The Best Restaurant Chain In Every State

Finding a restaurant chain in the United States doesn't take much effort. As of 2020, restaurant chains have more than 88,000 locations across the country. If you're in a big city, it's difficult to throw a rock without hitting at least one of these restaurants.

While quantity of options is never an issue, the quality of the food can certainly be lacking at some of these establishments. Some chains are really good, while some are really bad. However, if you know what you're doing and you know where to look, you can find outstanding restaurant chains that specialize in everything from breakfast food to chicken wings — and everything in between.

To help you separate the best chains from those you should avoid with all of your might, we have meticulously pinpointed the absolute best restaurant chain in each state by weighing recommendations, online reviews, awards and other forms of recognition, and first-hand taste-testing.

When you're in search of a dependable restaurant chain in the state of Alaska, nothing tops the Great Alaska Pizza Company. This pizza chain has 11 locations in the cities of Anchorage, Fairbanks, Wasilla, Eagle River, Palmer, and North Pole. Customers give their food high ratings, with the boneless wings, cinnamon bites, and, of course, their pizza all getting rave reviews. If you're looking to warm up quickly with some delicious food when you're in Alaska, turn to the Great Alaska Pizza Company.

Slim Chickens was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 2003. Today, this fast-growing chain has more than 20 locations in Arkansas and dozens more across the nation. Their diverse menu features everything from a Bacon Ranch Chicken Sandwich to a Chocolate Brownie Pudding Jar, and from a Buffalo Mac & Cheese Bowl to Chicken & Waffles. While their great chicken is obviously the main focus at Slim Chickens, they also have healthy salads and Southern classics like fried okra.

Garbanzo is a chain restaurant that serves Mediterranean food that was founded in the state of Colorado. Ordering your meal at Garbanzo is simple. You first pick your entree. Options include a stuffed pita, traditional gyro, or salad. Then you select your protein, veggies, sauce, and sides. That's all you need to do. Garbanzo does the rest — and the results are reliably fantastic. Garbanzo has more than a dozen locations in Colorado in numerous cities including Denver, Boulder, Longmont, and Fort Collins.

Wayback in 1991, Wayback Burgers began life in Delaware in the city of Newark. As their name suggests, this place is known for their burgers. The highly-regarded Rodeo burger features two beef patties, crunchy onion rings, multiple slices of cheddar cheese, and a generous amount of extra tangy barbecue sauce. They also have mac & cheese bites, chicken tenders, nachos, and other goodies that will satisfy your appetite when called upon. Wayback Burgers can be found in Delaware in many cities including Dover, Milford, Millsboro, and, yes, the original restaurant in Newark.

The first Waffle House opened its doors in 1955 in the city of Avondale Estates, Georgia. While you can now find this restaurant in 25 states, Georgia remains the epicenter of all of Waffle House's goodness. In fact, Georgia has 438 locations — more than twice as many as any other state. The city of Atlanta alone has a mind-boggling 132 locations. Waffle House not only has the best waffles, they have made-to-order hash browns and a number of other fantastic food options.

Big Jud's has multiple locations in Idaho, so no matter if you're in Eastern Idaho or Western Idaho, you're never too far away. This place is always worth the drive, as they are home to the state's best burger. The Big Jud Special is a ginormous burger that comes with 16 ounces of beef along with your choice of high-quality toppings. Once featured on Man v. Food, Big Jud's has impressive reviews to match the impressive size of their burgers.

Schoop's Hamburgers came into existence in 1948. That's when Allen Schoop opened his first burger joint in Hammond, Indiana. A decade later, Allen opened a second location in the city of Munster. Nowadays, there are a dozen locations of Schoop's Hamburgers in Indiana. This award-winning restaurant has a legendary burger called the Mickey that has a juicy beef patty and a pair of American cheese slices that are perfectly gooey. Schoop's Hamburgers gets outstanding grades, with many patrons lavishing praise on their soups in addition to their burgers.

When you're in the state of Kansas and you require the most flavorful barbecue around, head toward Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que. The duo behind this chain has won countless barbecue contests and their restaurants get excellent reviews. Favorites on their menu include the Beef Brisket BBQ Sandwich, the Full-Slab of Ribs, and the Smoked Chicken Dinner. Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que has four locations, all of which are in the state of Kansas. If you're not in Kansas, you can order their food online and get it shipped to your doorstep.

Raising Cane's started when a man named Todd Graves had the unshakable dream of opening a restaurant dedicated solely to chicken fingers. After ignoring naysayers, saving his money, and getting a loan, he succeeded in opening his dream restaurant in Baton Rouge in 1996 near the campus of Louisiana State University. Now, Raising Cane's is one of the fastest-growing chains in the nation, thanks in large part to their award-winning chicken fingers and their ridiculously cheap Texas toast.

With locations in the cities of Baltimore, Aberdeen, Frederick, and Glen Burnie, it's no wonder that seemingly everyone in Maryland is in love with Chaps Pit Beef and gives it great reviews. The history of this barbecue chain restaurant dates back to 1987 in Dundalk, Maryland. Their sandwiches are so good that Guy Fieri was effusive with praise when he tried one on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. When in doubt, go with the Pit Beef Sandwich with the knowledge that you may fall head over heels for this epic sandwich.

Flint, Michigan, is the home of Big John's Steak & Onion. In 1972, that's the city where John E. Klobucar opened his first restaurant and wowed customers with his sandwiches that featured thinly-sliced ribeye steak along with grilled onions on an Italian roll that was freshly baked. Nearly 50 years later, that same sandwich — now called the Original Steak & Onion — continues to be loved by patrons. Big John's Steak & Onion has 16 locations, all in the state of Michigan.

Two brothers, Ed Ward and Richard Ward, launched Ward's in 1978 in Mississippi. Fast-forward to today and there are more than two dozen locations, most of which are in the state of Mississippi. While fans say they have the best burger of any chain restaurant, this place is more than their scrumptious burgers. They're also famous for their homemade root beer that comes in a frozen mug and their chili, which is also made fresh in each restaurant.

The Pickle Barrel pulls no punches when comparing their sandwiches to those from Jimmy Johns and Subway. They say their sandwiches are five inches longer, three times heavier, and have twice the flavor. Those are some powerful claims — but The Pickle Barrel does get outstanding grades from their patrons so they must be on to something. This sandwich shop opened in Bozeman, Montana, in 1975 and has consistently been voted as having the best sandwiches in the area.

Back in 1982, a PT's Pub opened in Las Vegas. As the company grew, their pubs started selling food and became known as taverns. Today, there are 60 PT's Taverns in Nevada and they all get high marks for their food and service. On their menu, you can find yummy food such as Baked Soft Pretzel Bites, Golden Wings, and The Angry Burger with sriracha bacon, guacamole, pepper jack cheese, tomato, and a ranch dressing that is surprisingly spicy. And, don't fret, all their taverns have a wide array of alcohol — from beer to the hard stuff.

You don't need to do any research to figure out where Jersey Mike's was born. The origin story of Jersey Mike's begins in 1956 on the Jersey Shore. From a humble start inside of a nondescript storefront, Jersey Mike's is now a nationwide phenomenon with locations from sea to shining sea. In New Jersey alone, there are more than 100 locations. Jersey Mike's has won countless awards for their sub sandwiches and their menu has a variety of cold subs, hot subs, sides, and desserts.

Xi'an Famous Foods was opened in 2005 in New York City in a tiny stall inside of a shopping mall in Flushing, Queens. Their goal was to serve authentic food like you'd find in Xi'an, China. With the help of numerous family recipes, their vision has become reality. You can find Xi'an Famous Foods in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn in a total of nine restaurant locations. This place gets exquisite reviews, with favorites on their menu that include the Cold-Skin Noodles, the Spicy Cumin Lamb Burger, and the Spicy & Sour Spinach Dumplings.

