5 Major Fast Food Chains That Aren't In New York City

You can take a bite of the Big Apple, but not a bite out of everywhere in the Big Apple. That's right: As unusual as it may seem, New York City — the 24-hour metropolis where there's seemingly everything and everyone — doesn't have a fair number of the U.S.'s biggest fast food franchises. From In-N-Out's cheese fries to Culver's ButterBurger, there are more than a few American staples you can't get your hands on in the city that never sleeps.

New York City is one of the country's most influential culinary capitals: one of the oldest American steakhouses, a city that gave us ring donuts, General Tso's chicken, Eggs Benedict, pastrami on rye, and an endless selection of other gastronomic creations. It's home to more restaurants than most could feasibly visit in a lifetime: 17,619 and counting, according to the latest stats. From triple Michelin stars to humble diners and hole-in-the-wall joints, NYC's dining scene is dynamic, impossibly varied, and knows few rivals. That doesn't make it exempt, however, from being shunned by some of the country's biggest food chains, for a multitude of different reasons. Food Republic looks at five of the chains that haven't (yet) been welcomed to New York — and why.

In-N-Out Burger is a West Coast staple: Its iconic "Double Double" burgers and animal fries have long become synonymous of the California beach life. The chain's celebrity endorsements have certainly played a role in helping boost its image: Gen Z reality mogul Kylie Jenner has appeared ordering from one of its joints while on the hit show "Keeping Up With The Kardashians," while a cohort of A-listers — from Julia Roberts to Reese Witherspoon — have either been papped at the chain, or even posted pics of it on their social media. Little wonder celebrity chefs love In-N-Out — we're talking Julia Child, Alton Brown, Ina Garten, and even Gordon Ramsay.

Opened in 1948 as California's first drive thru(even inventing the two-way speaker), In-N-Out Burgers largely operates in Pacific-facing and Southwestern states, from the Golden State itself to Washington and Arizona (Tennessee is the farthest East). That means you'll have to hop on a plane from JFK if you want to get your hands on any Animal-style burger and fries.

Whataburger is Texan cooking at its heartiest. Opened in Corpus Christi in 1950, it specialises in its thick burger cuts (often five-inch wide) with extensive customization options — from sweet and spicy bacon to avocado to fried chicken, honey, and barbecue sauce. 

Its tasty, diverse menu has made it a fast food favorite — it had over 1,000 restaurants as of 2024 — but a regional one at that: It operates only in Southern and Southwestern states, meaning New York City is off the map. It's not to be confused with the similarly named What-A-Burger, based in Virginia — which incidentally also does not have a branch in NYC.

With over 2,000 locations across the U.S., Jack in the Box is a true drive-thru classic. California-centred and opened in 1951, it's well-known as a late-night spot for a serving of curly fries, tacos, and its signature sourdough Jack burger patties.

While rumors have swirled about Jack in the Box potentially branching out to New York City, the chain still remains largely West Coast and Southwest oriented. Its former foothold in the region has also not been exactly encouraging for the company: Back in the 1970s, it had restaurants in the Northeast, which it was eventually forced to close following poor revenue. Its absence from the Big Apple hasn't gone unnoticed with fans of the chain either, with a Reddit thread dedicated to the topic. With the chain hemorrhaging sales and closing restaurants left, right, and center, it seems unlikely that a New York branch will be opening any time soon.

For many across the Midwest, Culver's is instantly synonymous with (delicious) comfort food. The chain's "ButterBurgers," crinkle-cut fries, pretzel bites, and frozen custard, are all directly inspired by Midwestern staples, and are a must-order at the Wisconsin-born fast-casual chain.

With its Midwestern focus, New York City hasn't yet been on Culver's radar. Its restaurants are independently owned, and as a result of high real estate costs in the Big Apple, it seems New Yorkers won't be digging their teeth into its ButterBurgers any time soon. That isn't to say the residents of Gotham City haven't taken notice: A whole Change.org petition has been launched to bring it to NYC, in the hopes of "introduc[ing] the dynamic flavors of Culver's to the discerning palates of New Yorkers."

Ever since it opened its doors to the public in Yerno, California in 1964, with a simple 19-cent menu of tacos, tostadas, and fries, and 24-cent cheeseburgers, Del Taco has been one of California's favorite joints, blending classic Mexican-American cuisine with standard American fast food classics: from Mission burritos and tacos to regular burgers and french fries.

By the 2020s, Del Taco has expanded into U.S. states, with over 595 locations across the country. New York City is not among them. With its more western focus, the reason is not solely geographical as it's as far east as the Carolinas and Virginia, but also has an economic and quality control factor: A lack of infrastructure, brand awareness, and distance from distribution centers, alongside fierce competition from Northeastern chains, would make opening a New York branch largely counterproductive.