- The West Coast is home to some of the most notable region-specific restaurant chains in the country.
- Franchises like In-N-Out and Eggslut have made a name for themselves nationwide.
- Outside of burger chains, Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles and Din Tai Fung deserve to expand.
The West Coast has plenty of beautiful sights, notable landmarks, and tasty food.
Some of its chain restaurants are so good that no distance can come between the food and those who love it. But for many, getting a bite of the West Coast's best is still just a dream.
Here are some West Coast chains we wish were available in more places around the globe:
Burgerville serves up food made with local ingredients
Located along the coast of the Pacific Northwest, Burgerville prides itself on using local produce, meat, fish, and dairy in its meals.
According to the Burgerville website, 72% of the chain's food comes from within 400 miles of Vancouver, Washington.
The menu, which includes things like hamburgers, veggie burgers, and fish and chips, only displays options using in-season ingredients.
In-N-Out Burger is a West Coast staple
Located mostly in California, In-N-Out is a West Coast cult classic.
The restaurant serves up tasty but inexpensive burgers and legendary "animal-style" fries topped with cheese, Thousand Island spread, and grilled onions.
As much as many want the chain to spread, In-N-Out vice president of planning and development Carl Van Fleet told Business Insider in a prior 2017 interview that the company has no plans of expanding beyond the six states it currently operates in.
Top your hot dog with anything from chili to fries at Wienerschnitzel
With locations primarily throughout California, Wienerschnitzel is known as the "World's Largest Hot Dog Chain."
Its inexpensive menu satisfies all hot-dog needs, and customers can choose from toppings such as chili, relish, cheese, kraut, bacon, and fries.
Although most of the chain's locations are located on the West Coast, it has started to spread to places like Illinois and Louisiana.
Fatburger has been serving classic hamburgers since 1952
Fatburger started as a makeshift burger stand back in 1952 where Lovie Yancey served stars like Redd Foxx and Ray Charles.
Since then, it's become a beloved West Coast chain with just a few locations in other parts of the US, like New Jersey and Pennsylvania. But the chain has also expanded internationally to Africa, Asia, and Europe.
At the chain, customers can enjoy classic burgers, veggie burgers, and even carb-conscious "Skinny Burgers" alongside fries and shakes.
Umami Burger is starting to expand outside of California
Umami Burger centers itself around the umami flavor, a Japanese word that roughly translates to "savoriness" and is considered the root of many common food cravings.
The burgers are carefully crafted to satisfy those cravings using ingredients like miso paste, cheese, onions, and umami ketchup.
Although mainly available to Californians, the chain has a few locations in Chicago and New York City.
King Taco serves everything from tacos to tamales
Many West Coast fast-food chains serve up signature burgers, but King Taco seeks to satisfy a different craving.
The popular Southern California taco chain started in the 1970s as a single food truck and grew to have over 20 brick-and-mortar locations.
The chain dishes up burritos, nachos, and tamales, but it specializes in tacos that can be served with your choice of nine different meats.
Eggslut uses fresh, cage-free eggs to give its menu a gourmet feel
Though the chain only has US locations in California and Nevada, Eggslut's tongue-in-cheek name and menu are known nationwide — especially among brunch lovers.
The restaurant specializes in egg-centric plates, serving up sandwiches, burgers, and salads made with fresh, cage-free eggs.
Stack your burger with a tower of toppings at Original Tommy's
Original Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers can only be found in Southern California and Nevada.
The chain is known for chili cheeseburgers, serving up food in large portions, and offering heaps of extra toppings like onions, chili, and tomatoes for no extra charge.
Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles gives Californians a taste of Southern cooking
Though chicken-and-waffles is primarily a Southern dish, Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles is known for delivering tasty soul food to Californians.
With just eight locations around Los Angeles, the restaurant serves chicken and waffles alongside other Southern comforts like biscuits and gravy, mac and cheese, cornbread, and collard greens.
Farmer Boys makes it easy to get farm-to-table meals
If you're looking for farm-fresh fast food along the West Coast, Farmer Boys is the place to go.
With several locations across Southern California and Nevada, the restaurant serves burgers and breakfast foods made exclusively with ingredients from select local sellers to prioritize the farm-to-table aesthetic.
They also serve up a number of specialties like homemade dressings and in-house ground coffee.
Blake's Lotaburger pays homage to a New Mexico delicacy
Available mainly in New Mexico, Blake's Lotaburger was named one of the country's best burger joints for its green-chile cheeseburgers, which is a staple fast-food dish in the state.
In fact, the restaurant has its own special line of green chile called "Hatch Valley" that customers can add to any order.
Editor's Note: Some of these chains have a few locations outside of the West Coast, but since they're based in the West Coast and primarily serve that region of the US, they're included on this list.
Read More:
- 10 East Coast chains we wish would go national
- 16 foods you need to try if you visit the West Coast
- 11 things you should never do at a chain restaurant, according to former employees
- 8 Chinese food chains across the US everyone should try