"Local" Fast Food Chains to Die for!!!!!!
#17
Join Date: Jun 2006
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There are some wonderful suggestions in here. Living in a small town in Arizona means that almost none of them apply... 
Skyline Chili is awesome - it's such a simple menu but great tasting food for a reasonable price served quickly.
I think I could live (and quickly die) at Burgerville. It's the first place I stop anytime I fly up to Portland. Delicious food - all of it.
In-N-Out Burger - as often as it appears here on FT, you'd think it was over-hyped, but compared to other fast food burger offerings on the west coast, it's really about the best there is.
Culvers has tasty cheeseburgers and the odd cheese curd invention which I've not yet tried. Good onion rings and some interesting ice cream selections.
Panera Bread may be a bit large and slow for a "local" fast food chain, but they have some awfully good sandwiches, and since they've put a permanent embargo on Arizona, I guess they're "local" to someone.
Steak-and-Shake is a place I always stop at in the mid-west. Vanilla coke and a steakburger. Tasty.
I've always liked Chik-Fil-A, though I don't know if they qualify as "local". Great waffle fries and good chicken nuggets compared to the competition.
There used to be a little burger joint north of Indianapolis called "Clancy's". I remember it being very good as a kid growing up, but I think it closed down a few years ago. They were in fact a chain, having more than two stores, but for some reason, they never caught on outside of central Indiana.
Nice idea for a thread, OP!

Skyline Chili is awesome - it's such a simple menu but great tasting food for a reasonable price served quickly.
I think I could live (and quickly die) at Burgerville. It's the first place I stop anytime I fly up to Portland. Delicious food - all of it.
In-N-Out Burger - as often as it appears here on FT, you'd think it was over-hyped, but compared to other fast food burger offerings on the west coast, it's really about the best there is.
Culvers has tasty cheeseburgers and the odd cheese curd invention which I've not yet tried. Good onion rings and some interesting ice cream selections.
Panera Bread may be a bit large and slow for a "local" fast food chain, but they have some awfully good sandwiches, and since they've put a permanent embargo on Arizona, I guess they're "local" to someone.
Steak-and-Shake is a place I always stop at in the mid-west. Vanilla coke and a steakburger. Tasty.
I've always liked Chik-Fil-A, though I don't know if they qualify as "local". Great waffle fries and good chicken nuggets compared to the competition.
There used to be a little burger joint north of Indianapolis called "Clancy's". I remember it being very good as a kid growing up, but I think it closed down a few years ago. They were in fact a chain, having more than two stores, but for some reason, they never caught on outside of central Indiana.
Nice idea for a thread, OP!
#18
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: A lovely little town filled with cows
Programs: US2, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,284
[B]Burgerville is primarily located in Oregon with a couple of locations in the state of Washington. The chain has fast food burgers that are superior to the national chains' offerings but it's the Walla Walla sweet onion rings offered in season that are almost worth a trip in and of themselves.

Can you give us a hint? I'm hoping to fly up next month and would love to try them...
#20
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Athens, WV, USA; a US cockroach long before it was in FFOCUS; now a lowly US5 for only the 2nd time in 20 years.
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#21
Join Date: Jun 2003
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That's one thing I miss about not going to MSP, fried cheese curds. The A&W burger chain has them, but they're not quite the same as the ones you get in MN/WI. For that matter, it's hard to get cheese curds unless you're in cheese county somewhere. I got some in BUF a few weeks back, but the two containers I had were gone very quickly.
#23
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Buffalo, NY
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Tim Horton's is also starting to add quite a few locations in the US
http://www.timhortons.com/en/about/locations.html
There is one every 500 yards now here in Buffalo!
http://www.timhortons.com/en/about/locations.html
There is one every 500 yards now here in Buffalo!

