I’ll put my vote in for Five Guys. The quality can vary from location to location, I think. Our local one is pretty consistently good though. I like the variety of toppings you can choose from. The fries will feed a small (or, maybe not so small) army. I like that they offer malt vinegar for them.
When I was growing up, one of our only local options for a while was a Dairy Queen, which I thought was a nice treat when we could go. Haven’t been to one in decades now. Is it still any good?
He was indeed the snuggle puss from then on. 
Hopefully one who avoided bones from thenceforth 
I vote with my pocketook as much as possible. Major retailers do not have my business.
DQ is still wildly popular in Texas. I like the burgers and their onion rings are very good for a FF place.
I have not seen a DQ for ages. Let me google to see if there is a DQ around me.
What do you know? There are apparently 11 DQs within a 10 mile radius of me–most of them “treat only,” which I assume means no food. Yet the last time I recall going to one was decades ago in Ohio.
Hmmm . . . now I’m in the mood for some soft serve. 
I just googled. There are also DQ near me too, but most are the “treat” only. Still, there are driving distance for the full DQ restaurant. One of these days, I need to go there to re-live my memory. (I think the last time I have a DQ could be 20 years ago – I had them often when I was at Georgia)
Edit Just saw you also have “treat” only near you.
3 of the 11 are not just treat–they do have food. But I can’t recall ever actually eating anything but ice cream at DQ.
There was one near a movie theater I used to frequent, but there was a good pub in the same shopping center so . . .
See, that is what DQ is supposed to be famous for. Their ice cream treat. However, certainly it is just me, I feel there are better dedicated ice cream shops than DQ. So oddly enough, I used to go to DQ for burger and the ice cream treat, but to me… the burgers were the main reason, and the ice cream treat was nice to have.
That’s probably why I haven’t been to a DQ in decades–SE PA has an abundance of good dairies that make their own ice cream. But as a kid I liked their soft serve (and the NJ boardwalks still demand a softserve cone).
When I was in Ohio, DQ was the only game in town. Apparently their farms were more meat-centric than dairy.
If it’s not too far away or you can combine the drive with something else, go ahead. If not, I wouldn’t make a special trip to Dairy Queen.
I feel the same way about Waffle House.
As do I whenever possible. And I try to buy local.
My closest DQ is about 2 miles away but my closest Waffle House is in Tempe, about 2 miles from where I used to live.
A long ways away, unfortunately 
I have never even seen a Waffle House up close and in the flesh… apparently there a a coupe of them in my state, at least an hour’s drive from me. Oh well.
I’ve driven by a few on highways in the South. Never felt the need to stop in. A brief google tells me there are two within about an hour of me, but I doubt I’ll ever seek them out. (But it does prove PA is Philadelphia in the east, Pittsburgh in the west and Alabama in between.)
Worth an hour drive for sure.
I’ve only been while back in KC.
If you love diners and coffee shops you’d feel right at home.
I personally have fond memory of Waffle House. I always thought the servers and cooks are always nice, and they open late for people like me.
Oh. That’s why I stopped buying under armour clothers - big game hunting. I hate that. I didn’t know J.J’s was associated with it too. We don’t have any Jersey Mike’s nearby.
Oh I agree with you about the friendly, welcoming WH atmosphere. I just don’t think the food itself is worth planning a trip around or driving hours for. That’s all.
