You Must Try These Restaurant Chains that Started in the South

The diner where S. Truett Cathy developed the beloved Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich recipe dates all the way back to 1946, and the first franchise officially opened near Atlanta in 1967. Now, the original sandwich and its fellow menu standouts—including chicken nuggets, waffle fries, and a spicy take on the original—can be found in 47 states.

We’d be remiss not to include a BBQ joint on the list, and Birmingham, Alabama,-born Jim ‘N Nick's is a tried-and-true favorite. Since 1985, the chain has used its original rubs and hickory smoke to create their flavorful brisket, with all meats smoked “low and slow.” The eatery has since expanded to 42 locations.

Before there was Raising Cane’s, there was Popeyes, a New Orleans original dating back to 1976. While its famous chicken sandwich went viral in 2019, the chain has long been serving chicken tenders and nuggets with mouth-watering sides like mashed potatoes, biscuits and red beans and rice, now in more than 3,000 stores across North America.

Order a dose of nostalgia alongside your burger and fries at one of 900+ locations in the United States. While still largely limited to the South, Whataburger has expanded into states including Arizona, Colorado and Oklahoma, and we can only hope that more are on the horizon.

While New Orleans was reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, founders Jennifer and Erich Weishaupt sought to bring joy to the city through their all-day brunch concept. Ruby Slipper (and eventually its sister concept, Ruby Sunshine) would become a staple in the city, soon launching its expansion into neighboring markets across the region. From the rotating beignet specials to the Southern-influenced eggs Benedict, a morning spent at either concept is a must on your next visit down South.

With its giant rocking chair-lined front porch and menu full of homestyle dishes, it’s no surprise this breakfast favorite started in the South (Lebanon, Tennessee, to be exact). Often found along interstates, Cracker Barrel is the perfect stop to stretch your legs, challenge your siblings to the classic peg game, and eat way too much on any given road trip—fun fact, Cracker Barrel serves an estimated 230 million guests every year.

If the hot light is on, you better pull that car straight into the Krispy Kreme drive thru for a fresh-baked Original Glazed. The delicious donuts were first sold way back in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, since expanding to thousands of locations worldwide.

The first outpost of this widely-loved Raising Cane's chicken chain opened just outside Baton Rouge’s Louisiana State University campus in 1996. Now, there are more than 660 locations serving the classic fried chicken, crinkle fries and the ultra-secret Cane’s sauce nationwide.