Top 20 Oldest Fast Food Chains Ranked (2024)

Fast food has been around longer than any of us actually thought. Although the concept of fast food was coined just 50 years ago, some fast food chains first began over 100 years ago and are still active today!

For generations, these restaurants not only served us burgers, fries, and all our other favorite meals; they also became a part of some of our happiest memories.

Let’s all enjoy a blast from the past by ranking the oldest fast food chains and see how they stack up in modern times.

20. Carl’s Jr. (1941)

The west coast wouldn’t be the west coast without Carl’s Jr. This iconic fast food chain is the go-to place for delicious charbroiled burgers. It first opened during 1941 in Anaheim, California by Carl Karcher, a truck driver, and his wife Margaret. It started out as a hot dog cart before being turned into a drive-in called Carl’s Drive-in Barbecue. Then in 1956, they started opening smaller versions of the restaurant called Carl’s Jr. and the rest is history. It has since expanded across the nation with some of the best burgers you could ever have and some pretty memorable advertising campaigns.

19. Whataburger (1950)

Here’s another burger joint that earned its place among the top by serving up quality meals for more than half a century. Whataburger will truly have you saying ‘what a burger!’ with every burger that they make. It started in Texas during the 50s by Harmon Dobson and Paul Burton and since then, their focus on ground beef burgers have made them a staple in the fast food industry. With a growing list of menu items and its famous Fancy Ketchup, Whataburger truly lives up to its slogan, ‘Just like you like it.’

18. Little Caesars (1959)

If McDonald’s patented the best way to serve burgers really fast, then Little Caesars did the same thing but for pizzas. Famous for their HOT-N-READY pizza and the catchphrase “Pizza Pizza!,” Little Caesars started out 65 years ago in Garden City, Michigan by married couple Mike and Marian Illitch. Since then, they’ve only grown their pizza empire and even have locations in other countries. They’ve become the best place to go to if you want affordable, no-wait pizzas.

17. A&W Restaurants (1919)

Fun fact, this is the first American chain restaurant to ever hit the 100-year mark. has been an American institution ever since it first opened as a root beer stand in California back in 1919 when soldiers were coming back home after World War I. A&W are the initials of the restaurant’s founders, Roy W. Allen and Frank Wright. In 1922, they opened the first official A&W Restaurant and instantly became famous for their burgers, draft root beer and root beer floats with their signature “frosty mugs” gaining them some attention.

16. Popeyes (1972)

When we’re talking about the oldest fast food chains, how can we forget about Popeyes? Before it became the iconic fried chicken empire it is today, it was known as “Chicken on the Run” when it first opened on June 12, 1972 in Arabi, Louisiana. Since then, they’ve become famous for their Louisiana-style fried chicken with mild and spicy flavors, Cajun-style gravy, and Cajun Rice. Through their creative use of social media, Popeyes became a global brand with a unique brand identity that resonated with lots of customers. With that kind of reputation, it’s no surprise that Popeyes became the No.2 fried chicken chain in the United States. They sure gave KFC a run for their money.

15. IHOP (1958)

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and IHOP knows this for a fact. IHOP or International House of Pancakes, was opened back in 1958 and instantly made a mark in the fast food industry thanks to their world-famous pancakes. When they first opened, IHOP was the best place to get exotic European meals like crepes or french toast. With over 1,800 locations, IHOP remains to this day the best place to get a hearty meal to start your day. They even rebranded at one point to IHOb (International House of Burgers) just to show the world that they also serve great meals for lunch and dinner.

14. Subway (1965)

Despite starting out all the way back in 1965, Subway still managed to stay fresh thanks to their consistent production of quality submarine sandwiches. Fred DeLuca was only 17 years old when he had the idea for a restaurant that specializes in customizable subs. He reached out to a family friend, nuclear physicist Peter Buck, who gave him the money to debut Subway as Pete’s Super Submarines. They changed the name in 1972 and started franchising in 1974. Since then, Subway has grown to be the 2nd largest fast food chain in the world with a whopping 37,000 locations across the globe!

13. Domino’s Pizza (1960)

Little Caesars isn’t the only pizza chain to come out of Michigan during the 60s. Brothers Tom and James Monaghan bought a small-time pizzeria called DomiNick’s for only $900 in 1960. When they started opening more store locations, they couldn’t use the DomiNick’s name and instead renamed the pizza chain Domino’s. Their path to success was mostly because of their innovations in pizza-making and pizza delivery. They came up with a system that allowed them to create the perfect pies and guarantee a 30-minute delivery time. This kind of innovation is what catapulted Domino’s to the top and eventually became the largest pizza chain in the world.

12. Arby’s (1964)

Forrest and Leroy Raffel wanted to hop on the fast food game in 1964 but decided to go about it with a different approach. Instead of burgers, they decided to set themselves apart by selling sandwiches. They rose to fame thanks to their Roast Beef sandwiches. It’s a one-of-a-kind approach that made them into the establishment they are today. Arby’s has created several iconic menu items and sauces that only they can create. Their distinct flavors and wide array of meats made them one of the most successful fast food sandwich shops of all time.

11. Dairy Queen (1940)

Dairy Queen is probably the first name that comes to mind when you think of fast food desserts. In 1938, J.F. McCullough and his son Alex partnered with Sherb Noble when they came up with a winning formula for soft-serve ice cream. They all knew they were onto something when they sold over 1,600 servings of this dessert the first day they sold them at an ice cream store in Kankakee, Illinois. Two years later, they set up Dairy Queen and went on to create iconic desserts like the Blizzard which made them a global phenomenon.

