Alabama’s Homegrown Restaurant Chains: From Humble Beginnings to Statewide Favorites

Everyone has a go-to spot for a quick bite—whether it's a late-night taco or a lunchtime burger. While national fast-food chains dominate the landscape, Alabama is home to several beloved restaurant chains that started as small, independent “mom-and-pop” shops. These local gems have grown from humble beginnings into recognizable brands, often staying true to their roots and family values.

As part of our Beautiful Alabama summer series, we’re spotlighting 11 homegrown Alabama restaurant chains that began right here in the Heart of Dixie. Many of these chains are still run by the founding families and continue to serve up the flavors that made them famous.

Chicken Salad Chick
Origin Story: In 2007, Stacy Brown began crafting her now-famous chicken salad in her Auburn home. After a health department encounter, she and her husband, Kevin, pooled their resources to open their first take-out location the following year. (Kevin Brown passed away in 2015 after battling cancer for two years.)
Current Success: The Chicken Salad Chick brand has since expanded to 271 stores across the Southeast, as well as Colorado, Illinois, and Ohio. In 2019, the company was sold to a Los Angeles-based private equity firm.

Foosackly’s
Origin Story: LSU alumni Will Fusaiotti and Eric Brechtel launched their first Foosackly’s chicken tenders restaurant in Mobile in April 2000. The name “Foosackly’s” is a playful twist on Fusaiotti’s challenging-to-pronounce last name.
Current Success: Today, Foosackly’s boasts 16 locations, primarily in Mobile and Baldwin County, with expansions into Tuscaloosa, Auburn, and Pensacola, Florida.

Guthrie’s
Origin Story: Hal Guthrie opened a drive-in restaurant in Haleyville in 1965, but it wasn’t until 1978 that Guthrie’s began serving its signature fried chicken fingers and dipping sauce. In 1982, Hal’s son Chris opened a Guthrie’s in Auburn, sparking the chain’s growth.
Current Success: Guthrie’s now has nearly 50 locations in nine states, with a strong presence in the Southeast and outposts as far as Idaho and Ohio.

Hero Doughnuts & Buns
Origin Story: Birmingham chef Wil Drake introduced his Hero Doughnuts—a French brioche pastry-style treat—at a pop-up event in 2016. The following year, he opened his first brick-and-mortar location in Homewood.
Current Success: After partnering with the Pihakis Restaurant Group, Hero Doughnuts & Buns expanded its menu to include chicken sandwiches and cheeseburgers. The chain now has nine locations across Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Jack’s Family Restaurants
Origin Story: In 1960, Birmingham’s Jack Caddell opened the first Jack’s Hamburgers in Homewood, inspired by the success of McDonald’s.
Current Success: Now called Jack’s Family Restaurants, the chain operates around 200 locations in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee, all while remaining headquartered in Homewood.

Milo’s
Origin Story: After serving as an Army mess cook during World War II, Milo Carlton and his wife, Beatrice, opened a burger shop in Birmingham’s Norwood neighborhood in 1946. In 1983, the first Milo’s franchise opened near UAB in Birmingham.
Current Success: Led by CEO Tom Dekle, Milo’s has grown to 23 locations across Alabama, with a strong presence in Birmingham, as well as Auburn, Montgomery, Jasper, and Tuscaloosa.

Sneaky Pete’s
Origin Story: In 1966, Pete Graphos, part of the renowned Graphos hot dog family, opened the first Sneaky Pete’s on Birmingham’s Southside. His brothers eventually joined the business before starting their own ventures. Pete operated 24 locations before selling the business in 1986.
Current Success: Sneaky Pete’s, still based in Birmingham, has about 30 locations, mostly in Central Alabama. Additionally, Sneaky Pete’s Hot Dog Sauce is available online and in grocery stores statewide.

Taco Casa
Origin Story: Rod Wilkin, a former University of Alabama football player under Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, opened the first Taco Casa in Tuscaloosa in 1974. The original location, known for its iconic “biggest cactus in town,” quickly became a student favorite.
Current Success: Today, Wilkin’s sons and son-in-law continue the Taco Casa legacy with seven locations across Tuscaloosa, Northport, and Homewood.

Taco Mama
Origin Story: Will Haver, owner of Otey’s Tavern in Mountain Brook, opened the first Taco Mama near Otey’s in 2011, with no initial plans to expand.
Current Success: Thanks to word-of-mouth, Taco Mama now has 27 locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, beloved for its burritos, margaritas, and welcoming atmosphere.

Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe
Origin Story: Chef Keith Richards and his wife, Amy, were inspired by the small cafes they visited in Greece, leading them to open the first Taziki’s in Birmingham’s Shops of the Colonnade in 1998.
Current Success: Taziki’s has since grown to 90 locations in 16 states. In 2015, it became the first national franchise to receive the REAL Certification for its commitment to healthy, scratch-made meals.

Urban Cookhouse
Origin Story: David and Andrea Snyder launched Urban Cookhouse in Homewood in 2011, focusing on locally-sourced, wood-smoked meats and Alabama-grown produce.
Current Success: Urban Cookhouse now operates nine locations across Birmingham, Cullman, Tuscaloosa, Huntsville, and Nashville, continuing to source from the same local farmers and makers.