A popular Chinese restaurant is losing its longtime home because a Binghamton church has acquired the property for an expansion project. Far East Kitchen is shutting down its operation at 287 Main Street on the city’s West Side at the end of business Thursday. Owner Song Chen said he […]
Click here to view original web page at wnbf.com
A popular Chinese restaurant is losing its longtime home because a Binghamton church has acquired the property for an expansion project.
Far East Kitchen is shutting down its operation at 287 Main Street on the city's West Side at the end of business Thursday.
Owner Song Chen said he was shocked when he learned he would have to leave the former Giant market plaza after the site was sold .
At first, Chen thought he might close down the restaurant, which has operated at the site since 1991. But he said after customers told him "you can't do that," he worked to find a new location.
Chen said he made arrangements to move to the site of another Chinese restaurant. He plans to set up Far East Kitchen in the space that's been occupied by Red Wok restaurant at 125 Main Street. That's nearly a mile east of the original Far East Kitchen restaurant.
Chen said he's somewhat nervous about the move but he hopes the people who've patronized his business over the years will visit the new place.
Chen, who lives in Vestal, was born in China. He came to the United States when he was 20. He said operating his own business is "the American dream come true."
City Church purchased the former Giant market complex for a planned $6 million project to relocate its operations from downtown Binghamton.
The property was sold by Binghamton Giant Market for $1.5 million last September. Construction for the new church facility is expected to begin later this spring.
For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNowon Twitter.
See How School Cafeteria Meals Have Changed Over the Past 100 Years
Using government and news reports, Stacker has traced the history of cafeteria meals from their inception to the present day, with data from news and government reports. Read on to see how various legal acts, food trends, and budget cuts have changed what kids are getting on their trays.
Gallery Credit: Madison Troyer
1894: First school lunch program appears
Ellen Swallow Richards, a nutrition and home economics pioneer, began the first-ever school lunch program at Boston Latin School, the oldest public school in the country. Under the umbrella of her company, The New England Kitchen, which was designed to provide the poor and immigrant communities with nutritious and affordable meals, Richards began serving hot lunch at the school daily. Meals were free to students, included items like fish chowder and bread with butter, and cost about 10 cents to prepare.
1900: Boston and Philadelphia lead the way
Following the success of Richards' experiment, the first school lunch programs began appearing in Boston and Philadelphia by the early 1900s. By no means city-wide, these programs were run by charity organizations who would prepare the food in a central kitchen, then deliver it to participating schools. By 1913, it is estimated that there were 40 similar programs in place around the country, serving students for just 1 cent a meal. Meals were composed of things like pea soup, rice pudding, and lentils.
1920s: "The Americanization agenda"
According to Harvey Levenstein, author of "Revolution at the Table," one of the unspoken early goals of public school lunches was to Americanize the tastes of immigrant youth. He writes: "[the immigrant children] were learning an important lesson: it was the food in their homes, not on the steam tables, which was out of the mainstream, and that to enter that stream they would ultimately have to learn to appreciate its food."
1930s: School lunch and the New Deal
During the worst years of the Great Depression, food was scarce and work even scarcer. As a part of his New Deal, President Roosevelt bought up surplus food from farmers, then hired thousands of out-of-work women to cook and serve the food to hungry public school students. The program was so successful that by 1941 every state (plus Washington D.C.) had a lunch program in place. A typical school lunch at the time included items like veggie soup, peanut butter sandwiches, and the occasional piece of fresh fruit.
1940: WWII ups the ante
In the 1940s, as the U.S. escaped the Great Depression and entered into WWII, it began to understand just how devastating those lean years had been. As the country called up its young men to fight, it realized that up to one-third of them were unfit for service due to malnutrition (compare this to today, when 20% of Americans are unfit for service due to obesity). This was the first time that the welfare of the country's kids was identified as an issue of national security. Entrees like creamed chipped beef, cornmeal pudding, and a pork dish called scrapple were all popular offerings.
1946: The National School Lunch Act signed
As a result of these realizations, President Truman signed the National School Lunch Act in 1946. Through federal subsidies, the act provides low or no-cost school lunches to children who need them.
1950s: Nutritional quality goes down
In the 1950s, with the rise of pre-packaged convenience foods and the government's emphasis on lowering food costs overall, the nutritional quality of school lunches plummeted. Although schools were serving calorically dense meals, they often offered little in the way of healthy veggies, fresh fruits, or lean proteins, instead offering things like cheese meatloaf and sausage shortcake. The lack of nutrition was one of the driving factors behind the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, which gave control over what schools could offer at mealtime to the Department of Agriculture.
1962: National School Lunch Week established
In 1962 President John F. Kennedy created National School Lunch Week to advocate for healthy and nutritious school lunches for children. The program's purpose is two-fold--to encourage children and teenagers to make healthier choices and to remind those in charge why continual funding for the National School Lunch program is so important.
1966: School breakfast program begins
Another aspect of the Child Nutrition Act that President Johnson signed in 1966 was the establishment of a school breakfast program. Public schools and daycare centers across the country began offering free or low-cost breakfasts to students in need before the school day began. Typical menu items include fresh fruit, assorted pastries, yogurt, and cereal.
