I wonder how much the big chains really control their franchises. I have never liked the buns that McDonalds uses in the South. The buns in SoCalif are much better.
Wendy’s has “stepped up” their salads. I think they’re now the #2 burger chain, but I could be wrong.
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Who remembers when Wendy’s had a salad bar?
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I don’t remember that. I remember when Carl’s Jr first introduced the salad bar…don’t know when they removed it. It was popular, but only offered a few items. Right now, I can’t remember all the items, but I remember a 3 bean salad and beets.
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Zoe’s Kitchen
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Yes, I think it is mostly/only in the South. A southern family owns it. The Brombergs also own Bromberg Jewelers. I only know about this because “little Zoe”, a Bama grad, died a couple years ago in a tragic accident in Spain…
Jason’s is good. The soups I’ve had are all pretty good. Nice salad bar. It’s a good place for groups because there’s a pretty wide variety.
I quit eating fast food a couple of years ago when the middle age weight gain (good thread going on that subject) and borderline cholesterol issues reared their ugly head. I do frequent Panera every now and then. Love that they have had the calories listed for the past few years and offer an apple in place of bread.
“I wonder how much the big chains really control their franchises. I have never liked the buns that McDonalds uses in the South. The buns in SoCalif are much better.”
There are usually a number of approved vendors a franchisee can use and different ones in different parts of the country as distribution and shipping is a large cost - so using local vendors of product is cheaper for franchisee and company operated stores.
Panera used to sell a low-carb bread that was fantastic - you could get sandwiches made with it and also buy it by the loaf. Alas, I guess the demand for it was low and they discontinued it. 
Gluten-free options have apparently crowded out the low-carb choices - or so it seems.
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“I wonder how much the big chains really control their franchises. I have never liked the buns that McDonalds uses in the South. The buns in SoCalif are much better.”
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@emilybee
There are usually a number of approved vendors a franchisee can use and different ones in different parts of the country as distribution and shipping is a large cost - so using local vendors of product is cheaper for franchisee and company operated stores.
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Thank you. That makes sense. The McD buns in my state are absolutely tasteless.
I remember Wendy had chicken pie.
^^^
really? like a round one in a tin?? lol
So, I’m curious… exactly how many ‘fast-food’ restaurants are actually nation-wide?
McDonalds
Burger King
Wendy’s
Chick-Fil-A
Taco Bell
What else (only ones that offers drive thru)?
Arby’s
Hardee’s/ Carl’s Jr
@mom2coIIegekids This is the one:
http://wendysfavoriteplace.blogspot.com/2011/03/chicken-pot-pie.html
The last time I ate it was in 1989, near my old workplace. All my new workplaces don’t have Wendy’s around. Besides, I cut down on fast foods.
Jack in the Box? I think they are national…
What constitutes nation-wide?
Chick-Fil-A has only 1 store in Michigan, which was opened very recently. They don’t have any in several states, and in several more they only have 1 or two.
Arby’s, KFC, Dairy Queen, probably a few more I’m not thinking of now are more nation-wide than Chick-Fil-A.
Cross-posted with above
KFC
Dairy Queen
is Sonic nationwide now?
It looks like every state has at least 1 Sonic, so it’s more nation-wide than Chick-Fil-A.
Edit: Was wrong about that. No, there are a few states (Quickly looking I can see at least Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire) don’t.
Jack-in-the-box is not nation wide. Two of the four most populated states (New York and Florida) don’t have a single one. It appears that about half of all states do not have a single Jack-in-the-box.
Illinois does not have Jack-in-the-Box.
Jack In The Box is not national - never seen one in the midwest. Also not familiar with Hardees/Carls.
wiki’s list combines national and regional chains:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_restaurant_chains_in_the_United_States#Nationwide.2Fregional
Interesting lists at the bottom of ^^^this page:
Fast Food vs. Fast Casual
Fast Food:
A&W Restaurants
Arby’s
Au Bon Pain
Auntie Anne’s
Back Yard Burgers
Baker’s Drive-Thru
Baskin-Robbins
Blimpie
Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits
Boston Market
Burger King
Carl’s Jr.
Carvel Ice Cream
Checkers / Rally’s
Chicken Salad Chick
Chick-fil-A
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Church’s / Texas Chicken
Cinnabon
Cousins Subs
Culver’s
Dairy Queen
Del Taco
Denny’s
Domino’s Pizza
Dunkin’ Donuts
El Pollo Loco
Extreme Pita
Fatburger
Fazoli’s
Firehouse Subs
Five Guys
Godfather’s Pizza
Hardee’s
IHOP
In-N-Out Burger
Jack in the Box
Jamba Juice
Jason’s Deli
Jersey Mike’s Subs
Jimmy John’s
KFC
Krispy Kreme
Krystal
Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken
Lion’s Choice
Little Caesars Pizza
Long John Silver’s
Marco’s Pizza
McAlister’s Deli
McDonald’s
Moe’s Southwest Grill
Noodles & Company
Oberweis Dairy
Pancheros Mexican Grill
Panda Express
Panera Bread
Papa John’s Pizza
Penn Station
Pita Pit
Pizza Hut
Pizza Pizza
Pizza Ranch
Pollo Tropical
Potbelly Sandwich Works
Qdoba Mexican Grill
Quiznos
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
Round Table Pizza
Roy Rogers Restaurants
Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill
Sbarro
Schlotzsky’s Deli
Shake Shack
Sheetz
Smashburger
Smoothie King
Sonic Drive-In
Starbucks
Steak 'n Shake
Stewart’s Restaurants
Subway
TCBY
Taco Bell
Taco Bueno
Taco Cabana
Taco del Mar
Taco John’s
Taco Mayo
Taco Tico
Tim Hortons
Togo’s
Tom+Chee
Wawa
Wendy’s
Wetzel’s Pretzels
Whataburger
White Castle
Wienerschnitzel
Wingstop
Yogen Früz
Zaxby’s