9 Popular Restaurant Chains That Got Their Start in Utah or Washington

Listen, as an adult with a more refined taste palate, you’re all about eating local instead of at chain restaurants. We’re here for that and encourage it. But sometimes? Chain restaurants stir up all sorts of core childhood memories. 

Find us a ‘90s kid who didn’t drag their mom, dad or grandparents to McDonald’s over and over and over again to collect as many of the Ty Teenie Beanies as they could. Every time you buy your own child a Happy Meal, you go back and fondly remember eating Chicken McNuggets with your new tiny, stuffed friend. And if you have your own minis? You’re soon going to have an opportunity to build similar memories with your kids. Jazwares and McDonald’s have announced a partnership to bring mini Squishmallows to Happy Meals!

This author feels a little sad about the last Idaho TGI Fridays closing because a Fridays restaurant was where her best friends from High School got together before everyone went their separate ways for college and careers. 

So, we got to thinking…is Idaho responsible for any of these popular memory-making machines? Based on the list we found, it doesn’t appear that any major chain restaurants were founded in Idaho, but one of them is based here! Pita Pit was initially founded in Canada, expanded to the United States and eventually opened its headquarters in Coeur d’Alene. 

Our neighboring states, Utah and Washington, have cranked out some well-known chains and newer chains that will go on to be legendary.