Top 20+ Forgotten Looks of Our Favorite Fast Food Joints

The signs of America’s fast food restaurants have become iconic. 

Subway started as a small store called Pete’s Super Submarines, and Domino’s as a shop called Dominick’s Pizza. The first McDonald’s restaurant was missing the now internationally recognizable golden arches, and Burger King once featured a gargantuan neon king sitting atop their sign. Even Chick-fil-A, now a global brand, started as a discreet booth in a mall.

Go back in time and see these titans of the food industry during their awkward years. 

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

1986

The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

1941

The first Dairy Queen

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

Built in 1940

The first Sonic Drive-In

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

1959

One of the first franchised Little Caesars

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

1962

Pizza Hut with the original red roof

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

1969

The original In-N-Out Burger

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

Opened in 1948

DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

1960

Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

1965

The first Popeyes

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

1972

The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

1962

Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

Built in 1952

Wendy’s

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

Built in 1969

Taco Bell

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

The first, built in 1962

White Castle

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

The first, built in 1921

Arby’s

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

1964

Burger King

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

Circa 1970s

The first Jack in the Box

The first Five Guys in a strip mall in Virginia, The first Carl’s Jr burger stand in Los Angeles, The first Dairy Queen, The first Sonic Drive-In, One of the first franchised Little Caesars, Pizza Hut with the original red roof, The original In-N-Out Burger, DomiNick’s eventually evolved into Domino’s Pizza, Pete’s Super Submarines eventually evolved into the Subway chain, The first Popeyes, The first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta mall, Colonel Sanders in front of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, White Castle, Burger King, The first Jack in the Box

Opened in 1951

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