23 Fast-Food Chains We Wish Would Come to Greater Cincinnati Already

Cook Out

Founded in Greensboro, in 1989, Cook Out was a chain that operated only in North Carolina until 2010 when it expanded into South Carolina. And in the last 12 years, it’s grown considerably and now has locations throughout the southern United States, including in nearby Lexington. Cook Out prides itself on its char-grilled hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, which you can get in a range of “styles,” like the Cook Out Style burger, which comes with homemade chili, slaw, mustard and onion or the Cajun Style chicken sandwich, which comes with Cajun seasoning, Texas Pete hot sauce, lettuce tomato and mayo. Cook Out’s menu also includes hot dogs, hush puppies, BBQ sandwiches and plates and more. You can also do a Tray, or a combo, and get an entree, two sides and a drink. And we need to take a second to talk about their shake menu: Their list comes with nearly 40 flavors with everything from your classic vanilla or banana to five different kinds of cheesecake flavors, red cherry and pineapple.

Whataburger

Opened in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1950 during the “golden age of drive-ins and American automobiles,” Whataburger grew from a burger stand to over 900 stores across the western and southern parts of the United States. Unfortunately, none of the 900-plus restaurants are in the Tri-State area. What are we missing out on? The classic Whataburger comes with a large beef patty on a large bun with tomato, lettuce, pickles, diced onions and mustard. You can also swap the bun for a brioche bun or Texas toast or add American or Monterey cheese, jalapeños, bacon or avocado. Sauce lovers can also ask for their spicy ketchup or famous honey butter, both of which go great with fries. Other all-time favorites include the Sweet & Spicy Bacon Burger, the Whataburger Patty Melt and a Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich. If none of those are hitting you, the menu, which varies based on location, also lists chicken strips and sandwiches, breakfast options, fries, onion rings and a selection of delicious shakes and malts – including a limited-time Dr. Pepper shake that looks divine, if only because we can’t get our hands on one.

Dave’s Hot Chicken

UPDATE: Cincinnati is slated to get seven Dave's Hot Chicken locations within the next few years.
Dave’s Hot Chicken’s story starts out in an East Hollywood parking lot. The chain’s founders say they scrounged up $900 to set up a stand and begin selling their hot chicken, which soon became a star of the L.A. food scene. Soon, lines stretched around the block to get a taste of the juicy chicken topped with Chef Dave Kopushyan’s signature mix of spices. Now, the chain is expanding rapidly, but it stays true to its roots with a simple menu. The hot chicken is the star, offered as tenders or sliders with varying levels of heat from no spice at all to “Reaper.” The sides include fries – cheesy or plain, mac & cheese, kale slaw or a single tender or slider. And to take the heat off, you can order a chocolate, strawberry or vanilla milkshake. And with restaurants popping up so quickly, we think it’s only a matter of time before Cincinnati hits the hot chicken jackpot.

Jollibee

The fastest-growing Asian restaurant company in the world, according to their website, Jollibee serves up Filipino-inspired fast food. The chain offers its famous crispy, juicy Chickenjoy fried chicken, Jolly Spaghetti – spaghetti topped with a sweet-style sauce and loaded with slices of ham, hot dogs and ground meat and the Palabok Fiesta, their take on a traditional Filipino noodle dish covered with garlic sauce, sauteed pork, shrimp and egg. Jollibee’s menu also has chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches topped with umami or sriracha mayo and burgers.

Zaxby’s

Zaxby’s prides itself on its “indescribably good chicken” and Zax sauce, which is seemingly a mix of ketchup, mayo, garlic powder, white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Their menu contains all the traditional chicken offerings like tenders, wings and sandwiches, as well as salads, sides – like fried white cheddar bites and egg rolls – and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. And while none of Zaxby’s’ 900-plus stores are in the Greater Cincinnati area, you can nab some of their chicken with a quick trip down I-75 to Georgetown, Kentucky, or the Lexington area.

Bojangles

“IT’S BO TIME!” is something we could shout if we had a Bojangles nearby. Offering a fast-food take on traditional southern comfort food, Bojangles is best known for its chicken ‘n biscuits. In addition to regular chicken sandwiches, the chain also offers biscuit sandwiches, like the Cajun Chicken Filet Biscuit Sandwich, an “all white meat chicken breast marinated with a bold blend of seasonings and served on a made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuit,” or the Southern Gravy Biscuit, which is a “hot, open-faced, made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuit topped with delicious, country style sausage gravy.” Their menu also features bone-in fried chicken, salads and “fixin’s,” which includes “Bo-Tato Rounds,” macaroni & cheese, green beans and other traditional southern sides. Luckily, you don’t have to go too far to find a Bojangles – Georgetown, Kentucky, is home to one.

