Car mechanics are trained professionals who, at the end of the day, are just trying to help you. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people who unknowingly prevent a successful visit to the car mechanic because of the things they say. 

Because there's so much information available on the internet, some people devote hours to YouTube tutorials and blog articles about how to fix their cars — and end up thinking they know more than the experts. Unless you actually want to make a career pivot and become a car mechanic, it’s best to leave it to the professionals. 

Let's take a look at some of the most crucial things you should avoid saying to your car mechanic.

It’s easy enough to purchase replacement parts for your car online. However, that doesn’t guarantee you’ll receive quality parts. Sometimes the parts you end up purchasing only put your car in a worse situation. If a replacement part jumps out at you when you’re browsing around online because it’s so unbelievably cheap, you should be suspicious. 

Plus, not every mechanic will be on board with fitting the parts you purchased. Most mechanics prefer to shop around for the necessary replacement parts themselves. At the very least, make sure you check in with your mechanic to avoid wasting any extra money.

Trying to YouTube tutorial your way into becoming a self-taught car mechanic is comparable to trying to WebMD your way into becoming a “knowledgable” yet unlicensed doctor. It just doesn’t work out. Yes, you can learn some helpful stuff, and it can even end up being a fun hobby. However, there’s an ocean of a difference between being well versed in car mechanic DIY videos and actually being a professional car mechanic. The last thing you want to do is to disregard your mechanic’s advice, and instead trust something that you saw on a viral YouTube clip.

Even if you aren’t out hitting the road for big trips, your car will wear down over time. You have to remember that there may come a day when you want to trade in or sell your car. If you failed to get your car into the shop for anything remotely close to regular maintenance, it's only going to go down in value. 

Or, as a worst-case scenario, you could end up with a useless piece of junk that just takes up space in front of your home.

Just because you can purchase the necessary car part online or in a store, doesn’t mean that you’d have any realistic shot at being able to fit that part onto your car. In fact, you might even end up putting yourself in harm’s way if you tried. There will always be a necessary and entirely reasonable installation fee whenever your car mechanic has to spend the extra time and resources to ensure that any parts you purchased are properly installed onto your car.

Oh, boy. Just as backseat driving can drive someone insane, so too can being a helicopter customer. Can you imagine someone coming into your office and hovering over you to offer advice when they’ve never actually worked a day in your shoes? Yeah, not an ideal situation at all. Leave your car mechanic be, and don’t stress them out or irritate them.

Want to bypass that can of creamed or condensed soup the next time you make a casserole? Read on for a selection of recipes ranging from entrees and sides to vegetarian choices that allow you to prepare a classic, crowd-pleasing dish with a lighter (and some might say healthier) touch.

This breakfast casserole is a good way to use up any cooked bacon you might have. And the richness? Give credit to the cream in the recipe. 

Recipe: Cook This!

The full title of this recipe shows how many cooks are proud to offer dishes that bypass canned soups in their casseroles. This incarnation of the classic broccoli casserole gets its smooth texture from a homemade cream sauce that features butter, flour, and cream cheese. A crunchy topping of breadcrumbs or crackers adds a textured finish.

Recipe: Food.

This traditional breakfast or brunch entrée — or unexpected dinner or side — opts to create its own creamy “soup” thanks to a doctored-up broth that takes just five extra minutes of prep. The dish can be cooked in the oven, crock pot, or even made in advance and frozen.

Recipe: Center Cut Cook

Just 45 minutes total gets this classic family fave on the table, a comforting dish on a chilly night that bypasses canned soup for a homemade, creamy sauce based on mayonnaise.

Recipe: The Spruce Eats

A made-from-scratch stock thickened with beurre manie (a butter and flour mix similar to a roux) and sour cream elevates this routine casserole into something special — and something creamy.

Recipe: Simply Recipes

Ground beef offers a substantial base for this dinner dish, while butter, mushrooms, shallots, and, yes, tater tots round things out. A sauce based on flour, broth, and milk ties it all together, adding some serious depth of flavor.

Recipe: Iowa Girl Eats

This regional specialty (shout out to Texans) features layers of chicken, tortillas, and cheese. This version of the classic gets its richness from a simple homemade sauce featuring butter, milk, broth, flour, and spices.

Recipe: Five Heart Home

Spice up a weeknight dinner with this Mexican-inspired casserole featuring beef, beans, tortilla chips, olives, tomatoes, and cheese. Sour cream adds richness, though you can also opt to lighten the proceedings with a low-fat dairy product and ground turkey.

Recipe: Allrecipes

This spin on the retro holiday favorite steps away from processed ingredients and instead features a creamy, homemade garlic-mushroom sauce built around cream cheese. Of course, its recipe creator didn’t stray too far from tradition, still topping the dish with those beloved crispy onions.

Recipe: Budget Bytes

No one will miss any kind of soup in this dish that features ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, along with pureed pumpkin. A “white sauce” featuring sage, stock, nutmeg, and mustard powder helps put this pasta bake over the top. (Meat lovers can also feel free to add sausage.)

Recipe: A Family Feast

This five-ingredient casserole combines ease of prep with a lower-sodium profile than recipes featuring canned soups. Olive oil, chicken, diced onion, long-grain rice and broth — a homemade bone broth is said to be best — add up to one pleasing meal.

Recipe: This Farm Girl Cooks

This Southern specialty, a perennial pleaser at many a “covered-dish” supper, may feature yellow squash as its star, but a creamy sauce of cheese, mayonnaise, eggs, and sour cream gives it that authentic appeal of true comfort food.

Recipe: Southern Living

This recipe features basic ingredients, including diced breakfast potatoes plus crumbled potato chips for the topping. It comes together in 10 minutes and gets its creaminess from an easy-to-make roux of butter and flour. We’d say it’s a win-win-win.

Recipe: Midwest Foodie

Anyone with leftover ham during the holidays may want to give this 15-minute recipe a try, as cubed ham is the featured protein. This spaghetti-focused recipe favors organic ingredients, but we’re sure “regular” peas, cheddar cheese, half-and-half, and chicken broth will work just as well.

Recipe: Happily Unprocessed

This recipe’s description notes that the combination of rice, beans, and salsa always wins. It’s hard to argue with that. The dish can be customized countless ways, so “fill” your burrito any way you like. After all, it’s the dollops of cream cheese that tie it all together to create a creamy experience — no matter what else is added.

Recipe: Budget Bytes

A creamy Swiss cheese sauce elevates this pasta casserole, a fresh take on the time-honored dish featuring ham, chicken, and cheese. Cooking sherry, Dijon mustard, herbs, and spices enliven the creamy sauce that ties it all together.

Recipe: Spend With Pennies

Layers of sliced potatoes are surrounded by ground pork sausage and shredded cheese, all slathered with a basic white sauce of butter, flour, and milk.

Recipe: These Old Cookbooks

This stovetop recipe is said to deliver comfort food in less than 30 minutes, with leftover turkey, egg noodles, and veggies enrobed in a rich sauce that includes broth and heavy cream.

Recipe: Meatloaf and Melodrama

Fresh or frozen spinach offers two options for this steakhouse-style dish turned into a family-friendly casserole, which is equally suitable for a weeknight family dinner or an elegant holiday buffet. Heavy cream, Gruyere cheese, and crème fraiche are featured in a sauce that erases any thought of canned soup.

Recipe: No Spoon Necessary

This family-friendly, from-scratch dinner offers a big flavor payoff without much effort. Chicken, peppers, tomatoes, and spaghetti join a sauce boasting cream cheese, broth, milk, and heavy cream for a pleasing entrée. Leftovers, if any, are said to be ideal for lunch the next day.

Recipe: It Starts With Good Food

This one-pot vegan dish offers quick assembly (15 minutes) along with a rich, savory flavor thanks to several kinds of mushrooms, leeks, herbs, and plenty of garlic. Where’s the richness coming from? Oh, just a little addition called cashew cream sauce.

Recipe: Holy Cow Vegan

This recipe makes two broccoli casseroles, but can you have too many ways to disguise this kid-hated vegetable? It calls for evaporated milk, but you can substitute that with heavy cream.

Recipe: Salad in a Jar

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The lure of the lottery is powerful. Just pony up a few bucks for a ticket while you're buying a coffee at the corner store, and a few days later, all your dreams could come true. That line of thinking compels U.S. consumers to spend more on lottery tickets than books, movies, video games, sporting events, and music combined. In total, we spend more than $103 billion a year on a fantasy that likely won't come true. And for the tiny minority who beat the odds, the dream sometimes becomes a nightmare.

The odds of winning the Powerball grand prize are 1 in 292.2 million. CNBC provides some context for that hard-to-grasp number. It's almost certain that you won't die from a shark attack, and the odds of that happening are a much more reasonable 1 in 3.7 million. The odds of dying in an asteroid strike are 1 in 1.9 million, which seems like a virtual guarantee compared with the lottery. If any other situation had 1 in 300 million odds of success, it would be considered a lost cause.

If you happen to win a big prize, and you live in a state that requires public disclosure (or even if you don't but you're otherwise revealed as a winner), plan for a whole bunch of unwanted attention. You'll suddenly be one of the world's biggest targets for scam artists, fraudsters, blackmailers, and people who file frivolous lawsuits for a living.

Time is just one of many publications to report on the so-called lottery curse. The sudden arrival of a massive cash windfall causes enormous upheaval in the life of the average person. Lottery players are likely thinking about the cars, boats, travel, and freedom that a lucky ticket would bring. They're probably not thinking about the fact that should they actually win, virtually everyone they've ever known will see them as a wallet packaged in extraneous flesh for the rest of their lives. Jealousy, greed, and resentment are common side effects of winning lottery tickets, and they can lead to isolation, paranoia, divorce, and depression. It can even make the winner a target for violence while increasing the chances of suicide.

All big lottery winners have one thing in common: the likelihood that they'll declare bankruptcy within three to five years skyrockets the second they cash in that ticket. Big lottery winners are incredibly likely to blow it all, go broke, and end up worse off than they were before they won. One of the biggest reasons is the sense of entitlement that friends and family tend to assume. Those hangers-on also tend to see the prize as bottomless, bleeding the winner of money and causing emotional distress along the way.

State lotteries enjoy the luxury of being exempt from federal truth in advertising laws, which means advertisers can imply that with nothing more than a ticket, a dream, and some good vibes, winning is a real possibility. They're also allowed to downplay the odds and risks.

According to research by the Journal on Gambling Studies, the vast majority of tickets are sold to low-income consumers in poor neighborhoods. The poor spend much more on lottery tickets than the general population, even though they can least afford to throw their money away. Why? Because that's where lottery-related advertising is most heavily concentrated, and that's where the dream is sold most aggressively.

A hugely disproportionate number of lottery winners get state assistance. That means they're buying lottery tickets with taxpayer-funded money that was supposed to help with necessities. States don't forbid this activity — in fact, they encourage it by advertising so heavily in places where residents tend to get public assistance. But in a final act of retribution against the poor, many states, such as New York, confiscate prizes from anyone who gets assistance in the rare cases that they do win.

The feel-good story with the lottery is that even if (when) you lose, the kids win every time you buy a ticket. The proceeds, after all, benefit public education. 

But in reality, that's mostly a fantasy. First of all, the lion's share of the profits go to funding payouts, and another huge chunk is dumped into advertising. Generally, less than $1 in $3 goes to education. Even though that's still billions of dollars for schools, the numbers are deceiving. Legislatures anticipate the lottery profits and simply substitute that money for traditional funding instead of supplementing it as the system was designed to do.

If you won $17,657 playing the lottery, you'd be pretty happy, right? Well, if you took the $220 that the average American adult spends on lottery tickets each year and invested it instead, that's what you'd have after 30 years of $220 contributions, presuming a 6% return. It's not a $1 billion jackpot, but by relying on compound interest instead of luck, you can generate a respectable windfall instead of praying for one.

If you’re an honest-to-god fan of bargain shopping, Burlington has some good news. The discount retailer flagged a slate of new store openings across 20 states, and one might be coming to a city near you.

Here’s the scoop.

The New Jersey-based, off-price chain announced on its official website the opening of new stores in 20 states, with some set to debut in late August and others later in the fall. 

The company operates more than 1,000 locations and has been expanding into suburban shopping centers and former big-box spaces. 

Here’s a state-by-state rundown of the new Burlington locations.

