189 articles
A&W (Canada)
A&W (Canada), A&W Food Services of Canada Inc., is a North Vancouver-based Canadian burger fast-food chain, separate from the US A&W since 1972, with 1,000+ franchised restaurants, TSX listing AW since October 2024, and Burger Family menu and root beer.
A&W Restaurants
A&W Restaurants: American quick-service chain founded 1919 in Lodi, California by Roy W. Allen and Frank Wright; first US franchised restaurant chain, known for fresh-made root beer; franchisee-owned since 2011, separate from A&W Canada.
Al Copeland
Al Copeland (Alvin Charles Copeland Sr., "Big Al") was the New Orleans restaurateur who founded Popeyes in 1972 as Chicken on the Run, bought Church's Chicken in 1989, lost both in a 1991 bankruptcy, and rebuilt Copeland's of New Orleans and Diversified Foods & Seasonings.
Albaik (البيك)
Albaik (البيك), also Al Baik, is a Saudi fast-food chain founded in Jeddah in 1974 by Shakour AbuGhazalah, known for broasted chicken with an 18-spice recipe, Hajj pilgrim service, and 140+ branches.
Andrew Cherng (程正昌)
Andrew Cherng (程正昌), Chinese-born American restaurateur, co-founder, co-chair and co-CEO of Panda Restaurant Group; opened Panda Inn Pasadena 1973 with father Ming-Tsai Cherng, launched Panda Express 1983 at Glendale Galleria; 2,600+ stores, $6B sales, family-owned.
Andrew Puzder
Andrew Franklin Puzder (Andy Puzder), American lawyer and former CEO of CKE Restaurants (Hardee's, Carl's Jr.); withdrew 2017 Labor Secretary nomination; sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the EU in 2025.
Applebee's
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar is an American casual dining chain founded in 1980 by Bill and T.J. Palmer, with more than 1,400 locations under Dine Brands Global.
Arby's
Arby's is an American fast-food sandwich chain founded by brothers Leroy and Forrest Raffel in Boardman, Ohio, in 1964, known for slow-roasted roast beef sandwiches and Curly Fries.
Arthur Treacher's
Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips, American fast-seafood chain founded 1969 in Columbus, Ohio, named for the British actor; peaked near 800 stores in the 1970s, declined to three Northeast Ohio restaurants plus a Nathan's Famous ghost-kitchen brand.
Auntie Anne's
Auntie Anne's is an American soft pretzel franchise founded in 1988 by Anne Beiler at a Downingtown, Pennsylvania farmers' market, franchised from 1989, now owned by GoTo Foods with 1,200+ locations in 20+ countries.
Baskin-Robbins
Baskin-Robbins, also branded "31 Flavors," is an American ice cream specialty shop chain founded in 1945 in Glendale, California, by brothers-in-law Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins, known for the 31-flavors concept and global franchising.
Benihana
Benihana is an American teppanyaki restaurant chain founded in 1964 in New York by Rocky Aoki, known for chefs cooking at the table; owned by The ONE Group since 2024, separate from Benihana of Tokyo.
Beodangmal Folk Village
Beodangmal Folk Village (버당말민속촌) is a Korean seafood restaurant in Seongsan-myeon, Gangneung, licensed 1996, known for catfish spicy soup and cod head stew; not a heritage village attraction.
Bibibop Asian Grill
Bibibop Asian Grill is an American fast-casual chain serving customizable Korean-inspired rice bowls from a fully gluten-free kitchen, founded by Charley Shin in Columbus, Ohio, in 2013.
Big Arch (hamburger)
Big Arch is McDonald's largest hamburger: two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of white cheddar, crispy onions, pickles, lettuce, and Big Arch sauce. First launched in Portugal in July 2024, permanent in the UK from January 2026, US launch March 3, 2026.
Big Boy Restaurants
Big Boy Restaurants is an American family-dining chain founded in 1936 by Bob Wian in Glendale, California, known for the original double-decker Big Boy burger and mascot; now headquartered in Warren, Michigan, with independent operators Frisch's Big Boy and Big Boy Japan.
Big Mac
The Big Mac (ビッグマック) is McDonald's double-decker hamburger, invented by franchisee Jim Delligatti in Uniontown, Pennsylvania in 1967 and rolled out nationally in 1968; 580 US calories, source of The Economist's Big Mac index, and basis of the Mega Mac and Chicken Big Mac variants.
Billy Bob's Wonderland
Billy Bob's Wonderland, family entertainment center in Barboursville, West Virginia; opened 1986 as ShowBiz Pizza Place, independent since 1989; home of regular Rock-afire Explosion animatronic band shows and the annual BillyCon fan convention.
Bob Evans Restaurants
Bob Evans Restaurants is an American family-dining chain founded in Rio Grande, Ohio; sold to Golden Gate Capital in 2017 and acquired by 4×4 Capital in February 2026, separate from Post Holdings' Bob Evans grocery brand.
Bob's Big Boy
Bob's Big Boy, founded by Bob Wian in Glendale, California in 1936 as Bob's Pantry, is the original restaurant of the Big Boy chain, creator of the 1937 double-decker hamburger and the checkered-overalls mascot, with its oldest surviving location in Burbank (1949).
Boston Market
Boston Market, originally Boston Chicken, is an American fast-casual rotisserie chicken chain founded in Newton, Massachusetts in 1985, which peaked above 1,200 locations, went through McDonald's and Sun Capital ownership, and shrank to about two dozen stores under Jay Pandya.
Boston Pizza
Boston Pizza is a Canadian casual-dining and sports bar chain founded in Edmonton in 1964 by Gus Agioritis, acquired by Jim Treliving and George Melville in 1983, with 374 Canadian locations and a TSX-listed royalty fund.
Breastaurant
A breastaurant is a casual-dining restaurant featuring scantily-clad waitresses, the term being a blend of breast and restaurant and associated above all with Hooters, opened in Clearwater, Florida, in 1983.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. (Bubba Gump Shrimp Company Restaurant & Market) is a Landry's-owned casual seafood chain themed on the 1994 film Forrest Gump, founded 1996 on Cannery Row, Monterey, with roughly 21-22 U.S. and 10-16 international locations.
Buc-ee's
Buc-ee's is a privately held American chain of giant travel centers, founded in Texas in 1982, known for barbecue, beaver merchandise, and the world's largest convenience store.
Buca di Beppo
Buca di Beppo: American family-style Italian-American casual-dining chain founded 1993 by Phil Roberts in a Minneapolis basement; peaked at 95 locations, filed Chapter 11 in August 2024, now owned by Main Street Capital with 40 restaurants in 13 states.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings (B-Dubs, bw-3) is an American sports bar chain founded in 1982 near Ohio State as Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck; taken public in 2003, acquired by Inspire Brands for $2.9 billion in 2018, with 1,178 US sports bars and 219 BWW Go takeout stores as of late 2025.
Burger Chef
Burger Chef, an American fast-food hamburger chain founded in Indianapolis in 1958 by Frank P. Thomas Jr. and Bob Wildman, became the second-largest US restaurant chain before General Foods sold it to Hardee's owner Imasco in 1982; the last location closed in 1996.
Burger King
Burger King (BK) is an American hamburger fast food chain founded in Miami in 1954 by McLamore and Edgerton, known for the Whopper and flame-grilling, now owned by Restaurant Brands International with about 19,000 restaurants worldwide.
Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr. is an American fast-food chain founded in 1941 by Carl and Margaret Karcher from a $326 hot dog cart, known for charbroiled burgers, sister brand of Hardee's under CKE Restaurants, headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee.