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More than half of Utahns (56 percent) eat out at least once a week, according to a survey by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.
But in some cases, residents of the state may not know that their favorite restaurant had its beginnings right here. Here are five successful restaurants that started in Utah.
1. Chuck-A-Rama
Chuck-A-Rama recently celebrated its 50th birthday. The chain was founded in 1966 in Salt Lake City by Donald E. Moss, Wayne Chamberlain and Alva Greene. At the time, lunch cost $1 and dinner cost $1.50.
Offering a homestyle buffet, Chuck-A-Rama has managed to stand the test of time with a wide selection of comfort foods, with corn bread, mashed potatoes and gravy, pot roast, fried chicken; bread pudding, scones, fresh baked rolls in the house bakery and its slogan, "The choice is yours".
Chuck-A-Rama’s homestyle, comforting flavors now have 12 locations, 10 of which are in Utah and two in Idaho.
2. Kentucky Fried Chicken
Despite the name, KFC's first franchise sits in Murray, Utah. According to Jamie Jackson, CEO and president of Harman Management, which owns the location, Colonel Sanders sold his recipe and a pressure cooker to Pete Harman in 1952.
Sanders then returned to Kentucky and Harman started one of the most popular fast-food chains globally. KFC now has restaurants in 125 countries and territories around the world.
3. Cafe Rio
One of Utah's favorite Mexican restaurants, Cafe Rio started in St. George in 1997. Founded by Steve and Patricia Stanley, the chain prides itself in its mantra "fresh food, made fresh." That includes no freezers, no microwaves and nothing premade.
Since its humble beginnings, Cafe Rio has won over 100 awards and expanded to 85 restaurants in 10 states.
4. Arctic Circle
You're not a true Utahn if you don't love fry sauce. And if it weren't for Arctic Circle founder Don Carlos Edwards, we wouldn't have it.
The restaurant chain started as a small refreshment stand in 1924. Seventeen years later, Edwards expanded his little operation to Salt Lake City with Don Carlos Bar-B-Q. Then, in 1950, he opened a second restaurant called Arctic Circle.
According to the history, Edwards invented fry sauce and kids meals. Arctic Circle now spans seven Western states.
5. Tucanos
Brazilian steakhouses are becoming more and more popular. But for Utahns, there are really only two places to get it: Rodizio Grill and Tucanos.
While the former was founded in Denver, Steve Oldham and Joe Heeb set Tucanos' roots in Provo, Utah. The main attraction at Tucanos is its Churrasco meat, but the restaurant chain also provides a robust salad bar with plenty of vegetarian options.
Founded in 2000, Tucanos now has 10 locations across seven states.
Enjoy local dining
The next time you head out for a date night or family dinner, consider checking out these restaurants with Utah roots. Whether it's a well-established chain like Chuck-A-Rama or Cafe Rio or it's a new standalone restaurant, it's the local support that makes Utah-based restaurants thrive.