1966: Special Milk program first offered
A third tenet of the Child Nutrition Act was the Special Milk Program, which provided students with free milk with every meal. In the '60s, the beverage typically accompanied foods like meatloaf and mashed potatoes, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and fish sticks, though options like enchiladas and chili con carne were making their way onto many menus.
1968: Summer food program begins
After realizing that food insecurity was not an issue that went away when the school year ended, the Summer Food Service Program began in 1968. Initially just a three-year program, the service provided meals to children who may not otherwise have them through the public school system. The programs often go hand-in-hand with a school's summer program, which serves as free childcare throughout the warmer months.
1977: Nutritional value called into question
In the 1970s, the nutritional quality of school lunches was called into question again when a government report found that the meals "fell far short of providing minimum nutritional standards," were high in fat and low in iron, and could be linked to growing rates of obesity. These findings came as schools began serving dishes like hamburgers, chili dogs, fried chicken, and fruit gelatin.
1981: Ketchup is a vegetable
In the early 1980s, the Reagan administration cut federal funding for lunch programs around the country, which resulted in shrinking portions and reduced eligibility for free and low-cost lunch. The cuts also resulted in ketchup being accepted as a vegetable, demonstrating just how far standards had fallen since the first programs were offered back in the late 1800s.
1980s: School lunches become a privatized business
As a result of the budget cutbacks, many districts outsourced their school lunch program to private companies in the 1980s. An effort to save on cost, this meant that nutritional standards were further skimped on and overall quality went down. Frozen and processed fare began to rule the school, with offerings like chicken nuggets, pizza, and chocolate pudding landing on almost every tray.
1995: The Department of Defense is placed on vegetable duty
By 1995 the nutrition situation had gotten so dire that the Department of Defense was tasked with providing freshly grown fruits and veggies to American public schools. An extension of an existing program that also supplied Army bases, this move went a long way in helping offset some of the consequences of other school lunch trends.
2000s: Fast food vendors amp up their lunchroom presence
The trend in question? The increased presence of fast food vendors in public school lunchrooms. By 2005 an estimated 50% of cafeterias offered meals from restaurants like McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, and Little Caesar's, all of which met (low) federal government standards and helped with funding.
2010: The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act passes
The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act from the Obama era gives free lunch and breakfast to every kid in school where 40% or more of the student body is food-insecure. This helps to eliminate food shaming, cuts down on administrative work, and ensures that all children, even those who might not technically be food-insecure but don't always have access to high-quality meals, are fed.
2014: Smart Snacks in School standards implemented
Another recent set of regulations, the Smart Snacks in School standards created guidance around the nutritional values of foods and beverages that are sold in schools outside of the federal meal program. These standards place limits on the amount of fat, sugar, sodium, and calories that are acceptable, with the object of lowering obesity rates.
2018: Trump rolls back nutrition standards
In the middle of his single term in office, President Trump quietly rolled back Obama-era regulations that limited sodium content and mandated the inclusion of whole grains in school lunch entrees. In 2020, the rollback was reversed, but for a two-year span, students were back to eating higher-calorie, lower-nutrient options for breakfast and lunch each day.
50 Most Popular Chain Restaurants in America
YouGov investigated the most popular dining brands in the country, and Stacker compiled the list to give readers context on the findings. Read on to look through America's vast and divergent variety of restaurants—maybe you'll even find a favorite or two.
Gallery Credit: Paul Feinstein
#50. Orange Julius
- Positive opinion score: 48%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 52%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 43%
In 1926, Julius Freed opened an orange juice stand in Los Angeles. When Freed's business partner Bill Hamlin mixed the orange juice with a few other ingredients in an effort to lower the acidity that bothered his stomach, the chain's iconic, frothy, creamy orange beverage was born. Dairy Queen acquired Orange Julius in 1987; its smoothies and fruit beverages can now be purchased at drive-throughs and malls around the country.
#49. Auntie Anne's
- Positive opinion score: 48%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 39%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 51%
Auntie Anne's was started in 1988 at a Pennsylvania farmer's market. Founder Anne Beiler began selling her soft, freshly baked pretzels in an effort to fund her dream of providing free family counseling services for her community. To this day, the company makes giving back a priority, partnering with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation to find a cure for childhood cancer.
#48. Golden Corral
- Positive opinion score: 48%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 50%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 45%
Golden Corral's stated mission is to "offer guests real, wholesome foods in a family-friendly atmosphere and at a great value." The restaurant, which opened` in 1973, is a buffet-style eatery offering up classic American dishes from salads and pizzas to fried chicken and ribs. Golden Corral has more than 400 locations around the United States.
#47. In-N-Out Burger
- Positive opinion score: 49%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 43%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 57%
Ask a group of Californians where to find their favorite burgers, and you're guaranteed to hear In-N-Out Burger at least once. The chain's first drive-through stand was opened in Baldwin Park, California, in 1948. It was years before customer favorites like Animal Style burgers, milkshakes, and secret menu items were added to the offerings. Today, there are 358 In-N-Out Burger locations, almost all of which are concentrated on the west coast.