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken

If you want phenomenal fried chicken, look no further than this Memphis tradition. Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken started as a family restaurant, Maggie’s Short Orders, in Memphis in 1973 and was owned by Napoleon “Na” Vanderbilt and his wife Maggie. In the ‘80s, Vanderbilt’s only son, Veron “Gus” Bonner inherited his father’s famous chicken recipe and the restaurant. He reopened it as Gus’s World Famous Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken and not only continued his father’s legacy, but expanded it. There are now 35 Gus’s locations throughout the country, including in nearby Lexington. Gus’s says what makes their chicken so good starts with the skin, which they deep-fry to the color of bourbon and until it has the cruch of an eggshell. Beneath the skin, the chicken is tender and juicy, and the overall flavor is described as bold with a pleasant spice to it. Each location has its own menu, but the bone-in chicken pieces are a constant. At the Lexington restaurant, you can order starters like fried okra, fried pickles with ranch or fried green tomatoes. You can also get baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad and more on the side.

Portillo’s

Portillo’s is home to everything we love about Windy City street food with menu items like Italian beef and pepper sandwiches, Chicago-style hot dogs, Polish sausages, crispy onion rings and fries that come with cheese sauce for dipping. Portillo’s also carries an array of pasta dishes, chicken sandwiches and tenders, burgers, bowls and salads. And if you’re not too full after, you can also try the Chocolate Cake Shake or Strawberry Shortcake that’s made fresh every morning for dessert. But if you’re really craving some Portillo’s, they do have a shop on their website where they sell kits that allow you to make your own hot dogs or Italian beef sandwiches.

Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza

For those who want to put a little of their own work into their fast food, Papa Murphy’s is well-known for their “take-and-bake” pizzas. Take-and-bake pizzas are awesome because not only are they customizable, they’re also convenient because they’re ready to eat when you are. Papa Murphy’s offers create-your-own pizzas, as well as specialty ones like the Cowboy (pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, black olives, cheddar, herb and cheese blend, mozzarella, and red sauce) or the Chicken Bacon Artichoke, as well as stuffed pizzas. They also offer dairy-free cheese and keto crustless pizzas for those with dietary restrictions. On the side, you can order one of their salads, meatballs in marinara sauce or the five-cheese garlic bread.

CAVA

If you like your fast food a little healthier, CAVA is a fast-casual chain with Mediterranean-style bowls, salads and pita wraps. You can select a pre-designed bowl or salad off the menu, like the Lentil Avocado Bowl (falafel, roasted vegetables, roasted eggplant, hummus, avocado, lentil tabbouleh, spinach and SuperGreens), or customize your own, topping it with fresh, whole-food ingredients like spinach, brown rice, hummus, roasted white sweet potatoes, grilled chicken, vegetables and more. As a side, order some pita chips and hummus or roasted eggplant to dip them in.

El Pollo Loco

El Pollo Loco offers Mexican-style meals like burritos, tacos, bowls and tostada salads centered around their famous fire-grilled chicken and handmade guacamoles and salsas. They also offer entrees featuring pieces of their bone-in chicken served with rice, beans and tortillas. On the side, you can get the Loco Side Salad or more traditional southern styles like broccoli, macaroni & cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy or coleslaw.

Fatburger

Fatburger, a.k.a. The Last Great Hamburger Stand, was first founded in 1947 by Lovie Yancey as Mr. Fatburger. But in 1952, Yancey and her husband split, so she dropped the “Mr.” from Fatburger, put in 18-hour days and made Fatburger into an icon. “The name of the store was my idea, I wanted to get across the idea of a big burger with everything on it … a meal in itself,” Yancey once said. And these burgers are massive, with the patties coming as a third of a pound, half a pound, a whole pound and even a pound and a half. and the burgers being built to order. You can customize your burger with add-ons like egg, chili, bacon, onion rings and cheese. Fatburger also offers gluten-free buns and dairy-free cheese for those with dietary restrictions. Complete the meal with a side of fries (fat or skinny) and a shake, which also come in vegan flavors.

