snowrooster

We have Skyline Chili here in Cincinnati - it's not like chili most are used to. It is served over spaghetti with shredded cheddar and can come with beans and onions as well (5 Way - my favorite). Any Cincinnatian who leaves craves it for a lifetime.

I loved Popeye's chicken growing up in New Orleans - the best biscuits and mashed potatoes and I love the spicy friend chicken!! I only wish Cafe' du Monde would spawn a franchise so we could get beignets in Ohio.

So, what local fast food chains are worth visiting in your area and what should I try there? Oh, Jersey Mikes and Penn Station are good for subs around here.

Now I'm not saying we should all eat fast food when we travel, just curious about what's out there that might be left out of travel guides.

rjw_lgb_ca

I'll jump on this one quick....

Southern California and the Southwest area:

Burgers: In 'n' Out. "That's what a hamburger's all about!"

Mexican: Several. For fish tacos, Rubio's Baja Grill (started in San Diego). For general good Mexican, La Salsa or Baja Fresh. Wahoo's Fish Tacos is also pretty good.

"Chinese": Pick Up Stix. Not transcendental, but it's fresh and tasty and quick.

GoTravel

Chick-Fil-A or Bojangles Chicken.

snowrooster

Here is a crazy question, but I live in the Midwest. What kind of fish is in a fish taco? When I was in Maui I had a fish taco with raw tuna and it was one of the best things ever. However when I see fish tacos on menus around here (which isn't often) it is w/cooked (sometimes breaded & fried) fish. Do all these chains out west that have fish tacos offer them w/sushi fish or is pretty much cooked/fried out there (and Maui's fish tacos are a rare find)?

rjw_lgb_ca

In southern CA we have fish tacos Baja style (as served from sidewalk grill carts in seaside cities in Baja California)-- fried (sometimes grilled) mahi-mahi or snapper, with shredded cabbage, lime on a soft corn tortilla. Some chains put a creamy sauce (sour cream and spices, I guess) on them as well.

But a fish taco with raw ahi...? I MUST HAVE THIS!!! I MUST I MUST I MUST!!!!

Now look what you've done! Food cravings, and I haven't even finished my morning coffee...!

bonniebroad

Bojangles.......... YUM! Chick-Fil-A........ the best sandwiches! Brigg's, here in the Triangle ... wonderful brunch food!

bjboothman

I mean no offense, snowrooster, we all have our regional peculiarities, and believe me when I say I'm no food snob, but when you say "Skyline Chili here in Cincinnati - it's not like chili most are used to", it makes me breathe a heavy sigh of relief. Just MHO but that stuff is awful and I love chili. We Pittsburghers have some pretty awful local conconctions as well.

When I visited the west coast, I really enjoyed Rubio's fish tacos and In and Out Burgers. I can't think of anything regional here on the east coast that I'd go out of my way for.

snowrooster

bjboothman - No offense taken. In fact, I've lived here for 20+ years now but I woulnd't touch the stuff for the first 10 years. My mom would make a homemade version and just the smell of it would make me nauseous. But somehow it grew on me. Some people like it the first time they try it (my uncle from Boston who is a total food snob loved it right away) and others it takes a while. It is definitely different (rumor has it that the recipe contains both cinnamon and chocolate).

buckeyemom

How about White Castle?

bonniebroad

Snowrooster, I have a recipe for the Cincinnati Chili, and it indeed calls for cinnamon and chocolate, which I LEAVE OUT!!! It's delicious "my way", and I just don't have the nerve to put those things in! But it's all what you get used to.......

buckeyemom

I put unsweetened dark chocolate in my chili, balances the acid.

beachdreams

My favorite is Willy's (like Baja Fresh and Moes) and Subway.

I have also had fish tacos made with Tilapia. I prefer my fish tacos not to be fried though.

JJ5

White Castle- terrible for you and called "sliders" for a reason. Some people never admit that they give in to the crave on occasion. Haven't had one in years, but they are addictive. Florida cousins made me take some on the airplane to them from Chicago about 20 years ago and the smell started the crave going on the plane. Passengers wanted me to sell them some.

Popeye's has great spicy. But the entire meal is cholesterol nightmare.

Don't eat any of these anymore, and haven't for years. But, the funny thing is that I almost lived on White Castle almost 40 years ago when I was 19, pregnant- and very poor. Only things I could keep down for the most part also and afford between jobs. Do you know that that kid is a thin 38 year old six foot five mesomorph who is a dynamo, looks ten years younger and runs us all into the groun! LOL

J_Correa

Tony and Alba's pizza is a good local chain in the Santa Cruz and San Jose area.

Erik's Deli has great sandwiches and soups. It originated in Santa Cruz. I don't know how far this chain has spread, but they are pretty common on the central coast and in the SF bay area.

Kal

I eat escargot. I'm not into fast food.
Sorry rjw but I think In/Out is the most overrated burger chains around.I think I was in awe of the legend and build up it got here in NoCal? Kinda like waiting a month or two to go see a big hit movie?

BUT, I could live in Rubio's or Baja Fresh!

I'm still a Togo's fan and a Round Table fan. (All Meat Marvel-Extra meat and jalapenos...CHEEWAWAWAAAAA).

Since I've set up an office in my house about 5yrs ago, we seldom do fast food lunches/dinners anymore.....but I'd kill for a Big Mac w/ a large order of fries....or a Jack in the Box taco!!!

Small chain: Taylor's Refresher for the Ahui burger and spicy sweet tater fries.

mp

In NYC - Gray's Papaya - Grilled hot dogs and papaya drink . . . as the sign says, "Better than filet mignon" . . .
2 well done plain and a small drink, $1.75 on 6th Avenue and 8th Street and West 72nd & Broadway and east 86th . . . although they're not really related, owner wise - it's all the same, delicious, bad for you treat . . .

sunbabe

Here in the midwest (IL): Monical's Pizza and Steak N Shake.

Steak N Shake Chili 5 Ways sounds similar to snowrooster's Skyline Chili.

snowrooster

We have Steak & Shake here as well (I love their fries and little pots o'beans). The chili is the same idea regarding how it is served, but the actual chili is completely different. Steak and Shake serves regular chili over spaghetti (not flavored/spiced like Cincinnati chili).

cd

Barberton chicken and hot sauce. (As in "chicken houses in Barberton Ohio") Growing up in the Akron area, we've had it since our teen years. Yummmmm

BAK

For about a decade i drove back and forth from Toronto to Florida each year with my father and his older brother -- these guys ranged in age over the decae from around 75 to 93 at the end -- and looked forward to several US fast service / chain restaurants we don't have in Canada.

Lunch the first day was at a Denny's on the south side of Toledo -- I seem to remember Eagle Road, and a Kneight's Inn nearby.

Dinner the first night was often a Perkins, south of Cincinnati.

Breakfast the second morning was always in a Bob Evans south of Covington, Kentucky, where the older brother had sausage gravy. Breakfast the third day was, if we could find one, a Shoney's breakfast buffet, where I'd always eat too much strawberry shortcake for breakfast, just because I could.

Other than that, McDonald's and Burger King always had easy parking, clean washrooms and, for the older guy, milkshakes.

In Florida, after I dropped them off at their hotel, I'd often end up in a Rib City near Fort Myers. Had New year's Eve dinner there by myself one night.

And coming back north in the spring, we'd always look for a Cracker Barrell for dinner. For some reason, we did not see these on the way down.

BAK