• Green Valley – 18705 S. I-19 Frontage Rd – Aug. 29, 2025
• Phoenix – 7333 W. Thomas Rd – Oct. 10, 2025
• Phoenix – 4255 W. Thunderbird Rd – Oct. 17, 2025

• Antioch – 5709 Lone Tree Way – Sept. 5, 2025
• North Highlands – 3615 Elkhorn Blvd – Sept. 19, 2025
• City of Industry – 21640 Valley Blvd – Oct. 3, 2025
• Fresno – 4895 E. Cesar Chavez Blvd – Oct. 10, 2025
• Merced – 3138 R St – Oct. 10, 2025
• Visalia – 720 W. Riggin Ave – Oct. 10, 2025

• East Haven – 78 Frontage Rd – Oct. 17, 2025

• North Haven – 380 Universal Dr N – Oct. 24, 2025

• Tampa – 13123 N. Dale Mabry Hwy – Sept. 19, 2025
• Orlando – 7873 S. Orange Blossom Trl – Oct. 17, 2025

• Stockbridge – 31 Hwy 138, Ste 150 – Sept. 5, 2025
• Fort Oglethorpe – 2625 Battlefield Pkwy – Oct. 10, 2025
• Atlanta – 3303 Buford Hwy NE – Oct. 17, 2025
• Lawrenceville – 860 Duluth Hwy, Ste 110 – Oct. 17, 2025
• Dalton – 1335 W. Walnut Ave – Oct. 24, 2025

• Idaho Falls – 3011 S. 25th St East – Oct. 24, 2025

• Machesney Park – 1524 West Lane Rd – Sept. 5, 2025
• Algonquin – 175 Randall Rd – Oct. 3, 2025
• Chicago – 7507 N. Clark St – Oct. 24, 2025

• Louisville – 6801 Dixie Hwy – Oct. 3, 2025

• Baton Rouge – 10505 S. Mall Dr – Oct. 24, 2025

• New Orleans – 500 Port of New Orleans Pl, Ste 128 & 124 – Oct. 24, 2025

• Bangor – 6 Bangor Mall Blvd – Sept. 26, 2025

• Southfield – 23691 Greenfield Rd – Aug. 29, 2025
• Grandville – 4655 Canal Ave SW – Oct. 3, 2025
• Ypsilanti – 3150 Carpenter Rd – Oct. 10, 2025
• Livonia – 13477 Middlebelt – Oct. 24, 2025

• Wentzville – 1927 Wentzville Pkwy – Oct. 17, 2025

• Las Vegas – 3940 Blue Diamond Rd – Sept. 5, 2025
• Las Vegas – 5055 W. Sahara Ave – Oct. 17, 2025
• Reno – 1901 Silverada Blvd – Oct. 24, 2025

• Woodbridge – 855 St. Georges Ave – Sept. 12, 2025
• North Bergen – 3129 John F. Kennedy Blvd – Oct. 10, 2025

• Brooklyn – 946 Kings Hwy – Sept. 5, 2025
• Massapequa – 5520 Sunrise Hwy – Sept. 12, 2025
• Irondequoit – 2255 East Ridge Rd – Oct. 3, 2025
• Rego Park – 61-35 Junction Blvd, Ste A302 – Oct. 3, 2025
• Bay Shore – 1851 Sunrise Hwy – Oct. 10, 2025

• Warrensville Heights – 4063 Richmond Rd – Oct. 3, 2025

• Warrington – 1015 N. Main St – Sept. 19, 2025
• Glenolden – 20 N. McDade Blvd – Oct. 24, 2025

• Kingsport – 2626 East Stone Dr, Unit 170 – Oct. 10, 2025
• Antioch – 5305 Hickory Hollow Pkwy – Oct. 17, 2025

• Austin – 5431 N. Interstate 35 – Aug. 29, 2025

• Dallas – 4351 Dallas Fort Worth Turnpike – Aug. 29, 2025

• El Paso – 6101 Gateway Blvd W – Aug. 29, 2025

• Houston – 10960 Westheimer Rd – Aug. 29, 2025

• Houston – 6022 E. Sam Houston Pkwy N – Aug. 29, 2025

• Cedar Park – 11066 Pecan Park Blvd, Ste XG – Sept. 12, 2025

• Laredo – 2420 Bob Bullock Loop – Sept. 26, 2025

• Houston – 4743 Hwy 6 N – Oct. 3, 2025

• Houston – 8210 Kirby Dr – Oct. 24, 2025

• McAllen – 3300 W. Expressway 83, Unit 200 – Oct. 24, 2025

• Puyallup – 120 31st Ave SE – Sept. 19, 2025

There are two types of people: people who obsess over peanut butter, and people who have a fatal peanut allergy. And even then, sometimes it’s a Venn diagram. Whether it’s for PB&J, celery slices, smoothie bowls, or just a big fat spoonful, peanut butter is a gift. 

In the olden days, it was as simple as choosing creamy or chunky — but today? There are natural peanut butters, there are honey-flavored varieties, there are health-conscious peanut butters, and many more. 

We’re here to save you some time, so take a look at these 25 different peanut butters that we tried, just for you.

Is it cheating for RX to win a peanut butter taste test simply because its PB is made far more delicious by the addition of cinnamon? It just might be. At the end of the day, this is a peanut butter taste test, and RX made peanut butter. They chose to put cinnamon and honey in it when nobody else did. They chose to create the perfect granular consistency full of peanut flavor, sweet honey, and autumnal cinnamon. They chose to bring a bazooka to a knife fight, and for that, they have won. This peanut butter is absolutely incredible. It’s a win with an asterisk, but a win nonetheless.

If honey and cinnamon are an eye-roll for you, look no further than Fix & Fogg. The milky, buttery, umami-laden treat they’ve created is a stunner. It’s hearty and crunchy without getting stuck in your teeth, and that New Zealand sea salt just sings, y’all. You’ve come to this list to find the best classic peanut butter — Fix & Fogg is the one.

If creamy and smooth mean the same thing to you, then you’ll want to move along. Smoothest Peanut Butter is a few slides down. Justin’s Peanut Butter is, for us, a perfect creamy peanut butter. It’s silky and flowy, but still layered with the slightest amount of texture. There’s salt, and deep, nutty flavor, and everything is right. Justin is a wizard, and he is doing magical things. 

The truth is, nothing really hits like Jif. There are times in life where a brand supersedes a craving. Rarely do you want any old cola, you want a Coca-Cola. You don’t want a burger, you want McDonald’s. 

For us, this is Jif. We want peanut butter, so we want Jif Crunchy. It’s the soft, spreadable, roasty wonderfulness of Jif, plus lots of perfectly crunchy peanuts that don’t turn your mouth into an echo chamber of squeaks. This is the stuff, right here.

The brightness that makes the Whole Foods Creamy so great is a terrific juxtaposition with hearty, crunchy peanut chunks. Whole Foods knows what they’re doing here — the chunks are perfect, squeakless little morsels that have good crunch without getting stuck in your teeth. All that, plus the fact that we’ve still got a no-stir natural peanut butter, and this is a winner.

The first thing you’ll notice about a mouthful of Whole Foods peanut butter is how bright it is. Out of every single peanut butter we tasted, nothing came close to how light and clean Whole Foods was. On top of that, this stuff has a no-stir-but-still-natural situation going on. Stirring up your natural peanut butter is an absolute nuisance, so this is a miracle as far as we’re concerned. The fact that it doesn't have any sugar or salt is another miracle, because you’d never know. Say what you will about Whole Foods, but when they hit, they hit hard.

You know how Domino’s is still delicious, but it’s not the same thing as refined Italian pizza? That’s sort of the deal with Skippy. It’s like fast-food peanut butter. In fact, it’s not even really peanut butter, because in order to be considered actual peanut butter, you need to be at least 90% peanuts. Turns out this particular Skippy is peanut spread, which means it’s delicious, but it could be made of literally anything (much like Domino’s). That said, who cares? Skippy’s Natural Creamy with Honey is sweet, creamy, and wonderful. Thumbs way up.

To be a peanut lover is one thing. We are peanut lovers. To be a peanut-holic is entirely something else. If you are looking for a peanut butter that makes you feel like you’re drowning in a sea of peanuts, something around your ankle, dragging, pulling you, deeper and deeper, down into the depths of the great peanut sea, then Crazy Richard’s is for you. The butter itself is as thick and sticky as we have ever encountered, and the dense, heavy peanut flavor is only matched by the 800 gallons of peanuts they’ve crammed into each jar. Crazy Richard’s is for only the most intense of peanut eaters.

Roasty as can be, Santa Cruz Organic’s Dark Roasted peanut butter is exactly what it sounds like. This is a deep, thick, toasty thing, creamy with tiny little bits of peanut texture all throughout. It’s sticky, salty, and just the thing you want when you’re reaching for roasted peanut butter. This peanut butter is begging for some milk.

The only thing stopping TJ’s peanut butter from hitting the top of our charts is the supreme stickiness. It’s simply not for us. Their crunchy flavor is all the greatness of the creamy and more, with salty, rich, delicious butter and a ton of crunchy peanuts that do not squeak at all. 

How do you neutralize some of that stickiness? Great question. Here’s a great answer: Put it in a PB&J. You’re probably not reading this guide because you want to know which peanut butter you should eat with a spoon (but if you are, that’s awesome). You’ll probably be making a PB&J with this.

If you told somebody to shout out the first brand of peanut butter they could think of, chances are high they’d say Skippy. They might say Jif, and they may even say Peter Pan if they are pranking you, but we don’t see a lot of other brands being shouted out. There is a lot of power at play here, and we have to commend Skippy for it. When you reach for some Skippy, you know exactly what you’re getting. You don’t become the most iconic peanut butter in the game for no reason. Nothing but respect here.

If you’re looking to make a healthy choice, Crazy Richard’s is probably the one. Much like the crunchy variety, it’s thick as can be, and a full-on peanut flavor assault. That said, it also contains no salt, no palm oil, is gluten-free and plant-based, and has no added sugar at all. In other words, it’s bad. So, is a healthy choice really worth it? Can’t be. Go grab some almond butter.

The television series “Lost,” which had a terrific ending despite what the haters say, features a scene where sweet little Charlie Pace pantomimes eating peanut butter. In this scene, he is describing a fantasy peanut butter: the one you crave most on a deserted island. “Stick to the roof of your mouth, oh god it makes you want a glass of milk, extra smooth,” he waxes. Turns out Charlie is describing the Trader Joe’s Organic Creamy Salted peanut butter. Are you a Charlie? Is your mouth watering? You know what to do.

We’re not quite sure if Laura Lynn was going for this on purpose with its crunchy peanut butter, but this tastes a whole lot more like peanut skins than actual peanuts. You know, those flaky bits you spend the whole baseball game peeling off. Is this something you’re into? If so, here’s a peanut butter that you need to try. Unfortunately, we are not into that. We are not into that at all.

Until this taste test, if you had asked us if there was such a thing as bad peanut butter, we would have probably said no way. We thought peanut butter was like pizza or fries, where no matter how bad it is, it’s still just fine. 

Wrong. Harvest Farms is up to some dastardly stuff with their Organic Creamy peanut butter, and it starts right from the minute you open the jar. Though it does not say that it’s natural peanut butter, the first thing you see is a menacing puddle of oil. If you’re unfamiliar with natural peanut butter, it’s probably not a desirable sight. It’s a thick boy, too, and to eat some feels very much like inhaling a pound of sand. Very dry, highly unpleasant, and on top of all of it, it takes a long time to stir. So sorry, Harvest Farms. This one’s a stinker.

The truth is, we don’t know who Skippy Natural Super Chunk (which is what they called me in high school) is for. If it’s for lovers of Skippy, they’re going to be disappointed in the oily, au-naturel situation. If it’s for lovers of real peanut butter and organic natural brands, they’re going to be disappointed in Skippy’s low-grade ingredient quality. The truth is, go get a natural peanut butter if you want a natural peanut butter, and get classic Skippy if you want classic Skippy. It’s not like this is healthy; it’s Skippy, after all. Who ya foolin’?

In a world of Jifs and Skippys, it’s hard to root against Peter Pan. Pan isn’t the first brand that comes to mind, but we all know him. And after tasting his Honey Roast peanut butter, we’ve realized there needs to be some more respect on his name. The consistency is just as creamy and smooth as Skippy — pretty indistinguishable, as a matter of fact. Mix in that great sweetness from the honey and you’ve got yourself a highly respectable peanut butter.

You’ve heard us talk about peanut “squeak” quite a bit now. You know the one: that nasty feeling when a peanut slides across your teeth and reverberates inside your head. On this one, Harris Teeter (a grocery store that generally makes good things) has massively beefed it. This butter is far too salty, far too oily, and full of massive, squeaky peanut chunks. Do not put this in your body.

