The Original Location of America’s Largest National Chain Restaurants [MAP]

It’s tempting to overlook chain restaurants as simple places to stop for a quick meal on a roadtrip, but the chain restaurant is so much more. In many ways, these dependable outposts are pillars of American dining culture, offering reliable meals at affordable prices in comfortable, family-friendly atmospheres. Today, these restaurants serve as nostalgic reminders of the ‘90s and early ‘00s, a factor that is certainly driving some chains’ stunning post-Covid resurgence.

Before many of these restaurants were the national — or international — corporations they are today, though, they each started as much smaller, and humbler, operations. Curious to learn where your favorite chain first opened its doors? Check out our map below to discover the original location of America’s largest chain restaurants below.

TGI Fridays: New York City

The flagship TGI Fridays opened on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in 1965, but it wasn’t the family-friendly operation that exists today. The first T.G.I. Friday’s, as it was called then — the company dropped the periods and the apostrophe in 2013 — was the world’s first singles bar. The bar was founded by perfume salesman Alan Stillman, an Upper East Side bachelor who himself was looking for a place to mingle with other singles. At the time, though, many other bars were still gender segregated — but not Friday’s. The first “fern bar” concept, Friday’s was so successful that the bar opened a second location in Memphis two years later. When franchising began in the ‘70s, it set off a period of substantial growth and transformation that lasted well into the ‘90s and saw hundreds of locations crop up from coast to coast. By the chain’s peak in 2008, TGI Fridays was operating approximately 600 locations in the U.S. and hundreds more globally, including outposts in cities like Moscow, Seoul, and Kifisia, Greece. But hard times fell on the restaurant chain, and in November 2024, TGI Fridays filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company, now controlled by private equity firm TriArtisan Capital Advisors, still operates a few hundred global locations, but only 85 remain in the U.S., none of which are located in the chain’s hometown.

Red Lobster: Lakeland, Fla.

The first Red Lobster location was opened in Lakeland, Fla, in 1968 by Bill Darden, who had the goal of bringing high-quality, affordable seafood to Americans from coast to coast. Just two years after its founding, Red Lobster, which by then operated five restaurants, was acquired by General Mills, which  expanded the concept into a national chain. By 1995, Red Lobster had well over 300 locations across the U.S. and General Mills had established Darden Restaurants, a separate entity that oversees restaurants like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, so it could primarily focus on breakfast cereal. At its peak, Red Lobster operated over 700 locations in the U.S. and Canada, making it the largest seafood chain in North America. That said, the number of outposts has decreased significantly in recent years as the chain, now owned by RL Investor Holdings LLC, emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after it filed in May 2024.

Red Robin: Seattle

Red Robin as we know it today officially got its start in 1969, but a version of it predated the popular burger chain by about 20 years. In the 1940s, a man by the name of Sam opened a tavern in Seattle near the University of Washington called Sam’s Red Robin. Sam, who was in a barbershop quartet, often sang the tune “When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob Bobbin’ Along),” originally called the tavern Sam’s Tavern but promptly changed the name to Sam’s Red Robin to reflect his favorite song. In 1969, restaurateur Gerry Kingen purchased the restaurant, changed its name to Red Robin, and established the burger menu that made the chain famous. Ten years later, the restaurant started franchising and today, there are approximately 500 Red Robin locations across the U.S. and Canada.

Ruby Tuesday: Knoxville, Tenn.

Perhaps most famous for its all-you-can-eat salad bar, Ruby Tuesday was founded by University of Tennessee student Sandy Beall in 1972. At just 21 years old, he allegedly used $10,000 of his own money, money from four fraternity brothers, and $10,000 from a Pizza Hut manager to open the restaurant. Inspired by the success of TGI Fridays, Beall hoped to evoke the same feeling and clientele in his own concept, using a different name — one popularized by The Rolling Stones song. The original bar and grill was cozy, warm, and well populated, and by 1982, there were 16 locations. That year, the small chain was purchased by Morrison Inc. (later split into Morrison Health Care Inc., Morrison Fresh Cooking Inc., and Ruby Tuesday Inc.), with Beall remaining on as CEO. Like most chain restaurants in the ‘90s and early 2000s, Ruby Tuesday experienced rapid growth, hitting its apex in 2009 with approximately 950 locations globally. Things hit a downturn in the 2010s and the chain was forced to shutter approximately 400 restaurants worldwide, and in October 2020, it declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy citing challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, there are just over 200 locations remaining.

Chili’s: Dallas

In an era where most chain restaurants are shrouded in doom and gloom, Chili’s is a bright spot. The popular chain got its start in 1975 as a stand-alone Tex-Mex-style eatery on the corner of Greenville Avenue and Meadow Road in Dallas, though the concept came about a few years prior. In 1967, founder Larry Lavine attended the Terlingua Chili Cook-Off in Terlingua, Texas, which gave him inspiration to launch the concept the next decade. The original location was charming, with handwritten menus displaying the popular chili and burger offerings. By the early ‘80s, Chili’s had 23 locations across six states and was purchased by restaurant executive Norman E. Brinker, who took the operation national. Since the acquisition, Chili’s has expanded to over 1,200 locations in the U.S., with an additional 300-plus international outposts. In recent years, the chain has gone viral for its appetizers and drink deals, which pulled in five consecutive quarters of double-digit sales increases.

