The
Food & dining
American food culture is defined by scale and regional fragmentation rather than one unified style — Tex-Mex, Cajun and Creole cooking, Southern soul food, New England seafood, and Midwest comfort food are only loosely related to each other. The US effectively invented modern fast food and the drive-through format, both of which it has since exported worldwide. Regional barbecue traditions (Texas, Carolina, Kansas City, Memphis) are fiercely distinct and a source of genuine local pride. Diner culture — all-day breakfast, bottomless coffee, laminated menus — remains a real institution outside big cities. Portion sizes and the combo-meal format are distinctly American compared to how the same chains operate abroad.
Restaurant chains
Chains in United States
- Applebee'sAmerican Grill
- Arby'sRoast Beef Sandwiches
- Burger KingFast Food
- Carl's Jr.Burgers
- Chick-fil-AFried Chicken
- Chili'sTex-Mex
- Chipotle Mexican GrillMexican
- Church's ChickenFried Chicken
- CinnabonBakery & Desserts
- Culver'sBurgers & Frozen Custard
- Dairy QueenIce Cream & Burgers
- Denny'sAmerican Diner
- Domino's PizzaPizza
- Dunkin'Coffee & Donuts
- Firehouse SubsSandwiches
- Five GuysBurgers
- IHOPDiner / Breakfast
- In-N-Out BurgerBurgers
- Jack in the BoxBurgers
- Jersey Mike's SubsSandwiches
- KFCFast Food
- Krispy KremeDonuts
- Little CaesarsPizza
- McDonald'sFast Food
- Panda ExpressAmerican Chinese
- Panera BreadBakery-Café
- Papa John'sPizza
- PopeyesFast Food
- Raising Cane'sFried Chicken
- Shake ShackBurgers
- Sonic Drive-InBurgers & Drive-In
- StarbucksCoffee
- SubwayFast Food
- Taco BellMexican
- Waffle HouseDiner
- Wendy'sFast Food
- WhataburgerBurgers
- White CastleSliders
- WingstopChicken Wings
- Zaxby'sFried Chicken