Fargo, North Dakota, is the birthplace of Burger Time. Since opening their restaurant for the first time in 1987, this burger joint has spread across the Midwest, including three additional locations in North Dakota in the cities of Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot. Burger Time gets nearly flawless reviews, with their Mushroom Swiss Burger getting a lot of recognition. In addition to burgers, North Dakota's best restaurant chain has chicken, cheese curds, corn dogs, funnel fries, and other goodies.

If you've ever spent any time in the state of Oklahoma, you know all about Braum's. This place, which came to life in Oklahoma in 1968, has dozens upon dozens of locations in the state. In Oklahoma City alone, there are 18 locations. Braum's is primarily known for its ice cream, which you can get in a cone or as part of a banana split, sundae, shake, or malt. They also have Mixes that are similar to Blizzards from Dairy Queen. But Braum's is more than desserts. Their menu includes a variety of highly-regarded burgers, chicken sandwiches, and breakfast items.

As you could probably assume by their name, Quaker Steak & Lube is an automobile-themed restaurant chain that has an obsession with muscle cars. Their first restaurant was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, inside a vacant service station back in 1974. But while their theme makes each visit enjoyable, it's their fantastic food that will keep you coming back. The wings at Quaker Steak & Lube are so amazing that they were once named the best wings in the country. Today, they have a dozen locations in Pennsylvania and serve steakburgers, seafood, sandwiches, and more in addition to their famous wings.

Rush's long and storied history can be traced back all the way to 1940 to a dairy farm in South Carolina. At the time, their restaurant was one of the few in the entire country that offered drive-thru service. Today, Rush's is still serving great food through their drive-thru windows in their nine locations, all of which are in South Carolina. On their menu, you can find many American classics like chicken sandwiches, burgers, fried chicken, chili dogs, and fries.

The whimsical logo and the eccentric architecture of Pal's Sudden Service will catch your eye but it's their stellar food that will steal your heart. Inspired by McDonald's, Pal's Sudden Service opened their doors in 1956 in Kingsport, Tennessee. They now have 30 locations, most of which are in northeast Tennessee. On their menu, you can discover deliciousness like the Big Pal burger, the Gravy Biscuit, and the unique yet delicious Chipped Ham sandwich made with thin slices of ham along with pickles, lettuce, and mayonnaise.

Arctic Circle's claim to fame is that they invented fry sauce more than six decades ago. While they don't say exactly how it's made, it tastes like a combination of mayonnaise and ketchup with a dash of lemon juice. The first Arctic Circle opened in Salt Lake City, and they now have 37 locations in the state and their reviews are consistently really good. Favorites from their menu include the Halibut 'n Fries made with 100 percent real halibut, their Above-The-Rim Shakes, and their yummy corn dogs.

The very first Biscuitville opened up in 1975 in Danville, Virginia. Skip ahead to today and you can find these restaurants throughout Virginia and even into North Carolina. As you'd expect from an eatery known as Biscuitville, biscuits reign supreme at this place. All of their wide selection of sandwiches are served on biscuits. Loyal patrons proclaim these biscuits are the best in all the land. Try their Ultimate Country Ham Biscuit and you may never go back for another Egg McMuffin again.

Tudor's Biscuit World thinks there's an argument to be made that they invented the biscuit sandwich. While it's difficult to tell whether or not that's accurate, they've been selling biscuit sandwiches since at least 1980 when they opened the first Tudor's Biscuit World in Charleston, West Virginia. Their list of biscuit sandwiches is a lengthy one, with delicious-sounding options such as the Duke with egg, bacon, potato, and cheese, and the Peppi with melted cheese on top of pepperoni. At all of their locations across West Virginia, they get phenomenal reviews.

Wyoming is not the first state you think of when you're pondering where to get your hands on scrumptious Mexican food. Honestly, it's probably not in the top 30 or 40 states. But in 1968 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Taco John's started life as a tiny taco stand. Since those forgettable early days, Taco John's has grown into a chain that has nearly 400 locations. From their Meat & Potato Burrito to their Street Tacos, and from their Stuffed Grilled Taco to their Cheesy Quesadilla, you are sure to find a Mexico-inspired food item that will thrill your taste buds.