We handed Justin’s Creamy the title of Best Creamy, and by adding honey, they are still absolutely crushing things. The perfect grainy texture of the butter and the brightness of the honey make for a perfect spread or dip with celery, apples, pretzel sticks, or whatever your go-to peanut butter dipper is. And to make things easier? It’s also available in single-serve squeeze packets. Easy squeezy.

Don’t get us wrong, we love a Reese’s Cup. The fact that they’ve launched their own peanut butter is an interesting move, but the truth is, it’s quite forgettable. It’s not really candy-sweet like you’d expect, but it’s also not as salty or roasty as other nut butters. It is, however, unbelievably smooth and spreadable. If you want a peanut butter you don’t have to wrestle with, be it in the jar or between your teeth, Reese’s is as solid a move as you’ll find.

We’ll be honest, we couldn’t think of another category for this one. You know how hard it is to make 25 highly specific peanut butter categories? Harder than it seems. The point is, Jif Creamy is wonderful, and simply because a few other creamy peanut butters are more wonderful doesn’t mean Jif should be forgotten about. “Choosy Moms Choose Jif,” as the old slogan goes, and even though that still means pretty much nothing, we like it. 

Sometimes when it comes to peanut butter, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We often crave Jif, and if you do too, we don’t need to tell you. You’re choosy. You get it.

Wow, oh wow. Peanut Butter & Co. has a homerun on its hands. Of all the honey-flavored peanut butters, this one has the best salty-sweet balance by far. The honey is definitely prevalent, and the salty, smooth peanut butter complements it perfectly. It’s natural, but the stirring process isn’t as much of a to-do as other natural butters. This is a winner, and you want it in your pantry. 

Let’s face it, natural peanut butter can be quite the production sometimes. Stirring things up until you get your desired consistency definitely isn’t as easy as popping open a ready-to-spread jar, but there are a few brands that make it easy. 

Smucker’s, which actually owns Jif, is one of them. Their Natural Chunky is one of the better natural peanut butters we tried, and its natural-ness is hardly an issue. The oil, which is sparse enough to not be super messy, is easy to fold into the rest of the jar and only takes a few seconds. Nice work, Smuck.

Though Skippy gets a shout-out for its easy-to-rip-off foil (most of these brands require Hulk-like strength to pierce the foil), the brand's Super Chunk is highly unremarkable. Skippy succeeds with a dreamy consistency, but the inclusion of actual peanut pieces really doesn’t help anybody out. They’re squeaky, slightly too big, and have a real knack for getting stuck in your teeth. There’s no reason to reach for this one. Go for just about anything else.

You enjoy food that tastes good. Your dog doesn’t. He’ll eat anything. He especially loves peanut butter. For a generic-style brand that competes with Skippy and Jif, Laura Lynn is about twice as sticky and far more likely to make you look like a dog, forcing you to pry your tongue off the roof of your mouth between every bite. You deserve better than Laura Lynn’s overly intense, overly sticky peanut butter, so give this slop to your dog. Go get yourself a jar of RX.

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Today, the experience of flying in an airplane is mostly a horrible one. You put yourself through the misery of dealing with an airport, only to sit in an uncomfortable metal tube and rocket through the sky for hours. If you’re lucky, you can pay $18 for the worst turkey sandwich of your life.

It wasn’t always like that, though. In the jet-set era, food on planes was a big deal, a celebration, an occasion. Miss those days? Here are 11 photos of airplane food from the ‘50s through the ‘70s.

The look on this girl’s face! I can’t blame her. That would also be me if I just got a delivery of fresh hot food like that. Her siblings have clearly been chowing down, too. She probably had to sit there and wait while her sister chugged grape juice.

The only thing better than good food on a flight is being served good food on a flight by a chef in a big, silly chef’s hat. Our friends in the front are excited about what’s to come, but check out my man in the glasses back there. Are you kidding me with this guy? Hey dude, stop touching the food with your fingers. Raised in a barn, this one.

Holy ham! Look at what we’ve got going on here. Are we in Spain? We’ve got jamón. We’ve got beautiful bread. We’ve got assorted meats and foreign beers. We’re living the high life.

This feels so staged that it has to be an ad, but check out this spread. And when you’re done checking out the spread, check out this man’s face, which is either expressing extreme disinterest or extreme wonder. Tough to say.

This is an airplane? This looks like a cool bar on the roof of a hotel in Paris or something, or maybe even that one from the opening of the new “Final Destination” if you want a much less pleasant comparison. Look at all the space.

There’s a lot to marvel at in this photo, the food in particular, but the thing I can’t stop staring at is the size of the seats. So much room! Flying seems like it used to be … pleasant.

It seems like these flights were a lot like the Hogwarts Express, with treats from the trolley just zipping by all the time. Cheese, semi-fresh fruit, even a big honkin’ tomato; these carts had it all.

More ham. More bread. And what looks to be a big, salted or smoked fish of some sort. What do we suspect is going on over there on the right? Haven’t these people seen “Airplane,” or do we need to warn them?

People were dressed for the occasion on these flights, the same way you would be to go out to a restaurant. Look at all the booze available, too. People were getting lit in the air in 1967. You love to see it.

Did you also think that guy was Bob Dylan for a second? I sure did. Looks like we’ve got an early morning flight here, with full coffee and pastry service. And a whole entire table. That’s the nicest part of the whole situation, if you ask me.

We’ve got ourselves another chef’s hat! One thing that should be stated here is that just because this food was considered gourmet in the jet-set era, doesn’t mean that it’s something I’m dying to have now. For example, I’m terrified to know what that lobster is garnished with, or why maraschino cherries are anywhere near that … chicken? Goose? Duck? I’m good.

Let’s be real — buffets are a bit of a germ-fest. From everyone pawing at the serving spoons to food sitting under those heat lamps for who knows how long, it’s not exactly the place for fresh, gourmet dining. But hey, that’s part of the charm, right?

Now, don’t get us wrong — there are some buffets out there serving up legit delicious dishes. Even at the fanciest spots with glowing reviews, though, you should still steer clear of a few items. Whether it’s about dodging a case of food poisoning or just saving room for the good stuff, here are thirteen things you’re better off leaving off your plate.

We know: Those shiny, butter-brushed, soft and fluffy rolls at buffets are tantalizing. Especially when they're warm and fresh to the point that they practically melt in your mouth. We are not saying to avoid them because they're gross. Rather, we're hearing the voice of our grandmothers in our heads warning us not to fill up on bread. If you want to get your money's worth at a buffet, skip the buns, hun. 

Buffets are not innocent, you guys. They have a business model to uphold. They can't just offer customers a smorgasbord of food at a reasonable price and lose money on every mouth they feed. There's thought that goes behind what food they offer and where they arrange it. 

Many buffets will put more filling items at the head of the buffet line. Before you know it, you don't have any more room on your plate, so you go sit down and consume all of the most filling dishes first, setting the scene for the rest of the culinary experience. Spoiler alert: It's a scene that leaves you too full to get your money's worth.

Remember when getting a lemon with your water was commonplace? Some restaurants never asked, they just put that cute little yellow slice on the rim of your glass and you tossed it in and swirled it together with your ice water. Nowadays, we're supposed to know better. Lemons in restaurants and buffets have been building a reputation as bacteria-breeders, and it's best to avoid them unless you're slicing your own at home.

As a general rule of thumb, you're better off avoiding certain cold foods at buffets. The reason? You can't bank on the fact that they're being held at a temperature that ensures they're safe to eat. For these reasons, mayo-based salads are at the top of the list of cold foods to avoid. 

Plus, you can't easily pinpoint each ingredient included in the tuna salad or chicken salad you'll find among the little pickles and other random options at the end of the salad bar — and we prefer to know what's in these particular types of salads before digging in. 

If you aren't questioning the freshness of the freshness of the crawfish sitting out in that midwestern buffet, you probably should be (and you might want to question your judgment while you're at it). You're better off eating these little guys where they're fresh and safely handled and prepared.

Oof, this one hurts. We love a good salad bar. But if we're talking about foods commonly contaminated with E.coli, romaine and friends are at the top of that list. Salad bars are also sometimes kept at improper temperatures which can further contribute to the risk of foodborne illnesses. 

If cross-contamination skeeves you out, you might want to leave the fried foods in the buffet line alone. The oil used for those onion rings is likely the same that they're dumping the chicken tenders in. Do your french fries taste a tad shrimp-y? We warned you.

We hate to burst your sushi buffet-loving bubble, but eating raw seafood at a buffet isn't necessarily the most risk-free choice you can make. From oysters to sashimi, you're generally better off indulging in this sort of thing at a restaurant that specializes in raw seafood. There, you can feel a bit more confident that they are storing foods at the appropriate temperatures and diminishing foodborne illness risks and contaminations as much as possible. 

Plus, buffet sushi might be heavier on the rice and seaweed and lighter on the fish to get you fuller faster, so the quality probably won't be up to snuff either. 

We don't know how many of you are hitting up the seemingly fresh fruits when you head to the buffet, but be cautious about cantaloupe. The melon is strangely more susceptible to salmonella contamination than the average fruit and we imagine sitting out in a buffet for hours doesn't do this fruit any favors.

Alright, not only are we questioning the build-up of sludge and goop that undoubtedly occurs in those metal condiment dispensers, but just think about how many unwashed hands are caressing these things at buffets. We shudder at the thought. Ask for your own bottle of ketchup for the table. Someone else has certainly touched it before, but probably nowhere near as many someone else's hammering down on the ketchup pump.

Think of that fondue fountain at the buffet as Willy Wonka's sacred chocolate waterfall and river. The chocolate must go untouched by human hands, or it will be ruined. Don't think for one second that the self-serve chocolate cascading in front of you at the dessert bar hasn't been sneezed on, touched by grubby fingers, or been otherwise tainted. 

Alright, let’s talk about soft-serve ice cream machines at buffets. Sure, they’re a nostalgic staple, but do you really want dessert served with a side of ick? Those machines are a nightmare to clean properly, and if they’re not maintained regularly, they’re basically playgrounds for bacteria and mold. Now, add in a parade of sticky, germ-covered hands gripping the handle before you—yeah, we’ll pass. 

If you’re craving ice cream, grab a pre-packaged cup instead. It might not have the same swirl, but it also doesn’t come with a health gamble.

You're going to be eating plenty if you're having a meal at a buffet. That's plenty of calories, carbs, sugar ... all of it. Don't bring pop into the mix. 

Plus, it's not worth tacking on extra charges if you're trying to capitalize on the value concept of the buffet.

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Fast-food restaurants used to be a place where you could spend very little money and get a great deal of food in return. These chains get more expensive by the day now, but there are still dishes on most fast-food menus that pack a punch. If you’re going to get something that actually fills you up for less than $10, what should it be? Here are 12 affordable and filling fast-food items.

Prices may vary by location.

$4.99

There are bigger and thicker burgers to get at McDonald’s, but this is about that beautiful intersection of cheap and filling. The decades-famous Big Mac has not only two patties, but three buns. Trust me, that middle bun goes a long way when it comes to filling your stomach, so if you’re going to nab a burger for under $5 at McDonald’s, make it this one.

$1.59

Rice and beans are doing the lord’s work here, and for only a buck and a half? That’s just charity, you know? Grab two or three of these guys and you’ll be absolutely fine.

$6.19

KFC really pioneered this idea in a lot of ways. In the past, the chain even had menu items called “Fill-ups.” That said, the colonel’s biggest and best hit in the fill-up department still lives on. The Famous Bowl (for $6!) has mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, nuggets, and cheese. Really, really hard to beat.

$3.99

You don’t need a whole Cinnabon, of course, because that’s probably the equivalent of three meals. But a mini? For a measly $4? How cheeky.

$6.99

The bun is major for helping you to fill your belly at Pop’s, but why stop there? Drop a little bit of bacon and cheese on there, and you’re still only spending seven big ones.

$7.49

A digital exclusive, you’ll have to place an online order for this one. It’s worth the app download though, because you can snag three of BK’s snack wraps (with options like spicy and honey mustard) for under $8.

$2.19

These are pricier than Taco Bell’s, but that’s because they are heftier. With cheese, a ton of superior beans, and your choice of red or green salsa, the choice is clear: Get one of each for less than $5.

$8.50

The ability to get a big bowl, split with rice and chow mein, and topped with the best orange chicken on the planet Earth for under nine bucks is a mega-steal. I love you, Panda.

$3.09

Most of Long John Silver's sides cost the exact same amount, but none will fill you up the way a cup of rice will. Rice is amazing when it comes to filling you up for cheap, so make sure to tack that on to your order at Long John’s if you’re feeling hungry.