#46. Long John Silver's
- Positive opinion score: 49%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 54%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 45%
Seafood fast-food chain Long John Silver's was born in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1969. The now-international brand offers a variety of fried and grilled seafood entrees, including salmon bowls, fish and chips boxes, and popcorn shrimp sides.
#45. Hard Rock Cafe
- Positive opinion score: 50%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 55%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 45%
What started as a small-themed restaurant in London in 1971 has since turned into a mega-franchise with 185 cafes, more than two dozen hotels, and multiple casinos all over the world. Two Americans, Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, just wanted a good burger in the UK; when they couldn't find one, they started their own company. The cafes are renowned for their extensive collections of rock 'n' roll memorabilia that hang on every free space in the restaurants, as well as regularly scheduled live concerts at many of the venues. The food generally consists of burgers, fries, sandwiches, steaks, and other American favorites.
#44. Ruby Tuesday
- Positive opinion score: 50%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 52%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 45%
Founded in 1972 in Knoxville, Tennessee, Ruby Tuesday is a casual dining restaurant with primarily American-style cuisine consisting of fried appetizers, sandwiches, steaks, pastas, and burgers. The name Ruby Tuesday was derived from the Rolling Stones song of the same name, though there are no official ties to the band. Today there are more than 200 locations in America and around the globe. The original founder, Sandy Beall III, left the company in 2012.
#43. Marie Callender's
- Positive opinion score: 50%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 62%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 38%
Marie Callender was a real person who started selling her home-baked pies to supplement her family's income in the early 1940s. Callender, her husband Carl, and their son Don soon turned the small delivery business into a thriving bakery delivering pies to restaurants around Orange County, California. Pretty soon, the delivery business turned into a retail business with pie shops around California and beyond. Today, Marie Callender operates around 30 stores in the United States that serve a wide variety of pies. It is also a sit-down restaurant chain offering burgers, sandwiches, salads, and other American favorites, such as meatloaf and roasted turkey.
#42. Starbucks
- Positive opinion score: 50%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 43%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 57%
The first Starbucks coffee shop opened in Seattle's Pike Place Market in 1971. The name comes from the first mate in the book "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville. After Howard Schultz bought the brand in 1987, the chain eventually exploded into the biggest coffee empire in the world. Today, the company has more than 30,000 locations in nearly every country and sells a variety of sandwiches, pastries, and other goodies in addition to its coffee products.
#41. Chipotle Mexican Grill
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 47%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 54%
Based in Denver, Colorado, Chipotle serves up real food with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The burrito and bowl spot has more than 2,400 locations throughout the country. The owners chose not to franchise the business, believing instead that holding ownership allows them to set the tone for their employees and better control the quality of their ingredients. McDonald's was an early and major investor but has since divested entirely.
#40. Five Guys
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 47%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 58%
The name Five Guys is derived from founders Jerry Murrell and his four sons Ben, Jim, Chad, and Matt. The family-owned business got its start in the Washington D.C. area in 1986, and has since expanded to more than 1,500 locations in the United States and around the world. Five Guys is a fast-casual chain known for its burgers, hot dogs, and fries, but true fans of the establishment know about the secret menu. It includes favorites like the patty melt, double-grilled cheeseburger, or the Presidential, so-named for President Barack Obama's special order: a cheeseburger with jalapeno peppers, lettuce, tomato, and mustard.
#39. Papa John's
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 47%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 56%
Although its founder John Schnatter was ousted as CEO over his controversial comments on the NFL in 2017, the franchise is still going strong with more than 3,000 locations around the United States. Papa John's was founded by Schnatter in 1984 and is known for its signature dipping sauce that separates it from other pizza delivery chains like Domino's and Pizza Hut.
#38. Boston Market
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 56%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 41%
Originally called Boston Chicken when it was founded in 1985 in Newton, Massachusetts, Boston Market is an inexpensive rotisserie chicken restaurant with nearly 350 locations across the United States. The company changed its name in 1995 after expanding its menu to include ribs, meatloaf, turkey, and a bevy of savory sides.
#37. Waffle House
- Positive opinion score: 51%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 52%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 54%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 49%
Waffle House is one of the biggest franchises in the United States, consisting of more than 2,000 locations across 25 states. The first Waffle House launched in Avondale Estates, Georgia, where partners Joe Rogers and Tom Forkner opened their restaurant on Labor Day of 1955. Every Waffle House is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and serves reasonably priced waffles (of course), as well as omelets, melts, steak and eggs, burgers, and sandwiches.
#36. Red Robin
- Positive opinion score: 53%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 54%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 54%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 53%
Founded in Seattle in 1940, the original name of the restaurant was Sam's Red Robin. That all changed when Gerry Kingen bought the restaurant in 1969 and began rapid expansion across the country. Today, there are more than 500 Red Robin restaurants, which are considered casual dining spots with American fare like burgers, sandwiches, and fried appetizers.
