On the east coast, it was Dunkin' Donuts, now just Dunkin', then called Open Kettle, which opened its doors in Quincy, Massachusetts. Once upon a time, you'd be hard-pressed to find a hamburger anywhere other than a sit-down eatery, and the very notion of coffee you could take on the go or a pizza delivered to your home would be laughable. Food is served from a central counter. if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { I cant find anything on YouTube. 1970s-1980s. McDonald's operates about 14,000 restaurants in the U.S. and 22,000 abroad, and there are 15,000 KFC restaurants operating internationally and only about 4,000 within the U.S. Source: The pictures and information come from vintage Pizza Hut International annual reports from the 1970s. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); These days, top chains are doing everything possible to stay current and keep their customers coming back. Founder S. Truett Cathy discovered a pressure-fryer that could cook chicken in the same amount of time it took to make a burger. The term fast food was first used in the 1950s, and it referred to food that could be prepared and served quickly. Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety. America has been exporting fast food around the world since the 1970s, and it no longer seems so novel to hear about a McDonald's in Moscow or a Taco Bell in Tokyo. In the early 1970s, the company attempted to expand from its Mid-Atlantic base into the Midwest ; however, these locations only operated a short period. Material on this site is provided for education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. Although McDonald's continued to dominate the fast food market financially, no chain earned the wide acclaim in the 1980s that Burger King enjoyed. Or should we say a 'dog.' According to Delish, Dairy Queen had been around for a while when the 1980s rolled around, but it wasn't until the late 1980s that it became a super popular hangout for teenagers. The 1990s and early 2000s saw the rise of fast food chains as a dominant force in the American food landscape. Also at this time, chains of restaurants such as the Berni Inns began to appear in every British town and city, serving the classic 1970s favourites of Melon or Prawn Cocktail, Mixed Grill or Steak, and Black Forest Gateau or Lemon Meringue Pie for dessert. I remember their all you can eat bar with several selections of pizza and other items (similar to the food bar at Pizza Hut). } ); However, as Taste of Home reports, it wasn't until 1964 that Hardee's was all anyone could talk about. The restaurant started to gain popularity in the late 1970s, and by 1982 the company claimed to be the largest sub chain in the United States. Dairy Queen is known for its down-home meals and delicious ice cream treats, but it wasn't always as big as it is now. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); Hosted by Michael Barbaro. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e. They were extremely popular here in Philly, and many people still remember the location of their nearest one. McDonald's was at it again in the 2000s, out-earning its closest competitor, Subway, by billions of dollars. Proudly powered by WordPress By the end of fiscal 1970, the prototype unit was in operation in East Wichita, and a second company-owned outlet was near operational status in the western part of the city. . single The menu in 1964 offered hamburgers for 15 cents, fries for 10 cents and milkshakes for 20 cents. This is what it looked like in 1955, complete with its old mascot, Speedee, a chef with a burger for a head. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety, but also in terms of outdated cultural depictions and social values. The Kentucky Fried Chicken manager responded: Well, its finger lickin good!. Heres another flashback from the disco era. Burger King: The vintage fast food restaurant they once called delightfully different, Vintage KFC: About Colonel Sanders & the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food chains history, Remembering the old Next Door Restaurant chain from the 70s, Vintage Pizza Hut restaurants & food from the 70s, The Six Million Dollar Man: Lee Majors was stronger, faster, better in this classic 70s TV show, See the vintage card tables & folding furniture almost everyone used to have, Vintage 1970s Playskool toys, dolls, ride-ons & other fun for kids, Jell-O Gazpacho Jiggler with vegetables (1979), 100 vintage 1960s supermarkets & old-fashioned grocery stores, 52 beautiful vintage in-ground swimming pool designs, Inside the Titanic: When the huge ship sank in 1912, heres what the luxurious interior looked like, We restored 20 vintage clown pictures with AI, and the results were pretty creepy, See dozens of vintage US Army & Navy shoulder insignia, plus WWII military medals & ribbons, Vintage Hostess snacks: Fruit Pies, Wonder Bread, Twinkies & more retro goodness, Taco Bell in the 1960s, 1970s & 1980s: See their old restaurants, and what the Mexican fast-food chain used to serve, Not just peanuts: Why George Washington Carver is considered one of historys most important scientists, What is a Craftsman house? Chick-fil-A was actually only in mall food courts for a while, until it opened its first stand-alone establishment in 1986. On opposite coasts of America, two very successful chains were founded. This was likely because the chain launched their beloved Blizzard soft-serve creation in 1985 (and it sold 175 million units in one year), followed by an acquisition of Orange Julius in 1987. Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety. But it was a roll of the dice if the concept would work when it was founded as Pete's Subway back in 1965. While it often seems as though there's a Starbucks or McDonald's on every corner these days, these eateries weren't always as ubiquitous as they seem today. This increased popularity was due not only to the chain's global reach, but to the new products it rolled out in the 2000s, including its Premium chicken sandwiches, Snack Wraps, and the introduction of the McDouble on the Dollar Menu. After that, it was pretty smooth sailing. Franchising began two years later, and by the close of the decade, there were 100-plus locations. 1948: Dunkin' Donuts and In-N-Out. Even after worldwide expansion, Chipotle continues to have a basic menu. As the founder says, Its important to keep the menu focused, because if you just do a few things, you can ensure that you do them better than anybody else. Here are the secrets Chipotle employees wont tell you. His hat was a tray with a Styrofoam hamburger, fries, and a milkshake on top of it. He sold hot dogs cooked using a recipe his wife developed, according to Nathan's Famous, and apparently, the recipe was quite good. However, historians point out that flatbreads with toppings had been offered by street sellers in Naples for a long time before to it. Five other Next Door units were under construction or development by PHI on March 31, 1970, with an additional one under construction or development by a franchisee. By 1960, there were already over 100 McDonald's locations in the United States. Enjoyed the article! Oldest fast food establishments KFC. In the US, McDonald's has also taken measures to protect customers, such as limiting the number of customers eating inside, requiring all employees and patrons to wear PPE, and frequently cleaning all surfaces. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-53563316-1&cid=42c0189e-2cdf-4b04-8b92-4d7663e54b5c&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=1693107020304441909'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); According to Eat This, Not That!, Burger Chef used to be the most popular fast food joint during the 1970s, second only to the behemoth that was McDonald's. We've rounded up the most popular fast food chains in every decade, so you can take a trip down memory lane with these famous foods. Next Door was a concept restaurant chain from the early 1970s that was owned by, 14 retro hamburger recipes for some differently delicious dinners, Vintage McDonald's menus & food: See 5 decades of the famous fast food chain's history, Look back at these vintage Pizza Hut restaurants & foods from the '70s. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Despite the fact that the word fast food had not yet gained widespread acceptance when the White Castle in Wichita, Kansas, opened its doors in 1921, the establishment is recognized as the first of its kind. The first fast food chain was White Castle, which was founded in 1921. Did you know that fast food chains originated from drive-ins and hamburger stands? Treacher cashed in on his fame by lending his name to this Ohio-based fast-food chain, which opened its first restaurant in Columbus in 1969. Thus he was well primed for success when he opened the first Taco Bell in Downey, California in 1962. The original spot was launched in the 1950s, and the chain grew based on its popular beer-steamed hot dogs, fried seafood, and frosted glass beers. Learn more surprising facts about McDs. Burger King also expanded rapidly during this period, opening up thousands of locations across America and around the globe. WebThe growth of fast food operations in Britain A new generation of 'fast food' restaurants, whose numbers have been growing rapidly in London since the late 1970s, have begun to appear in towns and cities throughout Britain. Believe it or not, Taco Bell started as a hot dog stand! According to the Pizza Hut website, 1995 was a big year for Pizza Hut as it launched a new, fan-favorite menu item that might have changed the course of pizza history. The menu also now features the plant-based version of its famous, "crave-able" slider: the Impossible Slider. Long before its chicken sandwich took the world by storm in 2019, Popeyes was a humble restaurant. In fact, it wasn't until 1960, when KFC already had 200 locations, that the fast food chain really started to gain traction. PS: If you liked this article, please share it! Ring around the rum cake recipe from 1972, Check out these classic 1970s Chevrolet Camaros, Back in the 70s, you could get all kinds of great toys at hardware stores, Candy Land, the vintage board game that made millions of kids dream of an ice cream & lollipop world, 70 popular vintage 1970s cereals we loved & we miss, What did a typical 1950s suburban house look like? The fast food history in america is a timeline that shows the fast food history of America. You know how you associate hot dogs with New York's Coney Island? Seriously, Burger Chef was quite impressive back in its day, with offerings like double cheeseburgers and special sauces. Sonic even holds an annual competition to determine the best skating carhop. But it wasn't exactly super popular when it kicked off. This chain had a hand in that. Dont feel like goin out? 2023 