$6.75

Hear me when I say: This thing is big. It’s pricier than the other Starby breakfast sandwiches

https://blog.cheapism.com/starbucks-breakfast-sandwiches-ranked/

, but that’s fair, because it’s a missile. At only $6.75, this is still a steal for a huge tortilla stuffed with bacon, sausage, eggs, and potatoes. You’ll be full when this thing is through.

$7.75

J-Mike’s Italiano is one of the best you can get, particularly because it’s piled high with a whopping five meats (ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami, and pepperoni) and cheese. Top a mini sandwich, which runs under $8, with as many toppings as you like, and you’ve got a hefty lunch for cheap.

$9.99

The great thing about Five Guys’ "little" burgers is that they’re not little. They’re just regular burgers, except with a single patty instead of two. You can get away with a whole burger with bacon and cheese for a tenner at Five Guys, all because they think the standard burger size is a double.

Casseroles are a versatile dish. Practically anything can go in them, get a quick trip in the oven, and come out as a comforting, homey family meal. What people love to put in them varies regionally based on what's popular, available locally, and traditional in an area. 

Here are the signature casseroles from every state, including lots of iconic ingredients and recipes.

Made with yellow squash abundant in summer, squash casserole is a Southern classic that's often one of the choices for your meat-and-three meal as well as family suppers at home. This recipe includes all the things that make vegetables better: butter, mayonnaise, three kinds of cheese, and buttery Ritz crackers on top for a toasted, crunchy texture. 

Recipe: Southern Living 

It's impossible to think about Alaskan cuisine without salmon, and this cast iron skillet-baked smoked salmon pot pie is a great way to eat it. Dill and lemon zest in the creamy sauce make it unique and complement the salmon. Instead of a fussy pie dough, biscuit dough flavored with fresh chives is dropped onto the top for a more substantial and easy crust.

Recipe: Alaska From Scratch

The three sisters are the crops of squash, corn and beans, which were planted together and eaten extensively by Native Americans, including in what's now Arizona. This casserole honors that tradition with a layer of black and pinto beans with green chile, a layer of zucchini squash and onions, and a layer of cheese-topped corn pudding. 

Recipe: Everyday Southwest

Arkansas produced more rice than any other state, so rice casseroles are ubiquitous. This shrimp and rice casserole recipe is from the 2017 Miss Arkansas Rice, Shelby Bosnick, and helped her win her title. It includes colorful bell peppers, lots of okra and white wine, soy sauce and parmesan for an abundance of flavor. 

Recipe: Taste Arkansas

Chicken Tetrazzini was created in the early 1900s at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco to honor Luisa Tetrazzini, an Italian opera star who debuted in the U.S. around that time. Today, it's still a popular comfort food casserole consisting of spaghetti in a wine-spiked cream sauce with mushrooms, chicken, peas, and a crown of crunchy, buttery toasted breadcrumbs. 

Recipe: Food Network

The Denver omelet is a classic that you can find on practically every breakfast menu in the country, let alone its namesake city. It's easy to turn into a casserole that feeds a crowd, like this version that also includes hash browns to make it more substantial. The combination of ham, peppers and onions gets a boost from cheddar cheese and garlic. 

Recipe: The Wholesome Dish

The Lighthouse Inn, a hotel in New London, Connecticut, was famous for its creamy, baked potato side dish. The hotel closed in 2008, but many locals still make their own version of those beloved potatoes. Unlike many potato casserole recipes, this one calls for chunks of potato instead of shreds, making it more substantial. They swim in a sauce of cream and butter and are topped with a golden panko and parmesan mixture. 

Recipe: A Family Feast

With all its Atlantic coastline, Delaware is well known for its blue crabs. A crab boil is delicious, but if you'd rather not go through all the work to pick your own crabs, you can try this crab imperial casserole instead. Lump blue crab meat is mixed with mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon and shallots for a dish that's like one giant, creamy crab cake. 

Recipe: Savory Experiments

Since the DC Council named the cherry as the official fruit of Washington, D.C., it's only fitting to bake with the red, round fruit as a tribute to the city (and the fictitious story about the first president chopping down a cherry tree). This breakfast bake is a winner because it's quick, relies on cherry pie filling, and can feed the whole family.

Recipe: Mr. Food

Florida's citrus is famous, especially its oranges. This recipe for orange pecan French toast utilizes both fresh orange zest and orange juice so the orange flavor is prominent. Pecans, another crop that is grown in parts of Florida, goes into the bottom of the pan along with brown sugar. After baking, turn the slices upside down to reveal their gooey, pecan-studded side.

Recipe: AllRecipes

Peach cobbler is an iconic Georgian dish that's made with the state's tastiest crop. There are a number of ways to make it, but it's almost always in a casserole dish. This version is super easy: add melted butter and your cobbler batter to the pan, then pour the simmered fresh peaches on top. As it cooks, the batter bubbles up and melds with the fruit in mouthwatering ways. 

Recipe: Tastes Better From Scratch

Spam, the salty canned ham, is ridiculously popular in Hawaii since it graced the islands during World War II. This award-winning breakfast casserole recipe for baked French toast combines it along with pineapple and coconut, two tropical fruits also loved and grown in the state. The sweet and salty combination of ingredients makes a satisfying all-in-one breakfast meal.

Recipe: Hormel Foods 

Potatoes are synonymous with Idaho. There are a million ways to prepare them, but this twice baked potato casserole is comforting and feeds a lot of people on the cheap. Baked potatoes are mashed with butter, cream cheese and sour cream for extra richness, and then baked with even more cheese, bacon and green onions on top. 

Recipe: Spend with Pennies 

Though there's plenty of debate over whether Chicago-style deep dish pizza is actually a casserole, this recipe is definitely only a casserole. Rigatoni noodles are used in place of a crust, and are combined with a creamy, cheesy sauce along with pizza toppings like sausage, mushrooms and peppers. It's topped with marinara sauce, cheese and pepperoni before being baked.

Recipe: Southern Living

Hoosiers are proud of their state's sweet corn, and turn it into all kinds of dishes and meals. Corn pudding, which is a cross between cornbread and creamed corn with a spoonable, rich texture, is a popular way to use it. This recipe is slightly sweet, and includes a dash of nutmeg for a fragrant, spiced addition. 

Recipe: Taste of Home

Iowans love their pork since their state produces more than any other state, and like most of the Midwest, they love their creamy casseroles too. Boneless pork chops are seared and placed on top of a bed of thinly sliced potatoes and onions, then baked in a mixture of cream of mushroom soup and milk. Serve it with a side of fresh sweet corn on the cob for an extra Iowa touch.

Recipe: AllRecipes 

Bierocks are a beef and cabbage-stuffed bread roll, kind of like the Kansas version of a Hot Pocket. They're a great portable dish, but making individual buns is time consuming. In this award-winning casserole, a filling of beef, cabbage and rice is spread in a casserole dish and topped with a sheet of refrigerated crescent roll dough for a quick shortcut.

Recipe: The Active Age

The Kentucky Hot Brown is an open-faced turkey, bacon and tomato sandwich smothered in cream sauce and broiled. It was created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, but you can make an easy casserole version at home. This recipe layers toast and roast turkey under a homemade cream sauce, then tops it with bacon and parmesan cheese. Fresh tomatoes and parsley after baking add a fresh touch.

Recipe: Taste of Home

Two pounds of fresh shrimp, a seafood popular in Louisiana and important to its unique cuisine, are the centerpiece of this Cajun shrimp casserole. It's flavored with onions, white wine, cayenne and garlic, and includes lots of typical Cajun veggies like colorful bell peppers and okra. Rice and cream of shrimp soup provide a creamy, starchy base. 

Recipe: Southern Living

When you think of Maine lobster, you probably think of a whole steamed lobster on a plate, or maybe a lobster roll sandwich. But lobster casserole is an even more decadent way to enjoy the crustacean. The dry sherry in the cream sauce is the main flavoring, along with plenty of butter and egg yolks to put the richness over the top. Crushed Ritz crackers with paprika and parmesan lend crunch.

Recipe: New England Today

You can't go to Maryland without eating crabs, and fresh lump crab meat is used in this seafood bake casserole along with shrimp. They're combined with bread cubes, bell peppers, onions and parsley with an egg custard holding it all together. It's seasoned heavily with another Maryland classic ingredient: Old Bay, full of celery salt and paprika and synonymous with Atlantic seafood.

Recipe: The Midnight Baker

Whether you make them in a traditional bean pot or a more common casserole dish, Boston baked beans are a satisfying side dish all year round. Three ingredients are a must in this dish: navy beans, salt pork or bacon, and molasses. This recipe includes them all along with onion, dry mustard, worcestershire sauce and brown sugar, and is cooked slowly to fully hydrate the beans and let the flavors mingle.

Recipe: AllRecipes

Chili cheese dogs have a long history in Detroit, where they're called coneys. Fans usually have an allegiance to two rival restaurants, Lafayette and American, located right next door to each other. If you can't get to Detroit to try them, you can make this chili cheese dog casserole. Canned chili is spruced up with veggies, hot dogs, spices and cheese, then it's spread in between layers of cornbread and cheese.

Recipe: Taste of Home

Hotdish is the name for casserole in Minnesota, and they can come with practically any ingredients, as long as they're a type of casserole. But by far the most popular version of hotdish is this tater tot version. It's made with a layer of ground beef and vegetables in a creamy sauce of cream soup which is topped with cheese and a whole bag of frozen tater tots. It's kind of a creamy, upper Midwest take on shepherd's pie.

Recipe: I am Baker

Believe it or not, Mississippi has its own style of tamales. They have a long history in the area, are usually called hot tamales, and are smaller and wetter than the Mexican version they descend from. You can make a similar casserole with this recipe that includes a cornbread mixture on the bottom, topped with enchilada sauce, ground beef and plenty of cheese. Unlike the typical version of tamale pie with cornbread on top, the cornbread remains juicy and moist, just like Delta tamales.

Recipe: Delish

Kansas City is known for its barbecue, but burnt ends don't exactly make a good casserole. What does, however, are the sides that go along with them, especially the famous cheesy corn bake at Jack Stack Barbecue, which has been imitated at lots of other barbecue joints in the city. The creamy side is full of corn, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and garlic, plus a bit of smoked ham so you know you're at a smokehouse.

Recipe: KC Parent 

Huckleberries are wild berries that are similar to blueberries but with a characteristic flat side. The purple berries love to grow on mountainsides, which is why they're so common in Montana. If you can find some, make this dessert casserole buckle that's similar to a cobbler. A thick batter is spread into the dish first, and then topped with the berries and hot water, making the final dish buckle as it bakes.

Recipe: AllRecipes

Runzas are yeasted pockets of bread dough filled with beef and vegetables. They're so popular in Nebraska that there's a fast food chain headquartered in Lincoln called Runza that opened in 1949. For this recipe, ground beef, onions and cabbage are cooked with cream soup, then sandwiched between refrigerated dough.

Recipe: Hy-Vee

Nevada is the promised land of all-you-can-eat sushi. It's time consuming and complicated to make at home though, so this casserole can scratch that sushi itch for a lot less than a flight to Vegas. It's really better than it sounds, considering the only fish in it is surimi. Seasoned sushi rice makes up the bottom layer, plus surimi, plenty of Japanese mayo and furikake seasoning. Once it's hot and creamy, it's fun to eat as you wrap it in cold nori, avocado and other veggies.

Recipe: Bon Appetit

Heading to orchards to pick apples, drink hot apple cider and eat freshly fried apple cider donuts rolled in cinnamon sugar is a New Hampshire fall tradition. When your eyes are bigger than your stomach and you have a bunch of stale cider donuts left, use them up in this bread pudding recipe. They stand in as a sweet replacement for plain bread, and chopped apple boosts the fruit flavor. 

Recipe: AllRecipes

The famous Thanksgiving classic, Campbell's green bean casserole, was created by Dorcas Reilly, a New Jersian. She was the test kitchen manager in 1955 when she came up with the recipe, and holiday tables have never looked the same since. The original recipe is incredibly easy with only six ingredients, so there's no excuse not to make it if you haven't already.

Recipe: Campbell's

Hatch green chiles, from the area around Hatch, New Mexico, are famous for their sweetness after roasting along with a moderate heat. They're becoming increasingly easy to purchase outside of the Southwest, either fresh or roasted and jarred. So when you find them, make a batch of these simple chicken enchiladas that let the flavor of the chiles shine through.

Recipe: Allrecipes

New York is full of Italian-Americans, and they've contributed some of the best pasta casserole recipes to the rest of the country. Baked ziti is one of the classics, combining pasta tubes with tomato sauce and cheese. Mixing cream and ricotta into some of the tomato sauce makes the pasta layer extra creamy, and soaking the pasta instead of boiling it saves time and prevents it from getting overcooked in the oven.