#35. TGI Fridays
- Positive opinion score: 54%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 55%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 50%
TGI Fridays is a casual dining establishment and bar that first opened in New York City in 1965. It quickly became a hotspot and was one of the first restaurants to use promotions like Ladies' Nights. On the food front, American fare is the order of the day with fried appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, and steaks on the menu. Today, there are more than 300 TGI Fridays in the United States and hundreds more around the world. In popular culture, TGI Fridays was the hopping bar in the movie "Cocktail" where Tom Cruise spun bottles and helped kick off an international flair bartending craze.
#34. Buffalo Wild Wings
- Positive opinion score: 55%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 52%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 54%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 61%
When Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery were living in Ohio in 1982, they had a hankering for Buffalo-style wings--only they realized there was nowhere to satiate their craving. As a result, the two men opened their own restaurant and Buffalo Wild Wings has since turned into an international craze with more than 1,000 locations around the globe. The restaurant is known for its Buffalo-style wings, but it's also a sports bar that serves sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and lots of cold brews.
#33. Mrs. Fields
- Positive opinion score: 55%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 61%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 66%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 49%
There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, and no one did it better than Debbi Fields. She opened her eponymous cookie shop, Mrs. Fields, in California in 1977 and quickly grew the business with outlets in malls across the United States. Today, the cookie business is still booming with more than 300 locations, in addition to a massive online ordering component.
#32. LongHorn Steakhouse
- Positive opinion score: 56%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 55%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 51%
First opened in 1981 in Atlanta as LongHorn Steaks Restaurant & Saloon, the LongHorn Steakhouse is a casual dining steak joint with more than 450 locations around the United States. The chain is owned and operated by Darden Restaurants, whose portfolio also includes the Olive Garden, Yard House, and The Capital Grille. Obviously known for its steaks, LongHorn Steakhouse also serves burgers, sandwiches, ribs, chicken, and fish.
#31. A&W Restaurants
- Positive opinion score: 56%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 60%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 58%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 51%
This fast-food chain was first popularized back in 1919 as a root beer stand in California. With the advent of Prohibition in the 1920s, A&W played on the name root beer to attract alcohol drinkers to its establishment. Today, A&W is still famous for its draft-style root beer, root beer floats, and sizzling burgers. A&W's root beer was so popular that the company began selling the drink in bottles and cans. The company now has locations across the globe and is part of a conglomerate that includes Dr. Pepper, Snapple, and 7 Up.
#30. Denny's
- Positive opinion score: 56%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 56%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 61%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 52%
Harold Butler and Richard Jezak opened a donut stand in 1953 called Danny's Donuts, where they aimed to serve the best coffee and donuts 24 hours a day. The name was changed to Denny's Coffee Shops in 1959 and then finally Denny's in 1961. Since then, the breakfast joint--which is still open 24 hours each day--has expanded around the world with more than 1,600 restaurants. Denny's is typically known for its diner-style ambiance and breakfast items, but the restaurant also serves burgers, steaks, and other American fare throughout the day.
#29. Little Caesars
- Positive opinion score: 57%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 47%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 62%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 59%
Little Caesars was started by a husband-and-wife team in Michigan in 1959. Today, it is one of the biggest pizza chains in the United States. The company truly took off in 1979 when it coined its famous phrase "Pizza! Pizza!" and started selling two pizzas for the price of one. Today, the chain has thousands of locations around the world and is just as well-known for its sit-down restaurants as it is for delivery and carry-out.
#28. Red Lobster
- Positive opinion score: 57%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 58%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 63%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 51%
Bill Darden started Red Lobster in Lakeland, Fla., in 1968 with a single restaurant. Today, there are more than 700 Red Lobster joints around the world. Red Lobster is a family-friendly restaurant whose mission is to bring inexpensive seafood to the masses. The menu always includes a fresh catch of the day, in addition to lobster, shrimp, steaks, and sides. Red Lobster was formerly part of the Darden Restaurants group, which also counts Yard House, LongHorn Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille in its portfolio. Now, it is owned by Golden Gate Capital.
#27. McDonald's
- Positive opinion score: 58%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 54%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 63%
Though Ray Kroc is credited with McDonald's meteoric rise around the world, the fast-food burger joint was actually started by Dick and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California. After eating at the restaurant, Kroc was so impressed that he started franchising and bought the exclusive rights to McDonald's in 1961. Today, the fast-food chain--known for burgers, fries, and drive-thrus--is one of the most recognizable brands on the planet with over 30,000 restaurants and billions of dollars in sales.
#26. Cold Stone Creamery
- Positive opinion score: 58%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 56%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 57%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 59%
Cold Stone Creamery is an ice cream parlor chain where sugary treats are made to order. Cold Stone's specialty is mixing up ice cream flavors atop a 16-degree granite slab with a choice of numerous toppings. Cold Stone started in Tempe, Arizona, in 1988, and now has more than 1,000 locations. Today, the company is owned by Kahala Brands, which also has Baja Fresh, Blimpie, and Pinkberry in its portfolio.
