoor restaurant table.
#46. Firehouse Subs
- Positive opinion score: 53%
-- Popularity among boomers: 39%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 51%
-- Popularity among millennials: 55%
Second-generation firefighters and brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen founded Firehouse Subs in 1994 in Jacksonville, Florida. The brothers barely took home any money themselves and hired family to work in their sub shops, allowing the business to boom over the past three decades.
Today, there are 1,345 Firehouse Subs locations across 45 states and Puerto Rico. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Sorensens started the nonprofit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation in 2005, which provides equipment for first responders, fire prevention education, disaster relief, and scholarships.
You may also like: 23 Halloween candies ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest
#40. Auntie Anne's
- Positive opinion score: 56%
-- Popularity among boomers: 39%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
-- Popularity among millennials: 62%
Auntie Anne's started in 1988 at a Pennsylvania farmer's market. Founder Anne Beiler began selling her soft, freshly baked pretzels in an effort to fund her dream of providing free family counseling services for her community. To this day, the company makes giving back a priority, partnering with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation to find a cure for childhood cancer.
#22. Outback Steakhouse
- Positive opinion score: 61%
-- Popularity among boomers: 65%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 65%
-- Popularity among millennials: 66%
Despite its name, Outback Steakhouse is merely an Australian-inspired steak restaurant; it got its start in 1988 in Tampa, Florida. The restaurant differentiated itself by providing top-quality steaks at reasonable prices, placing it between low-end establishments and high-end steak joints.
The family-friendly establishment is known for steaks, of course, but also creative delicacies like the Bloomin' Onion, Kookaburra Wings, Sydney 'Shrooms, and other Aussie-themed items.
#4. Krispy Kreme
- Positive opinion score: 68%
-- Popularity among boomers: 67%
-- Popularity among Gen X: 67%
-- Popularity among millennials: 72%
The secret to Krispy Kreme's fluffy donuts lies in a recipe that Vernon Rudolph bought in 1937 from a New Orleans chef. Since then, the wafting scent of Krispy Kreme's addictive donuts has tempted customers around the globe.
There are more than 350 Krispy Kreme donut shops in the United States and hundreds more worldwide. They all provide customers with favorites like the original glazed and strawberry-filled donuts, as well as seasonal flavors and special partnerships. Pop-Tart donuts, anyone?