Recipe: Serious Eats

Sweet potato is the official state vegetable of North Carolina, so it's apt that sweet potato casserole is popular there. The age-old debate of marshmallows versus pecans as a topping is easily settled with this recipe, which uses both. The pecans are added in the form of butter, cinnamon and brown sugar-filled streusel, adding more texture and crunch to the dish.

Recipe: Celebrating Sweets

Hotdish is ubiquitous in North Dakota, just like its neighbor, Minnesota. One of the most popular, award-winning versions is called Marge's World Famous Hotdish, served at the Boiler Room in Fargo and featured on the Food Network. They use ground bison with mixed vegetables, cheese and a topping of tater tots, just like this recipe. 

Recipe: Mason Jars and Me

A simple casserole of macaroni, beef, tomatoes and cheese, Johnny Marzetti was created at a restaurant in Columbus by Theresa Marzetti, and named after her brother-in-law. The restaurant closed in 1942, but the dish is still beloved in Ohio and often served in school cafeterias. This is the original recipe and it includes mushrooms, onion and cheddar cheese.

Recipe: Sun Sentinel 

Oklahoma has an official state meal, and one of the 11 — yes, 11! — items that are included in the belly buster is the hearty combo of biscuits, sausage and gravy. It's easy to make them for a crowd in casserole form, like in this recipe. Canned biscuit dough is spread in a pan along with cooked breakfast sausage, eggs, cheese, and a homemade cream gravy. The whole thing cooks up into a rich, filling brunch meal.

Recipe: Tasty

Oregon produces 99% of the country's hazelnut crop, and it's the official state nut. Most people are familiar with it in sweet recipes, but they're also great in savory dishes as well, like this vegetable side dish that won a 2020 hazelnut recipe contest. A mix of fresh vegetables, cheese and chopped hazelnuts are covered in an eggy, biscuit-like crust. 

Recipe: Wilco

Pierogies are a specialty in the Pittsburgh area, which has a large Polish heritage population. You can turn the frozen dumplings into a more substantial meal with this casserole recipe. A sour cream and chicken broth sauce is tossed with the cooked potato dumplings along with bacon, mushrooms and onions. Sliced smoked kielbasa would be a good addition, too.

Recipe: Powered by Mom

Clams are a staple seafood in Rhode Island, which is why clams casino are so popular there. Normally, clams casino are made by stuffing a mixture of bacon, breadcrumbs, bell pepper and seasonings into a clam on the half shell, but you can make it in small casserole dishes if fresh clams aren't available. This recipe uses three colors of bell peppers plus two kinds of cheese.

Recipe: Taste of Home

Shrimp and grits is a famous Lowcountry dish made with a pool of creamy grits topped with shrimp in a simple sauce. This casserole version bakes the heavy cream-laden cheesy grits and spoons a shrimp mixture made with bacon, white wine, bell pepper and garlic over the top. While cooking the shrimp in the casserole might be easier, cooking them separately ensures they don't overcook and the final dish is saucey.

Recipe: Southern Living

Indian tacos can be found all over South Dakota, and are made with fry bread, the official state bread. Most people don't want to fry in their own kitchen though, and for those people there's this taco casserole recipe. It's got a poured, breadlike batter that's close to fry bread, unlike the rice or tortillas of other taco casseroles. You can add the toppings like lettuce and cheese to the dish, or let your family add them to their own plate like they were making tacos.

Recipe: Lil Luna

Barbecue spaghetti is a specialty in Memphis' barbecue restaurants, where it's generally served as a side dish to smoked meats or as a main course. Instead of marinara sauce, spaghetti is tossed with a combination of barbecue sauce and tomato sauce, along with smoked pulled pork, then baked under a layer of cheddar cheese. Try using pulled pork from your favorite barbecue joint in this.

Recipe: Spicy Southern Kitchen

Though it's named after a cattle ranch, the King Ranch chicken casserole doesn't have any connection to it. That doesn't make it any less beloved in Texas, however, where it's a staple recipe. This is the classic version, made with canned cream soup, shredded chicken breast, a can of Rotel diced tomatoes, bell peppers, cheddar cheese and spices all layered like lasagna between corn tortillas. 

Recipe: AllRecipes

Though they're not exactly healthy and may lead to your own funeral eventually, funeral potatoes are so named because it's always brought to after-funeral events among Mormon church members. There are many slight variations to the recipe, but this one uses cubed potatoes, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, butter, cheddar, and a topping of Cornflakes that stay super crunchy after baking. You can add onions or use shredded potatoes if you prefer.

Recipe: Lil Luna

Vermont is the nation's top maple syrup producer, and it's also got an abundance of apple orchards. Those two ingredients just happen to go together well, especially in a casserole dessert like bread pudding. Maple syrup sweetens and adds flavor to the custard along with cinnamon and apple brandy, and maple sauteed apples brown on top. It's perfect served with a drizzle of maple syrup.

Recipe: Bon Appetit

Thomas Jefferson can be credited with popularizing mac and cheese in the U.S. when he had a pasta machine shipped to his home in Virginia. It's now about as iconic American as he is, and especially popular in southern states. This recipe is extremely rich thanks to making the mornay sauce with half-and-half. A mixture of medium cheddar and gruyere cheeses gives it the right balance of sharpness and nuttiness. 

Recipe: The Chunky Chef

The official state vegetable of Washington is the Walla Walla onion. They're grown around the town of Walla Walla, and the local soil is what gives them their sweetness and juiciness. Many people eat them raw, but this 5-ingredient casserole is almost as simple. Onions are sauteed, then mixed with a bit of sour cream and a lot of parmesan cheese. They're baked with cracker crumbs on top until it's golden and bubbly.

Recipe: AllRecipes

Pepperoni rolls are oblong buns baked with pepperoni and sometimes cheese in the middle. They're found at every gas station and bakery in West Virginia for a snack or quick meal on the go. This genius recipe uses pepperoni rolls as the starch in a breakfast strata, a savory egg bread pudding. It's also got bell peppers, onions, Italian herbs and cheeses to make a kind of Italian spin on brunch.

Recipe: How Sweet Eats

Bratwursts are found all over in Wisconsin, from downtown Milwaukee food carts to Packers tailgates. They're often paired with sauerkraut and onions, as in this bratwurst casserole. The sausages are sliced and browned, then placed in the casserole dish with sauerkraut, a sauce of cheddar cheese soup, tater tots, more cheese and onions. Serve it with pretzel bread for an extra German touch.

Recipe: I Wash You Dry

Wyoming is known for its elk hunting, and people need recipes to use up all that meat. This elk cornbread casserole is like an elk tamale pie, with peppers, onions, corn and cumin in the bottom layer, with a pourable layer of cornbread on top. Garnish it with cilantro, pickled jalapenos and salsa for a spicy, tangy topping.

Recipe: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

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The decision on where to retire has never been more interesting. Based on shifting population demographics and revitalized downtowns in places off the beaten track, it's eye-opening to see what some formerly underrated American towns can offer. Whether you're an active retiree who's more comfortable financially or one who's concerned about the cost of living while looking for a new place to call home, there are plenty of places to explore. 

We explored under-the-radar retirement destinations that offer a range of attractive attributes, including affordable real estate and housing options, low taxes, abundant cultural attractions and outdoor activities, great dining and shopping options, and access to medical care and senior services. 

Check out this list of surprising places for retirement that you might not have considered, and see if any hold appeal for a late-in-life change of location.

Arizona is a popular destination for sure, but small-town Bisbee is a border-town find that is full of charm with a strong arts scene — the antithesis of the more common Arizona gated-community vibe. It's a perfect spot for those who like really small towns with lots of quirky bars, restaurants, and artsy shops, along with hiking trails and a strong sense of community. 

Nearby Boise is white-hot on lots of "best places to live" lists, but the adjacent old town of Nampa is a charming and affordable city to consider. Nampa was once a solid railroad town, and the infrastructure and city have kept its old-town feel with modern retail and services in preserved older buildings. Diversity, a low cost of living, and low median rents make this Idaho gem a find.

This Cape Cod town is off the beaten track and scenic, with seascapes and a quaint downtown. Falmouth also has a local hospital and lots of access to amenities without the urban crush of Greater Boston. Lots of food options, shopping, and services abound for retirees, including a city-sponsored senior center, perks for living arrangements, and various supportive services to help retirees, too. 

A bit on the larger side, Camas is classic Pacific Northwest small-town cool, and perfect for those who dislike the hot and humid options. Camas is a scenic wonderland and a natural spot for active retirees. 

The city sits near the Columbia River and Oregon-Washington border and sports a beautiful downtown with lots of art, good food, and culture. Expect average rents a bit higher than other places in the state. 

Flintier retirees who aren't bothered by seasonal winter cold can have great restaurants, arts, and a picture-perfect downtown, along with activities such as golf, skiing, and hiking. Financials are in retirees' favor, as the state does not tax Social Security and provides a sizable deduction to seniors on other types of retirement income. Michigan does not have an estate tax or an inheritance tax.

In America's own "Hot Spring" for natural hot tub bathing, retirees get lots of benefits, including medical facilities, diverse restaurants, golf, camping, hiking and biking, and water sports. Nearby is access to 52 Arkansas state parks, seven national park sites, and three national forests. All that with a lower-than-average cost of living make this a hot pick. 

This city is a favorite for retirees for several reasons: Social and cultural amenities are abundant, there's a low tax burden, and there are established retirement communities along with recreation centers tailored for seniors. Just east of Lake Tahoe, Gardnerville boasts highly ranked medical centers. Real estate is a bit pricier than the state average, but the small-town charm and safety make up for the bump in housing costs.

Lots of outdoor leisure boating, hiking, and water skiing activities come with this spot only 20 miles from Columbus, Ohio's capital city. The waterways include Alum Creek Lake and Delaware Lake, and feature the largest inland beach in the state. 

City dwellers can enjoy downtown breweries, restaurants, and shops. Low crime rates and low real estate prices make this Ohio college town one to check out. 

With less hubbub and traffic than nearby Austin, yet loaded with old time charm, a lively arts scene, and antique stores, scenic Georgetown is full of diverse activities for seniors and perfect for active retirees. Real estate costs are more affordable here and highly ranked medical centers are close at hand. 

High sales taxes and property taxes are a downside, but there's no state income tax in Texas, and Social Security retirement benefits and all other types of retirement income are tax-free. 

For retirees truly unfazed by cold and who love nature and the outdoors, this pristine city has natural wonders and amenities, restaurants, and an arts scene. There's a low cost of housing and easy access to medical care. Residents also enjoy wonders such as the Northern Lights. Goods and groceries run higher than the average, but become a permanent Alaska resident and the state will pay you a varying amount from the oil-funded Permanent Fund Dividend. 

Nestled between Fort Myers and affluent Naples, this beachside gem is a more affordable spot for warm-weather fans who love biking and everything a seaside town can offer. With great seafood restaurants, senior assistance programs, lower real estate costs, and a vibrant arts scene, Bonita Springs is also close to top medical centers, which make it a smart Florida choice.  

This Bing cherry capital is a Portland suburb, close to the airport, and loaded with small-town charm and modern retail and dining amenities. Milwaukie sits on the banks of the Willamette River, and offers loads of nature walks, leisure boating, and arts-related events to explore. 

There's no sales tax, and Social Security retirement benefits are exempt from the state income tax, though retirement accounts such as a 401(k) or an IRA are taxed at full state income tax rates. Lots of senior housing options are available, too.

Safe, clean, and classic New England small-town charm are all wrapped up in one place. For those who love four seasons, are outdoor-adventurous, and on a budget, Wilmington ticks a lot of boxes. Historic buildings, arts and fashion boutiques, diverse restaurants, and loads of leisure activities (including golf) abound. It's also near the Haystack Mountain ski resort and Lake Whitingham. 

Lower real estate prices than the state average make it a smart choice, though the state is not considered a big bargain for retirees in the taxation department.

Fairhope is a pretty find for those with a strict budget. Pensions and Social Security are not taxed, and homeowners 65-plus do not have to pay property taxes. Historic Fairhope is sunny and scenic, with lots of golf and activities for retirees. Located near the Gulf Coast, it offers leisure boating, marinas, and fishing activities. Residents can enjoy luncheons, pool games, exercise classes, and more at the James P. Nix Senior Center.

