There’s nothing like a homecooked meal after a long day, but sometimes spending hours in the kitchen whipping up mom’s fried chicken or pot roast just isn’t in the cards—especially on busy weeknights. In those cases, Southerners know the value of high-quality fast-food meal. That being said, not all fast-food restaurants were created equal, and there are certain spots that we know and trust a bit more than others. Lots of our favorite places for a quick, affordable, and delicious meal started in the South, which gives us just another reason to love them. Everyone has a favorite, go-to fast-food order when in need of a quick meal, a comfort meal, or when the mood just strikes. Here are 12 of the best Southern fast-food chain restaurants, according to our readers.

Chick-fil-A

This list couldn’t start with any place other than the ubiquitous Southern staple Chick-fil-A. Whether it’s a classic 1 chicken sandwich combo, nuggets, or even a grilled chicken wrap, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Southerner without a particular penchant for the king of all fast food fried chicken spots. The Georgia-born giant now has locations all across the country, which means nearly everyone is privy to the special kind of disappointment that comes when you’re craving a chicken biscuit only to realize it’s Sunday morning.

Chicken Salad Chick

Unlike most of the places on the list, there’s nothing fried or cooked on a griddle at this one-of-a-kind fast-casual restaurant that could only have started in the South. Instead, they focus on a certified Southern staple, chicken salad. Featuring a dozen different flavors of the beloved lunch food, folks can order a trio of scoops that feature everything from dried cranberries to buffalo sauce. And before you get your britches in a wad about it not being proper fast food, we’re just reporting on what our readers said—and almost 100 confirmed their love for the Auburn, Alabama-founded restaurant.

Bojangles

There’s nothing like Bojangles’ famous Cajun Filet Chicken Biscuit for breakfast, but our readers also love this spot for their Bo-Berry Biscuits and plethora of creative new offerings rolled out every so often. Come by for breakfast, lunch, or dinner where you’ll find some of the best fried chicken and biscuits you can find anywhere, plus Southern fixings like dirty rice, Cajun pinto beans, green beans, coleslaw, and mashed potatoes. The first Bojangles opened in Charlotte in 1977, but now spans the region and beyond.

Whataburger

Fans of the Texas-born burger joint have been begging Whataburger to expand its reach for years, and 2025 is the year it’s finally coming to North Carolina. With many locations open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this is a spot people know they can rely on for a great burger at any time of day. Try one on Texas toast, and don’t forget to ask for their famous Fancy Ketchup!  

Milo’s Hamburgers

Folks lucky enough to live in Alabama (that includes us here at Southern Living), are privy to the simple joy that is a Milo’s hamburger—a thick patty, pickle slices, chopped grilled onion, and the fast-food chain’s eponymous signature tangy, smokey red sauce. If you’re not a burger person, the restaurant’s chicken tenders (dunked in either Boom-Boom, Ranch, or Double-O sauce) always deliver. And of course, you have to wash it all down with a sweet tea. The brand has been brewing their own since 1946.  

Cook Out

You can’t beat the deals—or the variety—at this beloved restaurant that started in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1989. Order a “tray” which comes with a large entrée (barbecue sandwiches, double cheeseburgers, two hot dogs, chicken strips, and more), plus two sides that include your standard fries or onion rings, but also options like corn dogs, chicken wraps, and quesadillas. Did we mention the chain offers more than 40 flavors of milkshakes? What’s not to love?  

Raising Cane’s

Louisiana and fried chicken go together like peanut butter and jelly, and Raising Cane’s is just one of many places to prove that. Raising Cane’s is relatively new, starting in Baton Rouge in 1996, but its fan base has grown quickly in the ensuing three decades. The simple menu of chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, and Cane’s Sauce always delivers. Plus, any place named after a dog gets extra points in our book.

Popeye’s

Cajun cooking, and specifically Cajun fried chicken, takes center stage at Popeye’s, which started in a suburb of New Orleans back in 1972. Back then the place was called Chicken on the Run, but its signature spicy fried chicken was the same. From wings in a myriad of Louisiana-inspired flavors to Cajun rice, there’s not a single thing on the Popeye’s menu not to love. But ask most return customers and they’ll tell you, the classics will always be fried chicken and biscuits.  

Church’s Texas Chicken

It’s clear from this list that Southerners can’t resist a good fried chicken joint, epically when they can get that crispy, fried goodness directly from the comfort of their cars. Church’s has been delighting customers since 1952, when the first location opened in San Antonio. Recently, the company underwent a bit of a refresh and now goes by Church’s Texas Chicken instead of Church’s but the quality and glistening honey-butter biscuits remain the same.

Krystal

With one of the longest legacies on this list, the mini burgers and chicken sandwiches at Krystal have been a hit with Southerners since 1932, when the concept got its start in Chattanooga, Tennessee. A sackful of sliders and pups is still  a favorite Southern lunch.

Jack’s

With the motto “All About the South,” it’s only fitting that Jack’s ended up on this list. The fast-food spot that prides itself on Southern hospitality started in Birmingham, Alabama, but now has around 200 locations across Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Folks are big on their breakfast sandwiches (the smoked sausage biscuit is especially great), but their fried chicken, burgers, fried pies, and shakes are also just as loved.

Biscuitville

Those who live in North Carolina (where the chain was founded), plus parts of Virginia and South Carolina, are big on Biscuitville. As the name suggests, the spot is known for one thing and one thing only: biscuits. Served from 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, the locally and family-owned spot is all about breakfast. There are dozens of different biscuit sandwiches to choose from, or you can simply have one smothered in gravy. You won’t regret either option.