#25. Chili's
- Positive opinion score: 58%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 61%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 55%
After falling in love with chili cook-offs, Chili's Grill & Bar founder Larry Lavine decided to open his own restaurant in Texas in 1975 to share that love with the world. Chili's concept was always a family-friendly, casual dining eatery at reasonable prices, and that mantra remains to this day. The sit-down restaurant is known for its burgers, fajitas, and all kinds of American fare at more than 1,000 locations across the globe.
#24. Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits
- Positive opinion score: 59%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 55%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 61%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 60%
New Orleans has a long and savory culinary history, and that's where Popeyes Louisiana Chicken was born and bred. Founded in 1972, Popeyes was launched by Al Copeland and allegedly takes its name from Detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle from the movie "The French Connection." Today, Popeyes is known for its succulent and inexpensive fried chicken in restaurants around the world. There are currently more than 2,600 outlets and growing.
#23. Applebee's
- Positive opinion score: 59%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 63%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 55%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 58%
With over 2,000 locations, Applebee's is a fast-casual dining spot that is now ubiquitous around the world. With slogans like "Eating good in the neighborhood," Applebee's solidified itself as a family dining destination with reasonable prices. The company first broke ground in 1980 in Atlanta and has been expanding ever since with American classics like sandwiches, burgers, ribs, pastas, and fried appetizers. Today, Applebee's is part of a dining group that also includes IHOP.
#22. Sonic
- Positive opinion score: 60%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 58%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 56%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 61%
When Sonic first opened in Oklahoma in 1953, it was considered revolutionary for its ordering process. Customers could drive into a lane, order through a speaker, and never leave their cars as their food was brought out to them. The company still features carhops (aka servers on skates) and now, there are more than 3,000 establishments across the United States serving burgers, milkshakes, hot dogs, and fries. Sonic is part of a restaurant group that also includes Buffalo Wild Wings and Arby's.
#21. Arby's
- Positive opinion score: 60%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 67%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 53%
The name Arby's comes from its founders Leroy and Forrest Raffel, known as the Raffel Brothers--hence R.B.'s. The brothers were looking to start a fast-food franchise that would be different than the popular burger chains. As a result, they landed on freshly sliced roast beef sandwiches and have been growing ever since. Arby's slogan "We have the meats" still holds true, as the sandwich shop serves everything from roast beef and turkey to brisket and Italian subs.
#20. Texas Roadhouse
- Positive opinion score: 60%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 61%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 67%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 55%
Despite its name, Texas Roadhouse is a western-themed steak joint that's headquartered in Louisville, Ky., and has origins in Clarksville, Ind. Opened by Kent Taylor in 1993, the Roadhouse has more than 600 locations around the world including the United States, Indonesia, and Turkey. The family-friendly restaurant is known for its variety of hand-cut steaks, but it also offers chicken, sandwiches, burgers, and other American specialties.
#19. Domino's
- Positive opinion score: 61%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 50%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 64%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 64%
Domino's Pizza used to be called DomiNick's, but the name was changed after brothers Tom and James Monoghan bought the restaurant for $500. Domino's concept was founded on delivering hot pizza to homes in a timely manner, and its meteoric success now equates to more than 17,000 restaurants in more than 90 countries. In addition to pizza, Domino's includes made-to-order salads, sides, and sandwiches on its menu.
#18. Taco Bell
- Positive opinion score: 61%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 56%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 59%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 61%
Founded by Glen Bell in San Bernardino, California, Taco Bell was originally a hot dog stand called Bell's Drive-in in 1954. Bell opened his first Taco Bell in 1962 and began franchising outlets around Los Angeles and beyond. The fast-food Mexican restaurant became one of the fastest-growing brands in the world, and there are now upwards of 7,000 locations. Bell eventually sold his stake in Taco Bell to PepsiCo, which then sold to Yum! Brands, which also owns Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
#17. Cracker Barrel
- Positive opinion score: 62%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 67%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 58%
With a Southern country ethos based on warm hospitality and home-style food, Cracker Barrel has been a roadside staple since 1969. The part restaurant, part gift shop got its start in Tennessee as a family-friendly, sit-down restaurant. There are now more than 600 Cracker Barrels around the country, and they can usually be found close to highways, as they're known to attract long-haul commuters with their food and general stores.
#16. Burger King
- Positive opinion score: 62%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 63%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 63%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 60%
The McDonald brothers didn't just inspire the McDonald's franchise. After eating at the famed San Bernardino restaurant in the 1950s, Matthew Burns and Keith Kramer bought the rights to a grill called the Insta-Broiler and opened Insta-Burger King in 1953 in Florida. The name changed to Burger King in 1954, and explosive growth has continued since. Today, Burger King has more than 18,000 locations around the world and serves a variety of fast-food items like charbroiled burgers, fries, chicken, and even breakfast items.