Affordable and Midwest-friendly, Hamilton is accessible to Cincinnati and the airport, located along the Great Miami River, and filled with restaurants, chic shopping, a vibrant arts scene, and biking and walking trails. Named the City of Sculpture, the scenic town has outdoor artwork and murals and is also home to microbreweries, outdoor theaters, and hiking and biking trails. 

For the outdoors- and nature-loving retirees, low-crime Bozeman has an airport and easy proximity to the majestic Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park. Skiing, hiking, unique eateries, and shopping make this Montana town one to love. 

No sales taxes and low median home prices help soften the state taxing a portion of Social Security benefits for retirees above a certain income level. Montana property taxes are considered low.

This small college town is in north-central Utah, south of the greater Salt Lake City area. Safe, affordable, and filled with unique shops and markets, Nephi is an up and comer and may not be cheap much longer. With lots of activities indoors and out, Nephi has lower living costs that offset the state's taxation on Social Security. 

Utah also taxes pension income and income from retirement accounts at the state's flat income tax rate of nearly 5%, with seniors able to claim a small credit to offset the cost.

For fans of a water view and loads of outdoor activities in a warmer climate, this small-town find is the ticket. Retirees on a budget can get the gated community feel without the price tag. This low-crime community is set on a beautiful lake made for boating, waterskiing, and fishing. 

There are affordable real estate and rental prices, and Mississippi exempts all forms of retirement income from taxation. The state has low property taxes and a 7% sales tax.

Rehoboth Beach is a scenic and temperate Atlantic Coast town with lower real estate costs than nearby states. The town's boardwalk is filled with restaurants, shops, and hotels, and traditionally has loads of activities indoors and out, including summer concerts and museums. Retirees pay no sales tax and get an exclusion of up to $12,500 from retirement income such as IRAs, pensions, and 401(k) plans for state taxes. Delaware has low property tax rates and no estate or inheritance tax. 

Indian Wells has the charm of old Palm Springs without the high real estate costs and traffic. Lots of retirees are already here, and there are numerous activities and events to enjoy year-round. The city is near the San Bernardino National Forest and Joshua Tree National Park, and active seniors will love the golf, tennis, and hiking trails around the town. Retirees will need to remember that California overall is not a tax-friendly state for retirees, though. 

Stunningly scenic and set in the Rocky Mountains, this safe, pristine spot is in a tax-friendly state for retirees not afraid of a robust winter. Loaded with educated professionals and outdoorsy activities for every level of fitness, this is an active retiree's place to be. Senior housing options and rentals are available, though median home prices are a bit over the national average. This town is perfect for nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, and those a bit more comfortable in their retirement budget.

Addis has an easy, small-town feel in West Baton Rouge Parish along the Mississippi River. Known for a strong sense of community, this town is safe and boasts unique shops and eateries, with affordable housing to spare. Louisiana does not tax Social Security or public pensions and has low property taxes. Retirees will pay income taxes on retirement savings account income, though, and the combined state and local sales taxes are a high 9.45%.

Sitting on the Piscataqua River, this safe, retiree-friendly town boasts recreation centers and a quaint downtown village with historic New England sights, shops and scenery, and plenty of great food, arts, and entertainment. There's no state tax nor taxed salaries or wages, an exception being a 5% tax on interest and dividend income. Cons are the property taxes and high median housing costs.

Midwestern friendly and safe, this town is tucked just north of Indianapolis. Carmel has it all: shopping, arts, food, activities galore for retirees, and a strong sense of community. Indiana doesn't tax Social Security income but does tax pension income. Sales tax runs 7%.

The Brevard area is nicknamed the "Land of Waterfalls," and this scenic town is perfect for active seniors. It has all the outdoor activities and the arts covered, along with unique shops and diverse eateries in a well-kept historic downtown. The state has no tax on Social Security income, and state and local sales taxes total 6.75%. Affordability is high, along with a small-town safe quality of life.

Tellico Village was made for active-lifestyle retirees who favor water sports. Scenic walking trails, golf courses, and views of the Great Smoky Mountains abound. Add to that diverse eateries, shopping, and a mild climate with a short winter. 

There's no state income tax, and Social Security and income from retirement accounts are not taxed by the state, while property taxes in Tennessee are on the low end. Still, expect one of the highest average combined state and local sales tax rates in the country.

Los Lunas is south of Albuquerque, along the Rio Grande. The low-crime town has history and a hip vibe and offers fun eateries, museums and bars, with loads of hiking and nature trails to explore. New Mexico taxes all retirement income including Social Security with a deduction for seniors based on income. Low property taxes, combined with affordable median home costs, make it a contender.

Just outside of Atlanta, this scenic wonderland near the historic Stone Mountain Park is perfect for active retirees. This safe city has medical centers, eateries, and plenty of shopping. There's no tax on Social Security retirement benefits and no state inheritance or estate tax, with a per person deduction of up to $65,000 on all retirement income for anyone 65 or older. Property tax rates are moderate, too.

With beach-town homes affordable, retiring in Virginia Beach may be the move for Atlantic seaboard fans. Lighthouses, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean surround the town that boasts scenic sights and eateries, nightlife and bars, and shops and museums. 

Low crime rates and highly ranked medical centers in a state with a number of exemptions to ease the cost of living on retirees are a bonus. Sales tax is 6%, and property taxes are on the low end of the nation's average. 

The children's novelist Sharon Creech once wrote, “Life is like a bowl of spaghetti. Every once in a while, you get a meatball.” But if you crave a meatball more than “once in a while,” here are 23 restaurants across America renowned for their delicious meatball offerings.

St. Louis

Website: www.charliegittos.com

Charlie Gitto's Italian restaurant has been a St. Louis institution since its founding in 1981. The restaurant takes credit for being the birthplace of toasted ravioli, but another signature dish is Charlie's baked spaghetti topped with meatballs, Bolognese sauce, and various cheeses. If you'd prefer a smaller meal, you can also get meatballs served as a standalone appetizer with Pomodoro sauce.

Brooklyn, New York

Website: www.frankiesspuntino.com

Frankies — no apostrophe since it is plural, named after co-owners Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli — cooks its meatballs in a red sauce before serving them smothered under even more red sauce, plus raisins, pine nuts, and cheese. If you'd prefer a quicker meal, the restaurant also  serves its meatballs on parmigiana sandwiches.

Salt Lake City

Website: moochiescheesesteak.com

Even if you've never been to Salt Lake City, you may have heard of Moochie's, since it appeared on two different Guy Fieri shows — Diners, Drive-in, and Dives in 2008, and the follow-up series Triple D Nation in 2018. 

Moochie's meatballs are made of ground beef, hot Italian pork sausage, and sweet pork sausage, mixed with eggs, parsley, garlic, and oatmeal. The baked meatballs are then simmered in marinara sauce before serving. The big meatballs (each one weighs a third of a pound) are served on sub sandwiches, or you can buy two meatballs and a quart of sauce from Moochie's take-home menu.

Chicago

Website: leonas.com

Leona's has helped hungry Chicagoans scratch their pizza itch since it first opened in 1950. But don't let the “pizzeria” name fool you; Leona's menu offers a wide range of Italian and American foods, including classic Italian meatballs offered as a standalone side dish offering. 

You can also get meatball sandwiches, with meatballs smothered in marinara sauce and provolone cheese, all served on a hoagie roll. And of course, pizza lovers can choose sliced meatballs as a possible topping.

Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts

Website: alscafes.com

Al actually has four different cafes scattered throughout the Boston metro, each with slightly different menus, but all offer meatball-parmesan subs featuring large homemade meatballs that are cooked in marinara sauce before being topped with Parmesan and provolone cheeses. For lighter fare, try Al's homemade Italian wedding soup, which includes “tiny meatballs” on its ingredient list.

Los Angeles

Website: thehouseofmeatballs.com

The menu at LA's House of Meatballs offers standard Italian-American fare such as chicken parm, lasagna, and various ravioli varieties, but its main focus is its meatballs. The Build Your Own Meatballs Plate offers five varieties: carnivores can choose from beef, chicken, or pork, while vegetarians can enjoy eggplant or tofu balls. Then, choose your preferred shape of pasta, and top it off with your choice of homemade sauces: marinara, arabbiata, creamy tomato, white sauce, pesto bail, marsala mushroom, or bolognese.

Sister Bay, Wisconsin

Website: aljohnsons.com

Al Johnson's is a local landmark, easily recognizable thanks to the live goats that are often seen grazing on the restaurant's sod roof. Al's extensive menu includes homemade Swedish meatballs served with mashed potatoes, lingonberries, veggies, and a choice of soup or salad. If you'd prefer a smaller meal, you can also get a Swedish-meatball sandwich.

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Nashville, Tennessee

Website: cityhousenashville.com

City House's meatball recipe, devised by James Beard-winning chef Tandy Wilson, breaks the traditional meatball recipe rule: they actually contain more breadcrumbs than meat. The combination of pork shoulder, breadcrumbs (made of leftover pizza dough), milk, parsley, and garlic are first baked and then simmered for hours in a savory tomato sauce. 

City House menus can vary based on the day of the week, but one recent “Sunday Supper Menu” included spaghetti and meatballs served with “Sunday gravy,” olive oil, and parm.

Pittsburgh

Website: siennamercato.com

Sienna Mercato is a three-story restaurant “marketplace” featuring a different theme on each floor. The ground floor hosts Emporio: A Meatball Joint, a casual Italian eatery featuring a variety of specialty meatballs — chicken, beef, deep-fried cod, spicy pork, and veggie balls. These can be ordered alone with sauce or served on sandwiches. 

Or you can try various specialty “Bowls,” such as “Atomic Balls” (five buffalo fried chicken balls served with “government mac 'n cheese”, blue cheese crumbles, buffalo sauce, and jalapeno peppers),  or “Angry Birds” (two chicken balls, more “government mac 'n cheese,” crumbled blue cheese, and crack sauce.

New York City

Website: themeatballshop.com

The name says it all: The Meatball Shop sells meatballs. Lots of meatballs, plus a variety of non-meat foods served in spherical form. You can get their “classic” balls (which contain pork), “Spicy Heritage Pork” balls, “mac 'n cheese” balls (containing beef and pork), buffalo chicken balls, and more. 

Of course, they also serve a wide array of pasta-and-meatball dishes, such as spaghetti in meatballs. (That's spaghetti in meatballs, not and: three large classic balls with spaghetti baked inside them, each one served in a different sauce.) Or try the Cavatappi Chicken Pesto, mini chicken meatballs served with broccoli and mozzarella. They also offer sandwiches featuring classic meatballs, chicken meatballs, veggie balls, and more.

Philadelphia

Website: ralphsrestaurant.com

Ralph's is one of the oldest Italian restaurants in America, having been in business (and run by the same family) since 1900, and Ralph's meatballs have been a menu staple from the very beginning. 

The restaurant’s “best of Philly” meatballs, made with a combination of ground beef and pork, Pecorino-Romano cheese, and caramelized garlic (plus a small amount of Italian bread as a binding agent), can be ordered alone, or on top of pasta.

Midlothian, Illinois

Website: bartolinis.com

If you're looking for a “challenging” meatball, Bartolini's is the place for you. Literally — the restaurant hosts an annual meatball-eating championship, and also a “10lb Meatball Sandwich Challenge” wherein a brave (and very hungry) solo diner gets 40 meatballs (two ounces each), 1.5 pounds each of red sauce and melted mozzarella, and a pound of roasted green peppers, all served on a three-foot loaf of French bread. 

The meatballs are made of pork and beef combined with egg, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and milk-soaked bread, and in addition to the challenging portions mentioned already, they can also be ordered as a modestly-sized appetizer with red gravy and mozzarella, on a French bread sandwich, or atop a pizza or pasta dish. If you can't get to the Chicago area, Bartolini's ships nationwide.

Flushing and Bayside, New York

Website: shanghaiyougardennyc.com

Shanghai You Garden is a Chinese fusion restaurant whose menu mainly focuses on dumplings, but one of the restaurant’s most popular non-dumpling entrees is its meatballs, which are made of pork and crab meat braised in soy sauce.

San Francisco

Website: emmysspaghettishack.com

This Mission District restaurant is so popular there's a waiting list to get a table inside, though if you don't want to wait you can also order carryout. You can get Emmy's spaghetti topped with three all-beef meatballs, and there's also a vegetarian option where the spaghetti is topped with two plant-based “Beyond Balls” made from a combination of peas, mung beans, faba beans, brown rice cocoa butter, beet juice extract, apple extract, and unspecified “natural flavors.” If you're trying to cut carbs, you can also order meatballs or Beyond Balls individually, for $4 each.