I admit I have been addicted to several fast food chains in each of my neighborhood I live in and highly probable that some of you are as well. What I mean by local fast food chains are those that mainly geographically restricted to your city/country and its surroundings neighbors as oppose to those highly internationalized ones (i.e. Mc Donalds, BK, Krispy Kreme, KFC, etc).
These are my favorites in my local neighborhoods (where I maintain residency in each place respectively):
Toronto: Tim Hortons - I come here regularly for breakfast to enjoy a cup of coffee and their Egg Sausage McMuffin Biscuit Sandwiches which craves my mouth and are much better than those served by McDonalds.
Tons of branches through the GTA.
Hong Kong: Cafe De Coral 大家樂 - Simple HK style Cafe serving a combo of western & local chinese cuisine and drinks (What HK sytle Cafes are all about). Baked pork chop and preserved egg breakfast congee always fill up my taste hunger whenver I am in a hurry.
Tons of branches throughout the HK SAR.
Auckland: LJS - I am definately more of a Fish & Chips fan than Burgers. Their tartar dipping sauce is the best and makes their fish fillets to crave for.
Tons of branches throughout the Auckland Region.
I would definately recommend others to try these three listed above if they are visiting these places especially for those in an eating budget and in search of simple, fast, and convenience dining atmosphere. So what are your "local" favorites?
These are my favorites in my local neighborhoods (where I maintain residency in each place respectively):
Toronto: Tim Hortons - I come here regularly for breakfast to enjoy a cup of coffee and their Egg Sausage McMuffin Biscuit Sandwiches which craves my mouth and are much better than those served by McDonalds.
Tons of branches through the GTA.
Hong Kong: Cafe De Coral 大家樂 - Simple HK style Cafe serving a combo of western & local chinese cuisine and drinks (What HK sytle Cafes are all about). Baked pork chop and preserved egg breakfast congee always fill up my taste hunger whenver I am in a hurry.
Tons of branches throughout the HK SAR.
Auckland: LJS - I am definately more of a Fish & Chips fan than Burgers. Their tartar dipping sauce is the best and makes their fish fillets to crave for.
Tons of branches throughout the Auckland Region.
I would definately recommend others to try these three listed above if they are visiting these places especially for those in an eating budget and in search of simple, fast, and convenience dining atmosphere. So what are your "local" favorites?
#24
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Indian Harbour Beach, Fla, USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plt
Posts: 1,986
Originally Posted by vysean
Is it wrong to book a flight based on when the onion rings are in season? 
Can you give us a hint? I'm hoping to fly up next month and would love to try them...

Can you give us a hint? I'm hoping to fly up next month and would love to try them...

###BEGIN QUOTE###
June 27, 2006 Burgerville restaurants, known for its seasonal menu items made with fresh, local ingredients, today announced the return of Walla Walla Sweet Onions to the menu. The sweet tasting onions can be enjoyed as crunchy rings or caramelized on a signature Walla Walla Sweet Onion Cheeseburger at all 39 Burgerville locations.
###END QUOTE###
#26
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Lake Merritt (Oakland , CA.)
Programs: SPG Gold,United 2P
Posts: 158
ORIGINAL TOMMY'S! Los Angeles
In-N-Out Burger is way more prolific through California but in the LA area , you just can't beat Tommy's Chili Burgers. I have to make a disclaimer that there is a Tommy's 1 block from my old high school, so I may be a little biased.
Beware of imitators , there are many places that go by variations, such as; Tommi's , Tomas', etc...
http://www.originaltommys.com/
I hope they come up to the SF Bayarea, but it does give me someplace to go whenever I'm in LA.
Beware of imitators , there are many places that go by variations, such as; Tommi's , Tomas', etc...
http://www.originaltommys.com/
I hope they come up to the SF Bayarea, but it does give me someplace to go whenever I'm in LA.
#27
In Memoriam




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#28
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#29
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Give me a regular four way (w/ onions) with a side of garlic bread and those awesome oyster crackers over "real" chili any day...

Guess I'll have to fly to PDX for Burgerville, IND for most of the others, and perhaps LAX and DCA to try these west and east coast burgers.
Perhaps we need a "Local fast food chains to die for DO/MR"... @:-)
#30




Join Date: Aug 2005
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Lee's Hoagie House in Philly.