Galvanized Media. RELATED: The easy way to make healthier comfort foods. Even nightclubs began to offer food. According to Britannica, Subway actually became the biggest fast food chain restaurant in all of the United States in 2002. Here are vintage photos of fast food restaurants that give us retro nostalgia, yet remind us how far our favorite brands have come. Take a look at how some of America's most popular chains have evolved over the years. No matter what your opinion is, theres no denying that the fast food industry is here to stay. Orders are placed by individual red telephones and food is served from a central counter. Burger King proper would open in 1954. The Sonic Drive-In you know and love, was once a root beer stand named The Top Hat. Out west, it was In-N-Out Burger, the first location of which opened that same year in Baldwin Park, CA. The first Wendys opened in 1969 and dominated fast food into the 1970s. But this was to be by far the most successful of his ventures, growing into one of America's largest fast-food chains. Burger King hired former McDonalds exec Donald N. Smith in 1978. So, if you were born in 1985 or 1986, dinner from a newly built Domino's might have been consumed by your family for pizza night. Though tacos seem to be the in food with the young crowd at the moment, as pizzas were a few years back, hamburgers and hot dogs are never out. The colonial exterior of white haydite walls is highlighted with a brilliant red roof. Still, Pizza Hut had a pretty great run for a while, there, and if you were born during that time frame, there's a good chance Pizza Hut was on your parents' minds. According to CNBC, it was in 1998 that Chipotle really got the push it needed in terms of expansion. As more people discovered Chipotle, more people came back for more delicious burritos and bowls with a Mexican twist. The timeline includes the major fast food companies, such as McDonalds and Burger King. But, it took a while for it to catch on. The first newly designed stores will open in Miami, Latin America, and the Caribbean in 2021. Between the Blizzard, Orange Julius, and all the delicious menu items, it's no wonder that Dairy Queen was so popular in the late 1980s. Wilbur Hardee opened the first Hardees in 1960. Obviously, this set it apart and had people flocking to the establishment making it super popular in the 1950s, but that's not all. The chain debuted its now-iconic roast beef sandwich made with the exact same recipe still used today in 1971. Some Hardees burger patties were also hexagonal. So, if you were born between 1960 and 1969, then KFC was probably where everyone you know went for a great, fast, and cheap meal. Rather than pizza, though, the restaurant served steaks, seafood, hamburgers, sandwiches, salads and desserts. Thanks for visiting and for supporting a small business! In 1955 and 1954, respectively, McDonalds and Burger King launched their franchised food businesses. The ease of access is a key aspect in the appeal of fast food. Delicious, reasonably-priced food that you can get without even leaving your car? The Next Door concept designed by three Oklahoma City men was acquired during the first quarter of the fiscal period with the trio receiving a percentage of initial fees and royalty fees on franchises. At that time, two pieces of chicken and a roll cost only 49 cents. While some chains have managed to stand the test of time and remain popular favorites (such as McDonalds), others have come and gone relatively quickly (such as Burger Kings short-lived attempt at selling pizzas). Perhaps one of the most American things in the world is fast food. Aside from one location in Nebraska that closed in 2017, all other Lum's had closed by 1983. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); Kentucky Fried Chicken was founded by Harland Sanders in 1955, but it really took off by 1963 when it became the largest fast food operation in the United States with 600 locations. For the record, for our purposes, we're using the founding date of the original location of each restaurant, not the date the current franchised company was founded. It was only in the late 1960s that McDonalds became a global sensation by introducing the fast food restaurant to a larger population. However, the Colonel had been perfecting his chicken recipe for years before he opened his first restaurant. Red patent leather-like booths and tables are equipped with red individual telephones for ordering. For while the heaviest hitters like McDonald's and Burger King have been around for well over half a century and then some, even they were established decades after the OGs. Find out more here. Americana describes the Next Door Restaurant interior with red patent leather-like booths, bright blue carpeting with flecks of red, dark pecan paneling, and distinctive Revolutionary War-era wall hangings. In addition to being credited with the invention of the hamburger bun, it is also officially recognized as the oldest fast-food chain in America. Specifically, it really took off in the 1970s, as it had already expanded to 673 locations by 1975. That's the dream. day. That year, the first Sonic Drive-In was founded in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Pizza! Today, Sonic locations are still designed with a retro flair and are known for their use of carhops, some on roller skates. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Try making this fried chicken thats better than KFC. So, it's not surprising that throughout the decade that followed, Wendy's gained a huge new surplus of followers. Practically everything grows in this golden land or swims in its waters. For sure, if you were born in 1988, then your parents were probably obsessed with Chick-fil-A, which was no longer just a mall food court option. . But in 1989, it was one of America's most popular fast food chains, and it really got people talking. Founded in 1921, the chain had a handful of restaurants scattered across the central United States by 1930, including Indianapolis White Castle #3, a White Castle built in 1927 that has since been added to the National Register of Historic Places. RELATED:11 Secrets In-N-Out Doesn't Want You to Know, Chick-fil-A is both one of the most beloved and most loathed fast-food restaurants in America. Now that you know, have fun looking around! When a KFC commercial showed a man licking his fingers in the background, a viewer called in to complain. Today, there are more than 12,400 Dunkin' restaurants worldwide. It might not be as popular as other joints, but it's still pretty beloved, and there was one year in particular when Wendy's was super popular. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-53563316-1&cid=2096376d-bf3b-44c4-8dae-49cfd39f5c28&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=3296891323046020240'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); At its beginning, Dominos was called DomiNicks. They offered faster service and convenience. In 2017, the chain announced that it would invest $30 million in improving the quality of its chicken. From Fun Meals to fast Mexican to pizza, you could find just about anything you wanted with a little elbow grease and ingenuity. Fast food operators claim to offer a new concept in catering and their outlets have a number of characteristic features. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); History [ edit] In 1954 the Bresler's Ice Cream Company decided to expand into the growing fast-food drive-in industry. Seriously, fast food is a beloved part of American culture, and different chains offer many different cuisines, with there being something for everyone. Little Caesars pizzeria started with a blind date between Mike Ilitch and Marian Bayoff, who hit it off and were married in months. Fast food is a part of American culture, with the industrys history dating back to the early 1900s. The Next Door Special is a quarter pound of ground chuck on a sesame seed bun, Suzy-O style French fries, and a fresh green tossed salad. By 1940, he had his recipe for fried chicken perfected. Edited by John Ketchum and Mike Benoist. Back in the 1920s, there were few chains to compete with, making White Castle a standout in the market. The brand began testing the renovated restaurants in 2014, and thousands of locations were updated over the following few years. Arthur Treachers Fish & Chips fast food restaurants were based on the English tradition of serving fried fish together with crispy potatoes. Today, Dominos has 100,000 pizza delivery drivers that drive 10 million miles a week to deliver 400 million pizzas a year! Five Guys was founded in 1986 by Janie and Jerry Murrell. The popular fast food chain might not be your typical fast food joint, but it is seriously delicious, and convenient. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { Gino's was a very popular fastfood restaurant back in the late 1960s and 1970s. One reason for Next Doors immediate success, according to Daniel M. Carney, PHI Chairman of the Board, is the current trend in the hamburger business to fill a void left by the rapid growth of the 19- and 20-cent outlets.. (What a deal!) day. Potato Crisps were another one of General Mills' signature crunchy snacks that dominated in the 1970s. WebThe Training Table was a regional chain of fast food restaurants in the U.S. State of Utah. So sad. Burger King first opened its doors in 1954, serving grilled burgers and milkshakes. Learn how your comment data is processed. Most of their locations were on the east coast. Learn how your comment data is processed. Krystal today operates around 300 restaurants across 10 states and has 3,500 employees, bringing SPB's total workforce to 18,500. Was there ever a commercial or concept video? But in 1971, the one and only location opened in Seattle, Washington. Material on this site is provided for education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. Diners must present their school ID to qualify for the discount. Thats the growth you get with all-day access to caffeine! It was founded in 1940 but really began to take off in the early 1950s. The one constant in this ever-changing landscape is that there will always be a demand for quick, convenient, and affordable meals makingfastfood restaurants hereto stay. 1970s: Wendy's Shutterstock Introduced to the United States market at the end of 1969, when the chain's first restaurant opened in Columbus, Ohio, Wendy's dominated the 1970s. This innovation made it possible for customers to get their food without ever having to leave their cars, which greatly increased the convenience factor associated with fast food. Franchises are businesses that are owned and operated by individual entrepreneurs but use standardized branding and marketing materials provided by a larger parent company. Produced by Rikki Novetsky , Will Reid and Carlos Prieto. Fast food chains began to spring