Information about eating establishments that have the same name, menu or decorating theme in multiple locations over a broad geographical area (i.e. locations in more than one state or equivalent).

Restaurant chains (locations in more than one state or equivalent area) and franchises serving BBQ food.

International (more than one country) restaurant chains/ franchises, serving chicken as the main dish. If not an International chain see the Regional categories for individual countries.

Chili is a spicy dish generally made of meat, chili peppers, and sometimes, beans.

Information about eating establishments that primarily serve coffees and have the same name, menu and decorating theme in multiple locations over a broad geographical area (i.e. locations in more than one state or equivalent).

International (more than one country) restaurant chains/ franchises, which offer a varied menu to the family dining market and offer a children's menu. If not an International chain see the Regional categories for individual countries.

Also known as frankfurters, a type of sausage generally served in a long, split bun.

This category lists restaurant chains with locations in more than one state or country, specializing in ice cream and frozen yogurt. Restaurant chains listed in this category may be eligible for an additional listing in the Regional branch locality category where their corporate headquarters is located.

This category is for sites about chains that specialize in Italian foods. However, pizza chains are not listed here. They are in a separate category. Italian staples are tomatoes, basil, oregano, olive oil, Parmesan or mozzarella, and pasta. Many Italian restaurants will offer a wide variety of dishes including veal, seafood, and chicken.

Restaurant chains and franchises serving Mexican food, including Tex-Mex, interior Mexican, Mexican-style seafood, and nouveau Mexican. Mexican food typically includes corn or flour tortillas, red or green tomato sauce flavored with chiles, beans or well-cooked meat, and rice. Regional variations and modern adaptations may feature seafood, sour cream and cheese, and lettuce or uncooked vegetables.

The origins of pizza go back to ancient times. Babylonians, Egyptians and other Middle Eastern cultures ate flat, unleavened bread that had been cooked in mud ovens. Mediterranean people such as the Greeks and Romans ate the bread topped with olive oil and native spices.

In the late 1800s, Raffaele Esposito, a baker in Naples, Italy, created pizza as a dish for visiting royalty. According to the story, the Italian King Umberto and Queen Margherita were touring the area. In order to impress them and to show his patriotic fervor, Raffaele chose to top flat bread with food that would best represent the colors of Italy: red tomato, white mozzarella cheese and green basil.

-- adapted from AboutPizza.com

Information about companies which run more than one restaurant chain (eating establishments that have the same name, menu and decorating theme in multiple locations) over a broad geographical area (i.e. locations in more than one state or equivalent).

Restaurant chains (locations in more than one state or equivalent area) and franchises serving seafood.

"Southwestern cuisine combines Tex Mex, Spanish, Indian and American flavors, ... with one cowboy boot north of the Rio Grande and one huarache sandal south of the Rio Bravo. "Whether it's chiles in Taos or chilis in El Paso, there's no getting around these often devilish little fruits which give much of the fire to Southwestern specialties like tacos, enchiladas, tortilla and albondigas soups and more. "Corn is an important ingredient, giving the nod to Navajo hominy, sweet and savory tamales, as well as casserole toppers and upscale salads using jicama, paper-thin slices of red onion and miniature cobs of corn. "Other starches include the ubiquitous bean, often pinto or pink; rice used in cooling drinks and as a base for wonderful casseroles and side dishes, and flour in its many manifestations. "... Nouvelle Southwestern just takes these fresh and indigenous products and swirls them amongst French, Thai and German cuisine. Hence, ... fat-free gorditas filled with baby greens and goat cheese or unexpected combinations of earthy Oaxocan olive spread napping silken Portabello mushrooms amidst a masa-encrusted fence of yellowfin tuna." -- Casey Stewart

This category is for Themed Restaurant Chains, where a very integral part of the restaurant is the theme it is based around. Examples of themes include 50's Diners, Rock 'n Roll, or a particular time period.