Fast Food Birthplaces

Before they were ubiquitous, our favorite chain restaurants had to start someplace.

The Web site Wallet Pop has a slide show about the first links in those chains, but that’s just the starting gate. True fast food devotees will want to make pilgrimages to sit in the hallowed plastic chairs of fast food history.

Some original locations are no longer standing, and others no longer house the restaurants, but you can at least stop by and pay your respects. Here are a few suggestions for your fast-food tour of America:

Chick-fil-A (1967). The first bona-fide Chick-fil-A is still open and serving at Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta, Ga. For connoisseurs interested in deep cutlets, The Dwarf House, where the recipe for the Chick-fil-A Chicken sandwich was created, also is still open at 461 N. Central Ave., Hapeville, Ga. (near the Atlanta airport).

Dunkin’ Donuts (1950) The baker still trudges to work early each morning at the original Dunkin’ Donuts location at 543 Southern Artery in Quincy, Mass. Time to make the donuts…

Dairy Queen (1940): The original Dairy Queen building, at 501 North Chicago St. in Joliet, Ill. still stands, but it’s empty. Anyone want to bankroll a DQ museum? That would be scrumpdillyicious!

McDonald’s (1955): McDonald’s first location, at 400 N. Lee St. in Des Plaines, Ill., is now a McDonald’s Museum. You’ll have to cross the street for your Happy Meal.

Starbucks Coffee (1971). Get your latte at the original Starbucks in the Pike Place Market in Seattle, Wash. The menu may have changed but the store hasn’t, since the market is a historic district with design guidelines.

Sonic (1953 ) You don’t even have to get out of your car to dine at the first Sonic Drive-In at 215 N. Main St. in Stillwater, Okla. Sonic actually grew out of a small chain called Top Hat, which started in Shawnee, but the original Top Hat is no longer open. (Sonic founders Troy Smith and Charlie Pappe had to change the name because Top Hat was copyrighted.)

Wendy’s Original (1969): Raise a shake to the late Dave Thomas while you peruse memorabilia at the first Wendy’s, 257 East Broad St., in Columbus, Ohio.