Kansas City, Missouri

Website: ragazzakc.com

At Ragazza's, you can get moderately sized homemade meatballs topping a platter of spaghetti, or try a “Meatball Grande,” a ten-ounce meatball served with red sauce and grilled focaccia bread on the side. Smaller individual meatballs with red sauce can be ordered as side dishes for $2.50 apiece.

Baltimore

Website: dipasquales.com

DiPasquale's meatball recipe has been a closely guarded secret for over a hundred years, ever since the first DiPasquale’s location opened for business in 1914. The deli’s meatball subs feature meatballs and marinara sauce stuffed inside a hollowed-out loaf of freshly baked bread, or you can order a side dish of two meatballs plus sauce.

Santa Monica, California

Website: baycitiesitaliandeli.com

This combination bakery and delicatessen has served fresh-made bread, pasta, and other Italian food to Angelenos since 1925. One of its signature hot sandwiches featured two enormous meatballs served with melted mozzarella on a loaf of toasted bread. 

They also cater (with advance notice), and a tray of its catered “cocktail meatballs” ranges in price from $35 for 25 meatballs to $120 for 100 meatballs. You can also order a two-foot-long meatball sub sandwich for $60.

New York

Website: frankrestaurant.com

Here's a semantic mystery to unravel: how big can a meatball get before it qualifies as a meatloaf instead? The answer might be found at Frank (not “Frank's”), where the dinner entrees include polpettone, a spiced meatloaf served with tomato gravy and potato pancetta that can easily feed two or three people. 

If you prefer smaller portions, you can order a side dish of meatballs and sausage, and every Wednesday, the special is spaghetti and meatballs.

Chicago

Website: beatrixrestaurants.com

Beatrix has five locations throughout Chicago, with several Asian or Asian-inspired menu offerings including its Buffalo chicken meatballs served with yogurt ranch sauce.

Southold and Northport, Long Island, New York

Website: maronicuisine.com

Maroni boasts that it is “home of the original hot pots”: a take-out pot filled with Maroni's meatballs and red sauce. Its all-beef meatballs, made from an old family recipe, are so good, that Food Network chef Bobby Flay featured them in a “meatball throwdown.” If you visit Maroni's, bear in mind that they do not accept credit cards. And if you can't make it to Maroni's, its meatball recipe is here.

Multiple locations

Website: wildfirerestaurant.com

This small, jazz-themed restaurant chain has five locations in Illinois (mainly in Chicago and its suburbs), and one each in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and Tysons, Virginia. Wildfire's lunch and dinner appetizer menus both feature meatballs made from bison, with tomato sauce and asiago cheese.

Multiple locations

Website: ikea.com/us/en/stores/restaurant

Although Ikea is best known as a source of affordable home furnishings and décor, most stores also feature an attached restaurant where hungry shoppers can break for a tasty and affordable meal. The menu only offers a few items, including its flagship Swedish meatballs (also known as köttbullar), made of beef and pork under cream sauce, served with sides of mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. If you prefer eating at home, you can also buy sauce packets and frozen Swedish meatballs in the store's bistro section.

Flights keep getting more expensive, and the number of perks keeps dropping. These days, you can’t even get a free meal like you could just a few years ago. Here are a few throwback fringe benefits we wish airlines would bring back.

At one point, you could board a plane with your overstuffed carry-on bags and no one would blink an eye. Sure, you might spend 10 minutes trying to shove them into the overhead, but who cared? Now nearly every flight tags larger carry-on bags, since planes and overhead compartments are shrinking and more people are traveling.

Back in the day, every flight, long or short, came with free checked bags. Now even flying two hours requires you to check a bag. Makes you want to fit everything in that carry-on, doesn’t it?

The next time you’re grumbling about your knees butting against the seat in front of you, ponder this: in the 1950s, seats had 3 to 6 inches more legroom than today. The legroom space between seats at one time was 35 inches, and now it’s as tight as 28 inches on some budget airlines.

Pan Am, the leader in luxury in the skies, used to serve meals on actual designer plates. And they used real glasses and silverware too! This wasn’t just in first class, friends. Economy travelers got this first-class treatment as well. And meals were hand-delivered by flight attendants, not passed out of a cart filled with plastic-wrapped frozen meals.

And speaking of Pan Am meals, they also served food based on the destination. Flying to Hawaii? You might be served shredded pork and other local delicacies. None of this prepackaged pasta nonsense we’re served today.

At one time, everyone on a plane was dressed to the nines. It was an occasion, an event. Women wore their best dresses and maybe a hat. Men flew in suits and ties. Today, you see yoga pants and Uggs. We dress for comfort. Maybe that’s what’s wrong with the world. We need to treat traveling like the privilege it is!

While first-classers still reap this reward, at one time, everyone was plied with alcohol on short and long flights. Probably to put us all to sleep so we wouldn’t bother the flight staff! Now we’ve got to pay for a tiny bottle of wine. Life isn’t fair…

Until the 2000s, you could travel from New York to London in under three hours. Yes, traveling at twice the speed of sound on the Concorde was one of the best perks, for those who could afford the ticket, which cost from $12,000 to $20,000.

Most of us remember the pre-9/11 days when there was no half-hour security line and stress to get to your flight on time. You could arrive minutes before departure and slide right up to the gate without issue. And your friends and family could see you off right at the gate.

Let’s go back to talking about in-flight meals. Not only were they served on real plates, but they also served real food. Even economy class got to experience gourmet meals like steak and lobster.

One of the features of the Boeing 747 was that it had two levels. Ample room to have a first-class bar upstairs and live music in coach downstairs. Some airlines today still have bars, including Qatar and Emirates, but we’re voting for all planes to bring them back.

We’re not talking about the lie-flat seats that current airlines offer. We’re talking berths like you’ll find on a train. With real sheets and pillows, and space enough to stretch out. Imagine how well-rested you’d be after a trans-Atlantic flight!

“Hi Mom! You’ll never guess where I am!”

Once upon a time, you could make phone calls from an in-flight phone from your seat. This technology has been phased out, thanks to cell phones. Which, of course, you’re not allowed to use on a flight!

You might get excited about the socks and pens that come in today’s amenity kits in first class, but once upon a time, travelers received luxury perfume, travel candles, silk scarves, and luxury watches! Well worth the price of admission!

If you’ve traveled overseas, you know how funky you feel (and smell) after traveling all day. Imagine being able to take a shower before landing at your destination! Of course, airlines today (besides Emirates, which offers showers) have abandoned this luxury in the name of saving money. It’s a shame.

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German cuisine offers such a wide range of culinary treasures, and is especially abundant in the comfort food department. If you're looking for hearty dishes for chilly nights that just make you feel good, try out these six authentic, old-school German recipes.

Traditionally made with thinly pounded pork, schnitzel is coated and fried in a crispy breading. Serve it alongside french fries, fried potatoes, spaetzle, or whatever your heart desires. It's a comfort food through and through, and it's only elevated by side dishes.

Recipe: Allrecipes

Potato dumplings or Kartoffelklöße are the quintessential comfort food. There is nothing quite like a dumpling when you're looking for a warm food to fill your belly with.

Recipe: Quick German Recipes

Too busy to cook? Check out the best German restaurants across America.

A little bit of spicy brown mustard for dipping sends this dish right over the edge. Plus, saurekraut is touted for gut health, so it's a comfort food that provides a service to your health. We call that a win.

Recipe: Budget Bytes

Otherwise known as Käsespätzle, spaetzle is a German egg noodle pasta that has a chewy texture akin to dumplings. It is the epitome of comfort food and one of the most beloved German dishes. 

Recipe: Plated Cravings

Touted as a German fast-food dish or street food, currywurst is basically a cut up steamed, fried sausage topped with curry ketchup. Bursting with flavor, this one will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Recipe: The Kitchen Maus

Who doesn't love a good soft pretzel? Grab yourself some mustard, melted cheese, cream cheese ... whatever you've got a hankering for. 

Recipe: Food & Wine

We all love a good fast-food burger now and again. Everyone has their favorite chains, but some of those chains seem to be coasting on reputation alone instead of a quality product. Maybe you've been eating the burger for decades, or maybe it's just the closest drive-thru to your house. Whatever the reason, it's probably time to move on from these overrated and often terrible fast-food burgers.

Look, BK is just all-around terrible. We don't know a single person who actually chooses to eat there, and we bet you don't either. How do they stay in business? It's certainly not because of the Whopper, which like the Big Mac, should be at least tasty. But it's always dry and flavorless, with sad looking vegetables and slapdash construction so you always have to reassemble it yourself. Burger King just needs to give up, honestly. 

The Big Mac is arguably McDonald's signature menu item, but we don't know why that's still the case. There's more bun here than anything, which completely drowns out the paper-thin beef patties. (Though maybe given the quality of the beef, that might be a good thing?) The cheese is never melted, the lettuce is wilted and brown around the edges, and the whole thing only tastes like the bland Big Mac sauce — that is, if you actually get enough on your burger taste it. 

Remember when the Wendy's Baconator came out and it was so buzz-worthy because people used to lose their minds for bacon? Somehow, the Baconator is still available, despite people getting over the bacon trend. Sure, it's got six slices of bacon, but they're pretty thin and tasteless. Plus those square beef patties are always gray, dry, and falling apart. The novelty of this burger has long worn off. 

When the price of a fast-food burger eclipses that of a sit-down restaurant, it's almost always way overpriced and overrated. Nothing about Five Guys burgers justify the enormous price tag — we're talking $12 for the standard cheeseburger. Sure, you can add as many toppings as you want, but that will just make them an even bigger mess. And no matter how many toppings you order, they'll still be smashed flat, with beat-up buns because of how they wrap them in foil. These burgers haven't been worth the price since the early 2000s. 

The thing about In-N-Out is that people are devoted to it — like religiously so. There is no food on Earth that can live up to the kind of pedestal that people put this burger on. The fact that it's available in a small portion of the U.S. only intensifies that exclusivity, tricking people into thinking it's better than it actually is because people love identifying with local foods. 

It's kind of like how slapping "limited edition" on something will make people buy more of it. But really, the beef in this burger is thin and dry, and no amount of vegetables (why are there more veggies than meat?!) or "animal style" is going to make up for that. 

When Arby's added a burger to its menu a couple years ago, it was the first time the chain offered a burger. But therein lies the big problem: the kitchens aren't set up for making burgers. There's no griddle, so the beef is precooked, then reheated with a quick dip in the deep fryer. That makes for a very unusual, compact, and rubbery texture, plus a pretty steep price tag. When a chain does one thing really well (roast beef), always avoid the outlier (weird burger). 

We know White Castle has a cult following, but we'll never understand it. Steamed burgers are just not right, especially when the bun is steamed right along with the patties so everything is a soggy, wet mess. For the love of all things holy, brown up that meat, toast those buns, and then maybe you'd have an acceptable burger from White Castle. 

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Craving a burger? Shake Shack has you covered with a really great deal right now.

The popular fast-casual restaurant chain known for smash burgers, crinkle cut fries, and frozen custard is giving away free burgers to celebrate the end of summer. Here’s how you can get yours — and what the catch is (because there’s always a catch).

You can score a free burger or fried chicken sandwich from the chain’s limited-time BBQ menu lineup. There are four sandwiches you can get for free:

• Smoky Classic BBQ Burger with a beef patty, bacon, American cheese, pickles, crispy onions, and smoky barbecue sauce
• Carolina BBQ Burger with Fried Pickles with a beef patty, pepper jack cheese, bacon, fried pickles, and a sweet and tangy Carolina-style gold barbecue sauce
• Smoky Classic BBQ Chicken with fried chicken breast, bacon, American cheese, pickles, crispy onions, and smoky barbecue sauce
• Carolina BBQ Chicken with fried chicken breast, pepper jack cheese, bacon, fried pickles, and a sweet and tangy Carolina-style gold barbecue sauce

Of course there’s a catch, but this one’s not too bad. To get your free burger or sandwich, you have to spend $10. And honestly? That’s not difficult at Shake Shack, which isn’t exactly cheap. Grab fries and a shake, and you’re already over $10, so enjoy your free burger.

You’ll also have to use the code “SUMMER” when you order to get the freebie. But unlike many fast-food deals, you don’t have to be a member of any loyalty program in order to get it. Just use the code on the in-store kiosk or order online or through the mobile app.

BBQ burgers and chicken sandwiches are already free with this deal at Shake Shack. You have through September 1, 2025, to get yours. And you know what? The only limit is that you can only get one free burger or sandwich per order. So you can make multiple orders for free food as long as you do it before Labor Day and use the code at checkout.

If this deal doesn’t impress you, there’s plenty of other free and cheap options at fast-food chains this month. You can always score free fries at the burger giants like McDonald’s and Wendy’s, and the big pizza chains always have $7 mix-and-match deals.

