Which Chain Restaurants Do Eater Readers Want in DC?

Grid View

• Despite DC's proliferation of burger joints, many readers are still jonesing to order theirs Animal-Style from this West Coast favorite.
• That mascot is pretty creepy, but at least one Eater reader would like to see this Filipino-influenced chain in town.
• Despite there being plenty of Peruvian joints in the region, there are still El Pollo loco devotees.
• The founder is a DC area native, but the region has yet to see an outpost of Umami Burger.
• Another burger chain that has yet to set up in DC.
• This historic California soul food operation is based on the West Coast right now.
• Look out, Zoup - this San Diego-based chain has been expanding its footprint to several states.
• This Vegan-oriented restaurant group has talked of expanding to the DC area in the past.
• Not to be confused with the departed Buddha Bar, it wouldn't be a shock to see Buddakan end up here eventually, since Stephen Starr is opening one restaurant in DC.
• Whataburger has been around for more than 50 years.
• Jimmy John's and Subway just won't cut it for fans of sandwich chain Capriotti’s.
• Yard House, recently bought by the Darden group of restaurants, is known for its food and for its music.
• Culver's is a Midwestern favorite for frozen custard (burgers, too).
• Fast-casual Zaxby's has cutesy names like Zalads and Chicken Fingerz for its dishes.
• You actually can find a Waffle House in the farther-flung suburbs of Washington if you need greasy breakfast fare.
• This Tex-Mex restaurant group is based out of San Antonio.
• There's actually a Baltimore outpost of this Hawaiian fusion restaurant from chef Roy Yamaguchi.
• Clearly some of us are still getting over the fact this UK noodle house pulled out of DC.
• Rubio's fans are all about their fish tacos.
• Wawa as a restaurant is a stretch, but it doesn't mean there aren't devoted followers of its sandwiches (and soft pretzels, and free ATMs).
• Sometimes you just crave a slider and some chicken rings from this chain.
• The high-end Japanese restaurant group, Nobu, has not yet opened a DC location.
• Burgers. Tacos. Weird Commercials. That's Jack in the Box.
• Sorry, Carl's Jr. fans - the chain usually doesn't overlap its Hardee's and Carl's stores, and there are Hardee's in Virginia.
• Midwesterners in particular have loyalties to this burger and shake chain.
• They've teased us with commercials for years. Isn't it time for a Sonic to arrive?

Last Friday's Open Thread on Which Chain Restaurant Should Open in DC Already? garnered plenty of passionate responses from readers. While there are plenty of usual suspects — In-N-Out Burger, Sonic — there are also some quirky choices of super-regional restaurants or higher end restaurant groups in the mix. Check out the gallery above to see what readers are longing for in the greater Washington area.

· Which Chain Restaurant Should Open in DC Already? [-EDC-}