up all over the country, offering convenient and affordable meals for busy families on the go. Additionally, the 1950s was huge for McDonald's in terms of new menu offerings like milkshakes, and people flocked to the restaurants. On the east coast, it was Dunkin' Donuts, now just Dunkin', then called Open Kettle, which opened its doors in Quincy, Massachusetts. Pop in to score Lebanese "pizza" loaded with toppings like stringy Akkawi cheese, beef, mushrooms and spinach and za'atar spices. It probably shouldn't be too surprising that McDonald's has long been the most popular fast food chain out there, and its reign has dragged on for years. Nearly half of those calories come from just two food groups: flours and grains (581 calories, or 23.4%) and fats and oils (575, or 23.2%), up from a combined 37.3% in 1970. In-N-Out was one of the first restaurants to use the two-way speaker system for ordering. The following favorites youll find everywhere in hamburger drive-ins and sandwich shops, pizza parlors, coffeehouses and juice bars, walk-up hot-dog and taco stands, on the beach or around the family pool, in the patio or by the television set. The well-known finger lickin good slogan came about by accident, though. By the late 1970s, there were more than 800 locations nationwide, but the number tumbled to just two in 2021, and then one in 2022. Do you remember the old Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips fast food restaurants? as well as other partner offers and accept our, Will Mcintyre/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images, Marvin Lichtner/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images, Wendy Maeda/The Boston Globe/Getty Images, Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images, McDonald's restaurants look drastically different now, founded in Jacksonville, Florida, by Keith Kramer and Matthew Burns, still broils and flame-grills its burgers, one infamous commercial that shows a Whopper decomposing over time, visited KFC restaurants around the world up until his death, the family-owned business sold its 5-cent sliders by the stack, THEN AND NOW: 35 photos that show how famous fast-food company logos have changed over time, THEN AND NOW: Photos show how McDonald's has changed through the years, from its menu to its mascot, THEN AND NOW: How the McDonald's menu has changed through the years. See what Wendy looks like in real life. If you liked this article, please share it! Popular items like the Beef n Cheddar, curly fries and their signature Horsey Sauce didnt join the menu until the 1970s. 8 spot on best fast-food burgers of America list. This was followed by McDonalds in 1940 and Burger King in 1954. Some booths are even roomy enough for a family of six to dine in comfort. Seriously, by 1969, there were almost 200 new Hardee's locations all over the world. Perhaps the most popular hamburger is the patty with an option of cheese melted on top, and a thick glop of Thousand Island (or Russian) dressing on a sesame-seed bun, with pickles and catsup on the side. See exteriors of more than 70 classic Stickley-style homes, Vintage Fashion from the 1960s adult coloring book: 50 pages of retro 60s clothing for women, Groovy Fashion of the 70s: Vintage Women Coloring Book #10, Vintage Homes Adult Coloring Book #2: Classic Victorian Houses, Something Old: Vintage Wedding Dress Fashion Look Book, Classic Cars Adult Coloring Book #2: Vintage 1920s Automobiles (1920-1929), 10 fruity summer sippers: The best non-alcoholic drinks from the 70s, Vintage portable & manual typewriters from the 50s, 60s & 70s had the best then-new features, Easy chocolate Scotcheroos take Rice Krispies treats to the next level (1965), Print Color Fun: Free coloring pages & more fun for kids, Quotes Quotes Quotes: 1000s of clever & inspiring quotations, FindersFree.com: Find answers to lifes little questions. According to the Domino's website, the fast food chain actually became the "fastest-growing pizza restaurant" in all of the United States by 1985. } But back in the 1950s, the now ubiquitous chain was just starting to take off, and people everywhere finally got a taste of what a fast food burger experience looked like. Craving a waffle (or any other breakfast delight) at 3 a.m.? The Whopper was introduced to the menu in 1957, and the sandwich has been on the menu with its many variations ever since. According to the In-N-Out website, the fast food chain was actually launched back in 1948 in California. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Subway became the worlds most popular chain, Taco Bell at home with our best copycat recipes, fast-food restaurants are best for vegetarians, secrets Chipotle employees wont tell you, Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Yes, the Enchirito, the enchilada-burrito combination, was in Taco Bells all over in 1970, making the decade the chain's most successful. Meanwhile, in Florida, the company that would be known to billions as Burger King was founded. They catered to young affluent people who were part of the emerging California car culture. Get the best food tips and diet advice The company quickly grew in popularity, thanks to its efficient assembly-line style of service.
fast food restaurants in the 1970s Share this content
fast food restaurants in the 1970sYou Might Also Like
fast food restaurants in the 1970stad's steakhouse chicago
fast food restaurants in the 1970sglassdoor natwest interview