The Cheesecake Factory: Beverly Hills, Calif.

With a menu long enough to serve as the Next Great American Novel, The Cheesecake Factory is known for its belly-busting portion sizes and decadent desserts. And it got its start in perhaps the last place in the U.S. one would expect: Beverly Hills. First opened in 1978, The Cheesecake Factory was founded by David Overton, whose mother Evelyn had located a cheesecake recipe in a Detroit newspaper a few decades back when the family lived in Michigan. After perfecting her recipe, Evelyn started selling cakes made from her basement kitchen to others in the area. In 1972, Evelyn and her husband Oscar relocated to Los Angeles to open The Cheesecake Factory Bakery, which later inspired David to open a restaurant with a lengthy dessert menu to showcase his mother’s creations. The emphasis on more transferred to all aspects of the restaurant’s menu as it expanded through the ‘80s and ‘90s, adding dishes inspired by nearly every corner of the globe. Today, The Cheesecake Factory offers over 250 menu items at over 300 locations worldwide.

Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill: Decatur, Ga.

When the first Applebee’s was opened in Decatur, Ga., in 1980, it wasn’t even called Applebee’s — it was called T.J. Applebee’s Rx for Edibles & Elixirs. Founded by husband-and-wife duo Bill and T.J. Palmer, the name was allegedly a way for the restaurant to distinguish itself from the common “Bar & Grill” tag on. A few years later, after the Palmers had sold the restaurant concept to W.R. Grace and Company, the name was changed to Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill. In 1988, Applebee’s was purchased by Abe Gustin and John Hamra, who took the company public as Applebee’s International and opened a floodgate for growth. By 1998, Applebee’s had 1,000 locations and expanded into Canada, Latin America, and the Middle East soon after. Applebee’s — now owned by Dine brands — currently has over 1,600 locations worldwide and has kept consumers interested with deals like half-priced appetizers and attractive drink promotions, none of which has been as successful (nor as sorely missed) as the Dollarita.

LongHorn Steakhouse: Atlanta

The original LongHorn Steakhouse, then called LongHorn Steaks Restaurant & Saloon, was opened in 1981 by George McKerrow, who wanted to start a restaurant with traditional Texan vibes. Despite taking inspiration from the Lone Star State, the first location of the chain was in Atlanta — about 800 miles from the Texas border. While the chain now operates almost 600 locations, it didn’t appear as if the concept would be successful at first. The restaurant was on the brink for its first year in business until a snowstorm in 1982 caused several stranded drivers to seek refuge in the building. LongHorn launched a $1 drink special for the duration of the storm, and from there, it catapulted in popularity. That same year, McKerrow expanded his restaurant business through Rare Hospitality International Inc., which owned LongHorn until 2007. Now owned by Olive Garden parent company Darden Restaurants, LongHorn Steakhouse has performed very well in recent years, with annual sales up 7.8 percent year-over-year in 2024 to hit $3.03 billion.

Buffalo Wild Wings: Columbus, Ohio

When Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery relocated from Buffalo, N.Y., to Columbus, Ohio, in the early ‘80s, they found themselves craving authentic Buffalo-style chicken wings, but there was nowhere to go. So they opened up a shop of their own. In 1982, Disbrow and Lowery opened the first Buffalo Wild Wings (then known as Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck) in Columbus just off the Ohio State University’s campus. Naturally, the goal was to attract the sports-loving college students nearby with chicken wings and draft beer. A decade after its founding, the restaurant opened up to franchising, which saw the number of locations exponentially increase. By 2014, Buffalo Wild Wings was operating over 1,000 sports bars across the U.S. The chain, which is famous for having around 30 taps at each restaurant, is widely credited with helping popularize craft beer in America. Today, there are over 1,300 Buffalo Wild Wings locations in the U.S. alone and over 100 BWW GO outposts.

Olive Garden: Orlando, Fla.

Undeniably best known for its endless soup, salad, and breadsticks promotion and Never-Ending Pasta Bowl, Olive Garden got its start in Orlando, Fla., in 1982. The Italian-American eatery was the first restaurant concept independently developed by General Mills after diving into the industry with Red Lobster 12 years prior. From its inception, Olive Garden — called The Olive Garden until 1998 — was a smash hit. According to a 2002 press release celebrating the chain’s 20th anniversary, the restaurant had achieved an impressive 32 consecutive quarters of same-restaurant sales growth and was serving an average of 2.8 million guests weekly. And that growth didn’t slow down much as the 21st century progressed. For seven years in a row (2018–2024), Olive Garden was the largest chain restaurant in the U.S. by systemwide sales. This past April, it was knocked from the top spot by Texas Roadhouse, but that doesn’t mean the restaurant had a bad year. In 2024, Olive Garden’s 900-plus locations amassed $5.2 billion in sales.