Del Taco

Best known for its mix of Mexican and American-style food, Del Taco has about 600 locations across 16 states, including here in Ohio – but the closest one is in Circleville, almost two hours away. Their menu features, of course, tacos, as well as other Mexican-style fast food, like tamales, including ones smothered in red and green sauce or chili and cheese, and their Epic Burritos, which can come as simple as beans or cheese or with crispy chicken and Del Taco’s fresh, housemade guac for the more adventurous. They’ve also got burgers, fries and shakes available.

In-N-Out Burger

The first In-N-Out Burger opened in a tiny space in Baldwin Park, California in 1948. Since then, it’s grown to nearly 400 locations in the western United States. No place east of the Mississippi River has been graced by the famous burger: a toasted bun topped with an all-beef patty, onion, lettuce, tomato and In-N-Out’s special spread, which is made from ketchup, mayo and sweet pickle relish. The chain also has fries, which are fresh, hand-cut and prepared in sunflower oil, and shakes, which come in chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. You can also order a double, triple or quadruple burger or grilled cheese off the “Not So Secret Menu,” which says you can order your burger “Protein Style” (no bun) or “Animal Style” (a mustard-grilled beef patty, grilled onions, pickles and extra spread).

The Halal Guys

The Halal Guys have been serving authentic halal food since 1990. Their menu offers the staples of beef, chicken and falafel as platters or sandwiches, along with sides of Baba Ghanoush, hummus, falafel and fries. For dessert, you can enjoy a piece of baklava or a chocolate chip cookie.

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue offers the comfort food of Hawaii on the mainland. The menu features Hawaiian plate lunches with a side of aloha with every meal. You can enjoy their BBQ Chicken or BBQ Beef as a plate or bowl; the smoky, slow-roasted Kalua Pork with Cabbage or even Spam: Spam Musubi, an island classic that comes with a slice of grilled Spam on rice and wrapped in dried seaweed, or Spam Saimin, a noodle soup unique to Hawaii that comes with Spam and green onion.

Nando’s PERi-PERi

Nando’s PERi-PERi was started in South Africa and can now be found throughout Washington D.C., Illinois, Maryland, Texas and Virginia. Their specialty is their flame-grilled peri-peri, a type of pepper grown in Africa, chicken. Nando’s mixes the peppers with salt, garlic, lemon, onion, oil and vinegar to make their signature sauce. On the menu, you can order this PERi-PERi Chicken to your preferred heat, and it comes as bone-in pieces, wings, a boneless breast, in sandwiches or wraps or as skewers. Nando’s also has bowls, a veggie burger and their Sweet Potato Halloumi (a traditional Cypriot cheese) Sandwich or Pita. Sharables include spicy olives, halloumi sticks and chili jam, PERi-PERi wings, garlic sticks and hummus with a PERi-PERi drizzle.

Tudor’s Biscuit World

Based in West Virginia, Tudor’s Biscuit World serves hearty meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The chain is best known for its namesake with a large variety of biscuit sandwiches like the Mickey (Canadian bacon, egg and melted cheese), Dottie (potato, egg and cheese) and Apple Biscuit (fried apples), just to name a few. The menu also includes large breakfast platters piled high with classic country-style foods like bacon, eggs and potatoes. For lunch, you can try the burger, BLT or hot dog, and dinner features offerings like country-fried steak, meatloaf and beans and cornbread.

Jamba

Jamba is best known for their fresh-squeezed juices and fruit and vegetable smoothies, but they also offer bowls, “handwiches” and baked goods. On the smoothie menu, you can grab a classic like the Watermelon Breeze, which is a watermelon-grape juice blended with raspberry sherbert, strawberries and pineapples or the matcha tea-based Go Getter. Their juices feature freshly juiced vegetables like carrots or spinach and fruits. They even have wheatgrass and ginger orange cayenne shots.

Church’s Texas Chicken

George W. Church opened the first Church’s Fried Chicken To-Go across the street from the Alamo in San Antonio in 1952. Since then, it’s expanded to over 1,700 locations across the United States, according to the chain’s LinkedIn. And while Dayton is lucky enough to have three restaurants, Cincinnatians are still missing out on Church’s crispy and hand-flavored chicken. Along with their chicken tenders, sandwiches and bone-in pieces, Church’s has delectable sides like the Jalapeño Cheese Bombers, Fried Okra, Honey-Butter Biscuits and Baked Mac & Cheese. And for dessert, we really want to try their mouthwatering banana pudding made with Nilla Wafers.