10. In-N-Out Burger (1948)

In-N-Out Burger takes a simple formula, perfected it, and elevated their burgers to a whole new level. Anyone who’s ever had their burgers can testify to how good their burgers are. Even someone like Anthony Bourdain isn’t immune to their Animal Style Double Double. First opened in California in 1948 by Harry and Esther Snyder, this burger chain has since grown and achieved cult status among fans thanks to word of mouth. Their commitment to only using the best quality ingredients with no preservatives has contributed greatly to their longevity.

9. Sonic Drive-in (1953)

Service with the speed of sound. That is Sonic’s motto and it certainly set the standard for how this iconic drive-in would begin its operation. Troy N. Smith purchased a piece of land that already had a log house and a walk-up root beer stand called Top Hat in 1953. He originally intended to renovate the log house and turn it into a restaurant while using the root beer stand to sell drinks, hot dogs, and burgers to turn up a profit. Over time, this root beer stand proved to be more profitable and he decided to focus on it and develop it further. He ended up creating a revolutionary intercom system that allowed customers to drive up, order, and receive their meals without having to leave their cars. Thus, Sonic Drive-in was born.

8. Dunkin’ (1950)

One of the largest donut and coffee chains in the world, Dunkin’ first began in 1950 when Bill Rosenberg decided to open up a shop for lunchtime workers to eat at. When he first started the business, it was originally named the Open Kettle and was located at Quincy, Massachusetts. He started selling sandwiches, donuts, and coffee but the donut and coffee combo proved to be the most successful. He decided to focus on these items and he laid the groundwork for Dunkin’ to be the success it is today.

7. Wendy’s (1969)

Wendy’s was established in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio. He was already a seasoned restaurateur at this point thanks to his experience working with Col. Sanders at KFC, where he rose the ranks and made the fast food chain even more profitable. When he sold his shares of the fried chicken joint, he decided to start his own fast food brand that focuses on freshness and burgers with never-frozen meat. He named the restaurant Wendy’s after his youngest daughter, Wendy Thomas. Since then, it has been a pretty successful fast food chain with some of the best burgers you could ever have.

6. Burger King (1954)

Of course, we can’t talk about burgers and fast food without bringing up Burger King. This burger giant has a pretty rich history which began all the way back in 1953 when it was called Insta-Burger King and was owned by Keith Kramer and Matthew Burns. It eventually failed and two franchisees, James McLamore and David R. Edgerton bought the remaining shares and decided to continue the business on their own. They renamed the place Burger King and moved forward selling flame-grilled patties, which were pretty uncommon at the time. Their whole plan was a massive success and today Burger King is one of the biggest fast food brands of all time with an iconic meal in the form of the Whopper.

5. Pizza Hut (1958)

While Domino’s may be the biggest pizza chain in the world, Pizza Hut has the edge in terms of quality. They didn’t just revolutionize the pizza itself with menu items like their pan pizzas and stuffed crust pizzas, they also changed the dining experience itself. They were the first pizza chain to offer up a dining experience when it first opened in 1958 by Dan and Frank Carney in Wichita, Kansas. Their commitment to quality and iconic branding made them a global success with over 15,000 locations across 90 countries.

4. Taco Bell (1962)

Glen Bell had a deep passion for Mexican cuisine so he decided to open up a small taco stand in 1962. Little did he know that this humble taco stand would grow to become the biggest fast food Mexican restaurant of all time. Taco Bell quickly rose through the ranks thanks to its willingness to experiment and creativity in coming up with classic menu items like the Quesarito and the Waffle Taco. With their signature ad campaigns and top-notch menu quality, Taco Bell has cemented its place as a cornerstone in the fast food industry.

3. White Castle (1921)

America’s first ever fast food burger chain would of course make an appearance on this list. White Castle first started in 1921 when Walter Anderson and Billy Ingram wanted to provide hungry customers with affordable and easy-to-serve burgers. They pioneered the now iconic sliders which are essentially mini burgers. They quickly adapted to the times and were one of the first chains to incorporate conveyor belts and steam tables to help streamline their production. Their classic white buildings that resembled miniature castles added more to their appeal and became instant landmarks in whichever location they stood.

2. McDonald’s (1940)

Ah McDonald’s. At this point, McDonald’s is basically the face of the fast food industry. This fast food juggernaut is the biggest fast food chain to ever exist with over 40,000 locations in the world! Some of them though are pretty unique compared to the others. This all wouldn’t be possible without the McDonald brothers, Richard and Maurice, and the infamous Ray Kroc. Say what you will about the sleazy business practices he did to buy out the McDonald brothers, but you can’t deny what Ray Kroc did to grow McDonald’s into the empire it is today. First established in 1940, their focus on efficiency, consistency, and affordability set the standards for the entire industry. We wouldn’t be where we are today in terms of fast food if it weren’t for McDonald’s.

1. Kentucky Fried Chicken (1930)

And finally, at the top of our list, is none other than Kentucky Fried Chicken or KFC. It’s the fast food chain to beat when it comes to fried chicken. No other chain that sells fried chicken can even compare to KFC’s greatness. Colonel Harland Sanders created the recipe for their trademark chicken that contained 11 secret herbs and spices which he used to lay the groundwork for the success of KFC all the way back in 1930. The Colonel himself became the face of the brand and to this day, remains one of the most instantly recognizable images in fast food. Next time you find yourself enjoying a bucket of KFC, just remember that what you are tasting is more than 90 years of fast food history. And it’s finger lickin’ good.