California Pizza Kitchen: Beverly Hills, Calif.

California Pizza Kitchen was founded by Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield, two successful attorneys who left their law practice with the goal of entering the hospitality industry. In 1985, their project, which reportedly took about half a million dollars to complete, was finally opened in Beverly Hills with the goal of bringing California-style pizza to the masses. The style was created by chefs Alice Waters and Ed LaDou a few years prior and LaDou — who created Spago’s famous smoked salmon and caviar pizza — was commissioned to develop the restaurant’s menu. In the early ‘90s, PepsiCo purchased a majority stake in the restaurant, which saw the number of locations expand rapidly, though the corporation sold its shares in 1997. In November 2020, California Pizza Kitchen, which operated around 250 restaurants at the time, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy citing declining sales, though the chain has held on strong. Today, there are approximately 200 CPKs dishing out pizzas, pastas, salads, and more.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill: Houston

Behind Olive Garden, Carrabba’s Italian Grill is the largest full-service Italian chain restaurant in the U.S. The restaurant got its start as a family-owned operation founded in Houston by John Charles Carrabba III (Johnny Carrabba) and his uncle Damian Mandola, who had experience in restaurants, having opened Damian’s Cucina Italiana in 1984. Two years later, the two came together to honor their family’s Sicilian roots. Carrabba’s was so successful that Carrabba and Mandola opened a second location in 1988. The chain remained local and family owned until 1993, when the founders developed a joint venture with Outback Steakhouse, Inc. (now Bloomin’ Brands), whichg promptly expanded the restaurant when it acquired national development rights two years later. Carrabba’s Italian Grill currently has just over 200 locations nationwide, with the flagship outpost, Carraba’s The Original On Kirby, still open for business.

Outback Steakhouse: Tampa, Fla.

A now-international chain, Outback Steakhouse got its start in 1988 in Tampa, Fla. While the restaurant’s co-founders — Chris Sullivan, Robert Basham, Tim Gannon, and Trudy Cooper — had restaurant experience, none of them had visited the Australian Outback. But they were inspired to start an Australian-themed restaurant based on the success of the comedy “Crocodile Dundee,” which was released in 1986. Moreover, the Down Under atmosphere helped the restaurant differentiate itself from other casual-dining restaurants expanding at the time. Since its debut in the late ‘80s, Outback Steakhouse has been most famous for its Bloomin’ Onion, a dish that went on to inspire Outback Steakhouse Inc.’s current name, Bloomin’ Brands. Aside from the themed decor, there’s nothing inherently Australian about Outback’s menu aside from the names of the dishes themselves. Even so, the steakhouse remains popular today, with over 250 locations worldwide.

P.F. Chang’s: Scottsdale, Ariz.

P.F. Chang’s was established in Scottsdale, Ariz., in 1993 by Paul Fleming and Philip Chiang, hence the restaurant’s name. Chiang had a deeply culinary childhood, and his mother, Cecilia Chiang, is credited with introducing traditional northern Chinese cuisine to the U.S. when she opened The Mandarin in San Francisco in 1962. Twenty-two years later, Cecilia and Philip partnered to open the Mandarette, which offered a more casual dining experience. It’s there where Philip met Fleming and the two devised a concept to bring casual, affordable Asian fare to the masses. The first P.F. Chang’s was located within the Scottsdale Fashion Square, though it quickly expanded, with the first franchise establishment opening its doors in 1997. Since the beginning, many of the dishes on the chain’s menu have been inspired by recipes developed by Cecilia, while others, like the Spicy Chicken, are hers entirely and have remained unchanged. Today, P.F. Chang’s operates over 300 locations globally, including spots in the U.K., Saudi Arabia, and South Korea.

Texas Roadhouse: Clarksville, Ind.

Similar to LongHorn Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse is a Texan-inspired restaurant that got its start outside the Lone Star States. Founded by entrepreneur Kent Taylor in Clarksville, Ind., in 1993, Texas Roadhouse was established with the goal of bringing hearty steakhouse-style food to the public at accessible prices. The atmosphere inside also offered something unique. Patrons were given free bread rolls and peanuts (which you used to be able to dispose of on the ground), and treated to line dancing and country music. Since its inception, Texas Roadhouse has grown rapidly, expanding to an impressive 797 locations in 49 states and 10 countries around the world. And lately, the restaurant chain has been knocking it out of the park. In 2024, it toppled Olive Garden as America’s largest chain restaurant by systemwide sales. Last year, Texas Roadhouse opened 26 new locations and achieved a 14.7 percent increase in sales to hit $5.5 billion.

*Image retrieved from Endeavor Moore Media via stock.adobe.com