13 Southern Restaurant Chains Ranked Worst To Best

With 22 locations only in Alabama, Milo's Hamburgers is understandably a lesser-known Southern chain. The burger joint began way back in 1946, when founder Milo Carlton diligently worked to perfect his signature burger sauce. Expanding from a small cinder block shop in Birmingham to a regional franchise, Milo's still maintains its homegrown, local vibe.

At Milo's, you'll find chicken nuggets, chicken breast sandwiches, and chicken tenders in addition to the titular hamburgers. They are most well-known for their freshly brewed sweet tea, dubbed "the South in a glass" on their website, and of course, their savory burger sauce. This sauce is famous in the area, lauded for its delicious simplicity.

While Milo's is a pretty popular burger destination, it lacks in menu variety and, of course, geographical reach. Reviews of Milo's on Zomato are mixed, and many visitors noted the slow and sometimes less than kind service, as well as the underwhelming quality of the burgers. After all, a secret sauce only goes so far if the actual meat on the burger is only so-so.

Often referred to as the Panera Bread of the South, Newk's has one of the wider culinary varieties of popular Southern restaurant chains. They cover the lunchtime bases of soups, sandwiches, and salads, but their condiment offerings are where they really shine.

The condiment bar at Newk's, bestowed with the name of the "Roundtable," is what sets Newk's apart from other chains, as Taste of Home noted. You'll be pleased (and maybe shocked) to see freshly prepared garnishes like capers, roasted garlic, and croutons made in-house. Essentially, they have everything you need to spruce up your macaroni and cheese or cobb salad.

While Newk's is certainly strong in terms of offering a diverse menu, they aren't the best option out there if you're really craving a quality salad or a specialty sandwich. The concept isn't unique enough to make it exciting, as a review in the News-Press pointed out. It's definitely worth visiting when you're hungry on the road, but likely not the spot you seek out when spending time in the South.

Crispy chicken fingers, Texas toast, and crinkle-cut fries. It's a winning combination that you can't really go wrong with. That's the philosophy behind Raising Cane's, a fast food chain with a loyal customer base and an incredibly simple menu. The limited offerings are a double-edged sword, of course. While it means that they do chicken fingers REALLY well, it's not the best place to visit if you're craving, well, anything else.

Still, their chicken tenders are a unique, finger-licking good creation. Using the highest quality breast tenderloins, they have created a perfectly craveable product that keeps customers coming back. Add some warm Texas toast and crispy fries into the mix and you'll understand why the chain is growing so quickly.

There are currently more than 550 Raising Cane's locations throughout the United States. While the name is commonplace across the nation now, they started their fried chicken journey in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Fun fact: founder Todd Graves was told by his business class professor that a fried chicken business would never work. Funny how that turned out, huh?

There's something about drive-thru burger chains that provide such comfort — you can always count on them when you're on the road and start craving a juicy cheeseburger meal. While it's not fair to directly compare this chain to In-N-Out, Cook Out holds a very similar reputation among burger lovers in the South, according to Delish.

From its humble beginnings in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1989, the chain now has more than 250 locations across 10 Southern states. Cook Out boasts the use of fresh rather than frozen beef in their burgers. They also have one of the more impressive milkshake menus out there, with a whopping 40 different flavors to choose from, including favorites like strawberry, Oreo, and chocolate chip mint.

What differentiates Cook Out is the massive and often overwhelming menu, with a variety of barbecue plates, chicken dishes, combination meals, and even quesadillas. The other draw of Cook Out? Incredibly low prices. After all, you can get a filling, satisfying meal for less than ten dollars. Still, the burger quality doesn't quite match up to pricier competitors like Shake Shack in the end.

This is one of the more well-known Southern chains around, and for good reason. Open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, Waffle House is the ultimate comfort dining location. They serve up an unreal amount of waffles — 145 across the nation every minute, to be exact! With most locations in the South, Waffle House's more than 2,000 locations do also include some Northern states.

The chain has national notoriety, and therefore receives social media buzz quite often. In June of 2021, someone who lost their Fantasy Football League took to Twitter to broadcast their unique punishment – spending a full 24 hours at a Waffle House. The twist? Every waffle they ate shaved an hour off the clock. The thread went viral, with plenty of users commenting on what their waffle lineup would be.

Internet buzz aside, Waffle House really is one of the better chains out there. The prices are almost unbeatable, with single waffles costing about three dollars, sandwiches ranging between three and five bucks, and a great value menu to boot. We can't say Waffle House is anything snazzy, but it's a classic diner where you can count on a cost-efficient and satisfying breakfast any time you want it.

Dat Dog is a widely adored New Orleans institution. There seems to be a theme of these Southern restaurants starting as a small local stand and evolving into a successful chain, and Dat Dog is no exception to the rule. Their small hot dog stand (just 475 square feet) turned into a smash culinary hit in the area.

If you live in or find yourself visiting New Orleans, it's well worth stopping by to grab one of their gourmet hot dogs or sausages with the toppings of your choice, all housed in a toasty bun. If your mouth isn't watering yet, you can top off the meal with a local craft beer.

These hot dogs are so popular in the area that there are often debates on the best way to enjoy a Dat Dog meal. The restaurant has a friendly vibe with their counter service, which many other Southern chain competitors lack. Luckily for non-New Orleaners, the chain is planning to open additional locations in Florida and expand its customer base further out.

Listen, we're just as shocked as you are that a fried chicken spot didn't top this list. But hear us out! This Texas-based chain is consistently rated as one of the best options out there for Mexican food, and not just among fast food spots. It was found to be Americans' number-one favorite Mexican restaurant chain in 2020.

Taco Bueno has roots in Texas and additional locations in Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Missouri, and Arkansas. Why is the chain so popular? It's mainly thanks to their focus on fresh, in-house meal preparation using real ingredients. After all, as they note on their website, "reheating isn't cooking." They also make it easy to customize your order to your unique culinary preferences. Their menu isn't massive, but it has all of the bases covered — original crispy tacos, bean burritos, chicken quesadillas, and chips and guacamole are all on offer. Also, their combination meals are great options when just one or two tacos won't do the trick. Or, if you're feeling frugal, grab a small plate of party nachos or a party taco from their value menu.

The value, quality, and convenience of Taco Bueno make it the clear winner of popular Southern restaurant chains.