#15. Pizza Hut
- Positive opinion score: 62%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 58%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 69%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 63%
Known for its iconic red roofs, Pizza Hut is a part sit-down restaurant, part carry-out spot, and part pizza delivery place. Founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kan., as a single outlet, today, there are more than 18,000 locations around the world. Pizza Hut is also famous for its pizza innovations, trotting out items like stuffed crusts with melted cheese, a calzone-like pizza concoction called the P'zone, and the Dippin' Strips pizza, which features pieces that can be pulled off and dipped in marinara sauce.
#14. KFC
- Positive opinion score: 62%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 62%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 70%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 60%
The secrecy around Kentucky Fried Chicken's special recipe remains shrouded in mystery, but the fast-food chain is as popular as ever with 24,000 outlets around the world. Colonel Harland Sanders created KFC's famous fried chicken in 1940 and grew the company into the multibillion-dollar behemoth it is today. KFC is known for its buckets of fried chicken, along with sandwiches and sides that include everything from mac and cheese and corn to green beans and potatoes.
#13. Olive Garden
- Positive opinion score: 63%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 67%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 65%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 58%
The Olive Garden is a fast-casual Italian restaurant that caters to families looking for tasty pasta without breaking the bank. The company was originally founded as a division of General Mills in 1982 and is famous for its menu items and specials like unlimited breadsticks, salads, soups, and never-ending pasta bowls. Today, there are 900 Olive Gardens. The company is part of the Darden Restaurants Group that includes Yard House, LongHorn Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille.
#12. Chick-fil-A
- Positive opinion score: 63%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 61%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 66%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 65%
Founded as the Dwarf Grill in 1946 outside Atlanta, Chick-fil-A is now a multibillion-dollar fast-food chain that specializes in chicken sandwiches. The company's founder, S. Truett Cathy, was deeply religious, and because of that, Chick-fil-A is always closed on Sundays. It has also seen its fair share of controversy. Even though there are more than 2,000 locations, Chick-fil-A is still owned and operated by the founding family, and the restaurant maintains consistency throughout by selling the same chicken sandwiches, nuggets, strips, and wraps at all its locations.
#11. Outback Steakhouse
- Positive opinion score: 64%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 67%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 63%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 62%
Despite its name, Outback Steakhouse is merely an Australian-inspired steak restaurant; it was founded in Tampa, Florida, in 1988. The restaurant initially differentiated itself by providing top-quality steaks at reasonable prices, placing it in the middle between low-end meat spots and high-end steak joints. The family-friendly establishment is known for steaks, of course, but also creative delicacies like the Bloomin' Onion, Kookaburra Wings, Sydney 'Shrooms, and other Aussie-themed items.
#10. Panera Bread
- Positive opinion score: 65%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 65%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 60%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 68%
Panera Bread actually started as the St. Louis Bread Company in Missouri in 1987. When it was purchased by Au Bon Pain in 1993, the name was changed to Panera. The fast-casual, sit-down restaurant is famous for its freshly baked bread, sandwiches, and a variety of pastries, soups, and salads. Panera has more than 2,300 locations in the United States and Canada, and today it's owned by JAB Holding Company, a European group whose portfolio also includes Pret a Manger and Peet's Coffee.
#9. The Cheesecake Factory
- Positive opinion score: 66%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 66%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 70%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 61%
Anyone who has ever eaten at a Cheesecake Factory knows the menu can be overwhelming, with its endless pages of food items. But the restaurant had much humbler beginnings as a small salad and sandwich shop in Beverly Hills, Calif., with a variety of cheesecakes that all fit on a one-page menu. Since its start in 1978, The Cheesecake Factory has grown into a family-friendly juggernaut with more than 200 outlets around the world serving everything from soups, salads, and appetizers to pastas, sandwiches, burgers, and, of course, a large variety of cheesecakes.
#8. IHOP
- Positive opinion score: 66%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 65%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 65%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 66%
The International House of Pancakes has been an American breakfast staple since it opened in 1958. The shortened name IHOP was coined about 15 years later and is now the official name of the company. Serving pancakes at more than 1,800 restaurants around the world, IHOP is a family-friendly enterprise known for clever branding and iconic menu items like the Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity Pancakes, Signature Pancake Sliders, and other savory dishes. It started as breakfast only, but today, the restaurants have sandwiches, burgers, and other lunch and dinner items.
#7. Dunkin'
- Positive opinion score: 69%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 67%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 72%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 69%
Formerly known as Dunkin' Donuts, Dunkin' is a coffee and donut shop founded by Bill Rosenberg in 1950 in Quincy, Mass. With the world's never-ending appetite for the round and sweet, Dunkin' has since opened more than 12,000 locations globally. While donuts are the specialty, the company's coffee also garners praise and the shops have expanded their menus to include sandwiches, wraps, and bagels.
#6. Krispy Kreme
- Positive opinion score: 69%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 69%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 71%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 68%
The secret to Krispy Kreme's fluffy donuts lies in a recipe that Vernon Rudolph bought in 1937 from a New Orleans chef. Since then, the wafting scents of Krispy Kreme's addictive donuts have cascaded over cities around the world. There are now more than 1,000 Krispy Kreme donut shops that provide customers with everything from the original glazed and strawberry-filled to Oreo Cookies and Kreme and donut holes.
#5. Cinnabon
- Positive opinion score: 69%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 65%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 72%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 72%
Cinnabon's mission was to create the world's greatest cinnamon roll, and with the level of success the company has achieved, it might just have accomplished that feat. The small cinnamon roll shop started in Seattle in 1985 and has grown to more than 1,200 locations around the world. Cinnabon is more bakery than a sit-down restaurant, and it serves a variety of cinnamon treats in addition to its famous rolls. Today, Cinnabon is owned by Focus Brands, which also owns Auntie Anne's, Jamba Juice, and Schlotzsky's.
#4. Subway
- Positive opinion score: 69%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 69%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 68%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 66%
When nuclear physicist Peter Buck loaned Fred DeLuca $1,000 to open a sub sandwich shop in 1965, the seeds of Subway were officially planted. The first store was located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and franchises began popping up soon after. The official Subway name was first used in 1968; since then, the fast-food sandwich chain has grown to over 40,000 locations around the world. The restaurant itself is known for its wide-ranging menu of sub sandwiches, but also salads, wraps, and some breakfast items.
#3. Wendy's
- Positive opinion score: 70%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 69%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 73%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 67%
Named after founder Dave Thomas's daughter Melinda Lou "Wendy" Thomas, Wendy's was first opened in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969. Known for its square-shaped burger patties, Wendy's was one of the first of the big chains to adopt a drive-thru window. Wendy's popularity has been boosted by its creative advertising campaigns, like the 1984 "Where's the Beef?" ad and Thomas's frequent spots as the company spokesman. Today there are more than 6,000 locations around the world serving the same square-shaped burgers, fries, baked potatoes, and Frostys.
#2. Dairy Queen
- Positive opinion score: 72%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 77%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 75%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 66%
The first Dairy Queen store opened in 1940 in Joliet, Illinois, after co-founder John Fremont McCullough developed a formula for soft-serve ice cream. McCullough opened the shop with Sherb Noble, and the brand has been expanding ever since. Known for its ice cream, Dairy Queen is also famous for sweet-treat inventions like the Peanut Buster Parfait and the Blizzard. Dairy Queen is much more than just an ice cream shop these days, as it also serves burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, and fries. There are more than 6,800 Dairy Queen's around the world and the uber-popular brand shows no sign of slowing down.
#1. Baskin-Robbins
- Positive opinion score: 75%
--- Popularity among Boomers: 80%
--- Popularity among Gen X: 74%
--- Popularity among Millennials: 70%
Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins were brothers-in-law who wanted to open an ice cream shop where families could gather to enjoy tasty treats. Though they originally opened separate stores, eventually the men merged to form Baskin-Robbins, boasting 31 flavors. Today there are more than 8,000 locations globally, and Baskin-Robbins is part of Inspire Brands, which also owns Dunkin'.
LOOK: 40 Discontinued & Special Edition Kellogg's Cereals
LOOK: Here Are 30 Foods That Are Poisonous to Dogs
To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.
Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.
Potatoes are examples of another food where solanine is the culprit for toxicity. The compound blocks a chemical called acetylcholine, which dogs need to transmit nerve impulses. The result can be issues with their nervous systems and intestinal tracts. Like with tomatoes, the risk occurs when potatoes are green or unripe, and in the green sprouts, or eyes, that grow on them.
Cherries
Green tomatoes
Chives are yet another food in the allium family which, like garlic, leeks, and onions, can be poisonous to dogs in large amounts. "Toxic doses of chives can cause damage to the red blood cells (making them more likely to rupture) leading to anemia," explains Pet Poison Helpline. Additionally, the hotline warns that symptoms can be delayed, sometimes not appearing for several days.
Alcohol
Although small amounts are not likely to kill most dogs, the potential for severe poisoning and other health issues exists. Alcohol can cause significant drops in blood pressure, body temperature, and blood sugar, which can lead to seizures and even respiratory failure in worst-case scenarios.
Mustard
Mustard is not likely to be lethal to dogs in small doses; however, in higher amounts it can be toxic and, generally speaking, it's not a good thing for your dog to consume. In fact, due to mustard's mildly toxic nature, it is often something that's suggested by vets as a way to induce vomiting. The same goes for mustard seeds, often used in cooking.
Currants
This one is tricky because even though true currants are not toxic, many currants sold in the United States (sometimes called "Zante currants") are actually just tiny raisins made from Corinth grapes. These cause the same issues with toxicity that regular grapes and raisins do, potentially leading to kidney failure.
Peaches
Although the peach flesh itself is fine for dogs to eat, the pits of peaches contain amygdalin, the same substance found in apple seeds--which releases cyanide. Your pup would have to consume several peach pits to get sick; however, this isn't beyond the realm of possibility if you have a dog who gets into everything. For this reason, it's best to keep peaches out of dogs' reach. In addition to the cyanide issue, the pits pose a choking hazard.
