I'll add Cha Cha Cha, for fast, cheap and plentiful Mexican. Like Burgerville, it's just a step up from regular fast food joints as everything is made to order, so you pay at the counter and take a number to your table. Fantastic house verde and red sauces. I'm a big fan of fish burritos and tacos here, goodgodalmighty. Lots of meatless options, too.

No exactly fast food, tho. The outlets I've been to are sit down-and-order and waits can be long long long.

I'm probably gunna get slammed for letting this one outta the bag, but it's too good to keep for us locals anymore:

No Fish, Go Fish Soup in PDX:

• original cart at the corner of SW Fifth Avenue and Yamhill (right on the Max Line)
• small storefront at SE Hawthorne Blvd. and 39th Ave. (one mile south of I-84, if you're on a mileage run)

Five bucks nets you a large order of luscious homemade soup (3 or 4 options per daily of a 100+item rotating menu) and 2 fish-shaped corn waffles. Heaven!

Having lived in PDX for 36 of the last 37 years, never heard of it. It must be really fast!!

I love Popeye's biscuits! Send me the recipe

My favorite local chain would be what used to be a chain of two in Washington, Mountain High burgers. They're both still there, but no longer a chain. Mountain High is in Kent and Burger Express is in Federal Way (it still has a 'mountain high' burger on the menu).

Really good shakes. Mmm!

Please, please, PLEASE! All of us, including the lab-doggy, adore "those biscuits from Popeyes"!!

Thanks in advance!

That may be true on I-40 (??) but not in this part of TX...you just order "iced tea" and doctor it the way you wish - a very few places will offer you "sweet or unsweet" but never assume you want that syrupy mess....

I used to use "Sweet & Low" but unsweetened iced tea is now "da bomb" for me!

Okay FTer's I have sent your Biscuit recipe to you via PM.

Enjoy!

Oh yeah, big DITTO!!!

Portillos (Chicago), Natl Coney (Detroit), Whataburger (TX), Cooneys (Denver)

Can't believe no one has mentioned Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers. IMO they have the best chicken fingers, their secret "Cane's Sauce" is great, and the sides (slaw, fries, and Texas toast) are good too. Started in Baton Rouge (I think) and it's spreading throughout the Deep South. Wish they would expand up North.

Here in MSN Tex Tubb's Taco Palace just opened a second location, so I guess that makes it a chain. Great tacos in general and it's one of the few places in town where you can get decent fish tacos.

A note about Cattlemen's Steakhouse in OKC. I highly doubt it's part of the chain someone else mentioned in California. the Cattlemen's in OKC has been there (possible started as Cattlemen's Cafe...?) ever since the downtown was the center of the cattle trade and full of stockyards. It's also listed in the 1000 Places to See Before You Die book, and I doubt it would include a chain restaurant. Not sure if there is more than one location in OKC, though--I've only eaten at the original.

In the Washington area, California Tortilla has great Mexican food (with a Californian twist) . Cheap, fresh, healthy and fast.

The quality does seem to vary by location a bit. The Bethesda and College Park locations are excellent, while the Rockville one is pretty inconsistent. They also have a few airport branches now as well - at BWI and IAD.

Also, Lebanese Taverna is slightly more expensive (maybe around $7-10) but the food is excellent, especially the chicken shwarma.

Bill Miller BBQ - not the best BBQ around; may be in other parts of Texas by now as well.

Hilbert's - my favorite burger joint, bar none.

Taco Shack - an Austin institution

Delaware Subs - real East Coast-style sandwiches, which is pretty rare in these parts.

Fran's - my second favorite burger joint.

Also local, but not indigenous to just Austin:

Whataburger - there are more of these around, but they don't hold a candle to Hilbert's or Fran's.

Taco Cabana - fast, cheap, good, & plentiful.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

They recently opened several locations in Las Vegas. Overpriced chicken fingers IMHO.

OK, I'll jump in. Despite some posts to the contrary, and even though it's not strictly local, Cracker Barrel has been a lifesaver on the Interstates for me for a long time. The chain is based in Lebanon, TN (which is 35 miles away from my hometown) and the menu accurately reflects the cuisine of "my people", for whatever it's worth. I remember one road trip when eating a bowl of greens, a bowl of beans with onions on the side, and cornbread was just heaven on earth. I love to be able to get country ham for brekkie on the road, wherever I am...and the 4-veggie plates for lunch are sweet. And whatever I'm having, I can always request a side of sliced tomatoes...the only proper fruit to have with a country ham breakfast!

Next time order the jumbo. And add a cheese coney (Skyliner) on the side - you won't leave hungry.

BTW - you can find Skyline and Graeter's online along with Montgomery Inn (Ribs King) BBQ sauce if you are interested in the "cincinnati basket." It's not cheap, though. I've found cans of Skyline on eBay for just a smidgeon above the Kroger price.

Also, a little hint for those of you who love those oyster crackers: They are actually KROGER brand oyster crackers, I kid you not. I learned this first hand from the President and CEO of Skyline Chili himself when I toured the commisary. You can find Kroger brand oyster crackers at, well, almost any Kroger-operated chain across the country.

This has been your Skyline Chili PSA. I have a problem...