Nutmeg contains a compound called myristicin which, when ingested in large quantities, can lead to rapid heart rate, hallucinations, and seizures in dogs, according to Stephanie Liff of Brooklyn Cares Veterinary Hospital. Baked goods or other recipes containing small amounts of the spice do not pose a threat; however, if your dog chews on the spice container or gets into the small packets from the bulk spice aisle, it could potentially be very serious.
Although the flesh of apples is not toxic, the seeds can be poisonous due to the presence of a compound called amygdalin. They have to be consumed in large quantities and they must be chewed to be toxic, so a few seeds are unlikely to kill your dog. However, if you plan to feed your dog apples, veterinarians recommend seeding and coring them first.
Tobacco
Tobacco isn't technically a food, but it's certainly something that humans ingest that can be extremely lethal to your pooch. If you're a smoker, it's important to always keep cigarettes out of reach of dogs, especially if your pup is prone to chewing on random objects. The same goes for e-cigarettes, liquid nicotine, chewing tobacco, nicotine inhalers, and cigars, all of which are common sources of tobacco poisoning.
Regular walnuts (often called English walnuts) are safe for dogs to eat, but the less common black walnut can be toxic. These specialty nuts are used in desserts and baked goods, although poisoning usually occurs in nature when dogs find them on the ground or eat bark from the tree. In fact, the black walnut ranks among the five most poisonous trees to large animals.
Vitamins containing iron can be toxic for dogs, particularly prenatal supplements, which tend to have higher amounts than standard vitamins. That's because dogs don't have a way of excreting excess iron, causing buildups up in the body. In addition to vitamins, cases of iron toxicity can also come from dogs eating oxygen absorbers (those small silica packets found in things like beef jerky).
Wild mushrooms
While the types of mushrooms you purchase in the grocery store are typically safe for dogs, wild mushrooms growing in your yard or out in nature can be toxic. If you have mushrooms around your house, make sure to pull them up regularly. If you catch your dog trying to eat them in the wilderness, stop them immediately.
Xylitol
Xylitol is a sugar alternative found in human foods such as candy, chewing gum, and many baked sweets. It's extremely toxic to dogs, causing rapid insulin release that can put them in a coma within 15 to 20 minutes. Veterinarians may advise feeding your dog syrup or honey on the way to the emergency clinic to boost their blood sugar during the drive. However, you should only do this if you receive instructions to do so.
Milk
All mammals are designed to drink milk from their mothers as infants, gradually weaning off as they grow and transition to water and solid foods. After infancy, it's not uncommon for mammals to experience some level of lactose intolerance when consuming milk products in general and certainly those from other species (different mammals react differently, as will individuals within those groups). So while milk is not technically poisonous for dogs; it's worth keeping it on their "do not feed" list. Some dogs are OK with it, others experience extreme discomfort in addition to potential health problems, especially among certain breeds.
Spinach
Spinach is the subject of widespread debate among veterinarians and other dog experts. It contains a high amount of oxalic acid, a substance known to interfere with dogs' abilities to absorb calcium, causing kidney damage. Like many foods on this list, how much is consumed has a lot to do with how toxic it is. It's probably OK for your dog to have a small amount of spinach every now and then, but regular consumption can lead to serious health problems.
No one knows what ingredient or compound in grapes and raisins makes them so poisonous to dogs, but they rank among the most serious food threats. Even small amounts can cause sudden kidney failure, often signaled by your dog ceasing to urinate. Other symptoms include foul breath, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some dogs are extremely susceptible to grape and raisin poisoning while others can eat them with no problem--another thing that confounds experts.
Macadamia nuts
While oranges are typically fine for your dog to eat, citrus oil--often used medicinally--is not. This is because of the insecticidal properties of the oil, which can lead to liver failure in dogs. In addition to preventing your pup from ingesting it, you should never rub it on your dog's skin medicinally because they are likely to lick it off. Note that many essential oils contain citrus, not just citrus oil itself.
Rhubarb
Although humans love rhubarb pies, the sweet treat can cause kidney failure in dogs due to an antinutrient called oxalic acid. The substance creates crystals in the urinary tract and can cause the kidneys to shut down. Signs of rhubarb poisoning can include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, bloody urine, changes in thirst, and other symptoms.
Chocolate
Eating unbaked bread dough can be extremely dangerous for your dog because the fermenting yeast gets rapidly absorbed in the bloodstream, where it produces enough ethanol to cause alcohol poisoning. Additionally, yeast dough can rise as it moves through the digestive system, potentially twisting the stomach--a situation that can lead to death. Even if the yeast doesn't cause a life-threatening emergency, it can severely bloat your pup's stomach, causing intense pain and discomfort.
Garlic is an allium, a family of foods that can be fatal to dogs due to a compound called thiosulfate that damages red blood cells. It takes a lot of garlic to cause toxicity but some breeds, particularly Japanese ones (such as akitas and shiba inus), are particularly susceptible. "Signs of garlic poisoning can be delayed and not apparent for several days," explains the Pet Poison Helpline. "While tiny amounts of these foods in some pets, especially dogs, may be safe, large amounts can be very toxic."