Ready to splurge on the finer things in life? We've scoured the country for some of the most swoon-worthy cuisine in every state. Be forewarned: These spots aren't where you go to save money. These are the often-iconic restaurants where you'd go to celebrate a special occasion, brag to your foodie friends, or simply feel like royalty, if only for an evening. 

So where should you go to sample some of the best fine dining near you? Read on to find out.

Birmingham
Café Dupont is a rare bird among fine-dining establishments, devotees say, because it manages to be upscale without being stuffy. The AAA Four Diamond Award winner emphasizes locally sourced ingredients and has a menu that changes daily. Dishes with a Southern influence are a safe bet.

Reviewer rave: "My Favorite place when in BHM. Brock makes incredible cocktails to start things off. Menu has consist items and rotating specials. Always enjoy CD take on fried oysters to start. MS rabbit specials was amazing. Depth of flavor and texture both perfectly done." — Doug K on TripAdvisor

Anchorage
Go for the sweeping views of the water and the mountains, stay for the impeccable service and top-notch food. This AAA Four Diamond restaurant high in the Captain Cook Hotel has a small but mighty menu featuring plenty of elegantly prepared meats and local seafood. Patrons love the bananas Foster, which is flambéed tableside.

Reviewer rave: "Our table was in a corner overlooking the Anchorage skyline and harbor. We started with perfect cocktails followed by my wife’s selection of the lobster crudo and I with succulent oysters. Absolutely delicious. My wife followed with the Alaskan black cod and I with the halibut. Both were fork-tender and delicious. Then they presented our flourless chocolate desert with the plate commemorating our wedding anniversary. A very memorable meal both as to food quality and service." — Rene M on TripAdvisor

Chandler
One of only a handful of restaurants to notch five stars from Forbes and five diamonds from AAA, the Sheraton Grand Resort's Kai sets itself apart with a menu inspired by the Pima and Maricopa tribes native to the area. Patrons say particular highlights include the foie gras and buffalo tenderloin, but the real star might be the Arizona sunsets outside the large windows.

Reviewer rave: "One of my all time favourite dining experiences. This is not only fine dining but a journey into First Nations culture. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and navigated us through an educational culinary experience. A must do if in that part of Arizona." — David M on TripAdvisor

Little Rock
Elegant but understated, One Eleven at the Capital has a James Beard Award-winning chef at the helm and a shiny AAA Four Diamond Award to its credit. The menu is elevated Southern comfort food that is bound to please even picky palates. Diners recommend the scallops for dinner; at brunch, the shrimp and grits or eggs Benedict reign supreme.

Reviewer rave: "What a great restaurant inside the iconic Capitol Hotel. Great spot for people watching. Grab a cocktail or a glass of wine and visit in lobby before dining. Great menu selections with welcoming servers and staff." — Gran7 on TripAdvisor

Yountville
It's hard to say anything new about Thomas Keller's much-lauded French restaurant in Napa Valley, one of just a handful in the United States to earn the coveted three-star Michelin rating. True foodies know to expect a high price tag (right now, $390 a head for a nine-course menu), but they also need to act quickly to score one of the coveted reservations.

Reviewer rave: We've been lucky enough to dine here 4 times now. It's always incredible and the staff, which hasn't changed in years, is always happy to see us and makes each visit a very special occasion. We live in Southern California and have what I think is some of the best restaurants in the country and nothing comes close to the experience you'll have here." — lafirstm on TripAdvisor

Denver
What better place to find an epic meal in the Centennial State than one that can boast that it's Denver oldest restaurant (dating back to 1893) and has hosted the likes of Teddy Roosevelt and Sitting Bull? It's stuffed to the gills with taxidermy and Old West memorabilia, and it's also on the National Register of Historic Places. The menu features more than a few exotic items, including rattlesnake, alligator tail, a hefty selection of buffalo dishes, elk, and, of course, Rocky Mountain oysters. 

Reviewer Rave: "This was one of my favorite Denver experiences. There is a lot history at this restaurant which you get to read on the newspaper menu. The food, atmosphere, and service are top notch and impeccable! Try the Buffalo, it won’t disappoint!! Highly recommend Buckhorns!! We learned too, we dined at the table Princess Anne ate at when she visited!" — jesst445 on TripAdvisor

New Haven

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana will be celebrating its 100th anniversary next year. The old-school joint is famous for its New Haven-style coal-fired pizza and wood-paneled and leather-boothed dining space that looks and feels exactly like how you’d envision a classic pizzeria that ranks consistently as one of the best in the U.S. The original tomato pie (with or without anchovies) is the classic, but the unique white clam pizza is just as popular, topped with fresh clams, garlic, Romano cheese, oregano and olive oil. 

Reviewer rave: "I had an Italian beer called Peroni’s. It was in the Little Italy neighborhood of New Haven. I had a tough time finding a place. Nevertheless, I had the best pizza I ever tasted called the original Tomato Pie. ... It is naturally charred (not burnt). That is what is expected in a wood fire grill. I will go back again if I am in the area but I do not think I can try any other pizza there (including the White Clam). The original Tomato Pie is just so good!" — uncvcutraveller on TripAdvisor 

Related: Restaurants That Are Worth the Wait 

Lewes 
Nestled in an intimate Victorian house near Delaware Bay, Heirloom is the highly regarded venue known for its emphasis on ingredients from local farms and fishermen. It’s also home to chef Matthew Kern, who was named a James Beard semifinalist this past year and has put the restaurant and its menu on the map with dishes ranging from corn-fried Chesapeake blue catfish to pan-seared duck breast.

Reviewer Rave: “This was our third (now annual) visit to Heirloom. Because of COVID, past dining experiences have been outside. This time, we were comfortable to sit inside (and it was a good thing because it really rained the day we were there). Heirloom continues to be outstanding. We sat in the front room next to the fireplace. Even though there were others in the room, the wait staff made us felt like we were the only ones there.” — dctravel on TripAdvisor  

The menu here is worthy of two stars from Michelin, which gives the restaurant high marks for whimsy and offbeat dishes such as soy chicharrón with wakasabi (a guacamole with a dash of wasabi) and Wagyu beef topped with pearls of caviar and petals of sunflower.

Reviews rave: "The overall experience was fantastic. It was dinner and a show. The courses were not just feasts for the stomach but for the eyes. The amount of mise en place that occurred earlier in the day must have been enormous—the mushroom leaf on the monkfish, the beef consommé sphere, the shaping of the maize butterfly and so on are "involved" processes. The cooking techniques and the technical skill were at the highest level in the culinary profession." — sljperfectswing on TripAdvisor

Orlando
Be their guest, indeed. As the fine-dining restaurant at Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort, Victoria & Albert's is firmly enmeshed in the spirit of over-the-top Disney hospitality. But guests say there's nothing cartoonish about the harp music, opulent old-world decor, and comprehensive continental tasting menu at this Forbes five-star restaurant.

Reviewer rave: "This was a DINNER EXPERIENCE. We seek out memorable dining experiences. This remains one of the five top dining experiences of our lifetime. It is expensive. One knows that upfront. The setting is elegant. There is one amazing course after another, each exquisitely presented, almost like a work of art." — Toran I on TripAdvisor

Atlanta

Perched atop the Hyatt Regency, Polaris is certainly worth a spin. Not only is Polaris 22 floors up the ground (guests arrive in a glass elevator), it also rotates, making a complete turn every 45 minutes and offering a panoramic view of Atlanta. The restaurant itself looks like a flying saucer and has hosted folks like Sammy Davis Jr.  and Gladys Knight. It opened in 1967, closed during the pandemic, and reopened in December 2022.

Review rave: "This is going to be a one of a kind review and a first for me. My husband and I went to The Polaris. This place gets a SIX OUT OF FIVE STARS which I have NEVER done. I have reviewed a lot of restaurants and this one, thus far, has literally taken the cake." — Ashley H. on Yelp

Honolulu
The incomparable ocean views at La Mer, part of the Halekulani resort on Waikiki Beach, are the ultimate backdrop for what diners say is some of the best food and service in the Aloha State, if not the country. Though some vacationers grouse about having to throw on dinner jackets over their Hawaiian shirts, most agree that the fusion of tropical and French cuisine at this AAA Five Diamond and Forbes five-star winner is worth it.

Reviewer rave: "This must be one of the best restaurants in Honolulu. The service, food, ambience, and overall experience were top notch. Throughly deserving of the great reviews and comments. There is either an extensive tasting menu or a la carte from the tasting menus - it is expected that all the table do al a carte or tasting (vegetarian available as the other menu is very fish heavy), which is not unreasonable. The service is “old fashioned” but not fussy and nothing is too much trouble." —TSC8 on TripAdvisor

Coeur d'Alene
The sweeping views of Lake Coeur d'Alene are more than worth the trip to Beverly's, but this restaurant serving Northwest cuisine isn't coasting on location: It's one of the Distinguished Restaurants of North America's top spots in the United States. Try the Snake River Farms beef carpaccio while browsing the enormous wine menu, some 14,000 bottles strong.

Reviewer rave: "Spectacular views of the lake.. be sure to request a window table…. Tasty cocktails, delicious salads/fresh soup, and flavorful entrees coupled with amazing service make this A MUST treat if you are in the Coeur D’Alene area…. Pricey meal, but worth the splurge!" — massimoo1 on TripAdvisor

Chicago
Alinea has honors in spades: It's a three-star Michelin restaurant and AAA Five Diamond Award winner, and was named the most outstanding restaurant in the United States by the James Beard Foundation in 2016. Hidden behind its unassuming Lincoln Park façade are elaborate molecular gastronomy tasting courses that reviewers call inventive, artistic, and even theatrical.

Reviewer rave: "Expect excellent, professional service with carefully curated courses and (optional) wine pairings. This is food as performance art so pay attention to the descriptions and directions of the staff who will take you on a journey through haute cuisine that has both substance and whimsy." — newzhnd on TripAdvisor

Elkhart
Interestingly, one of Indiana's handful of AAA Four Diamond restaurants isn't in Indianapolis but Elkhart, a small city in the northern part of the state near South Bend. Accordingly, Artisan says you'll get "fine dining flair without the formality," and diners agree — this is the spot for an elegant new twist on Midwestern cuisine, no pretension necessary.

Reviewer rave: "The staff is completely amazing. The food is absolutely full of flavor. The menu is like nothing else around. Great atmosphere. Definitely a date night or celebratory dinner atmosphere. They grow their own herbs. You must get the pink salt with your butter! My favorite place in Elkhart, hands down." — Lanae W. on Yelp

Le Mars
Owner Bob Rand's grandfather, Archie Jackson, created Archie's in 1949. The menu boasts 10 cuts of dry-aged, hand-cut mouthwatering steaks such as Archie's Special Extra Thick, filets, rib-eyes, and porterhouses, all sourced from farms in northwest Iowa and northeast Nebraska. Rachael Ray named Archie's Waeside Café one of the best steakhouses in America, and its wine selection was a semi-finalist for a James Beard award in 2014. In 2015, Archie’s was awarded the James Beard American Classic award. 

Reviewer rave: "We go to Archies on our yearly trips to Iowa to visit family. This restaurant is a throwback to the old fashioned steakhouses of our youth! The decor and atmosphere hasn't changed for years, just the way we like it." — Kim E. on TripAdvisor 

Related: Historic Steakhouses Across America for an Old-School Indulgence

Prairie Village
This suburban Kansas City restaurant has been quietly turning heads with its contemporary American cuisine and upscale atmosphere, earning honors from Wine Spectator and The Diner's Club, among others. Reviewers say you can't miss the smoked duck empanadas, served with black beans, avocado, jicama, and barbecue sauce.

Reviewer rave: "Buried in a mall, Story was a bit difficult to locate but well worth the search. We were early before the crowd and nabbed a couple of the soft shell crabs on offer. As opposed to the inedible salad in the museum earlier in the day Story’s salad was tender and tasty. The lobster tagliatelle-house made- was delightful. Our soft shell crabs done to perfection." — r m on TripAdvisor

Louisville

Continuing a streak that started 14 years ago, Vincenzo's earned another Four Diamond Award from AAA in 2024 and was the only Louisville restaurant to be honored this year. Inside, guests find exquisite but warm and inviting dining areas where classic Italian fare like fettucini con pollo, and veal and chicken marsala and parmesan reign. Also available is a five-course champagne dinner. 

Reviewer rave:  "Great service and great food. Although we were not as dressed up as some of the patrons, the staff made us feel welcome and valued. The wait staff was attentive and helpful with recommendations. Loved the table side presentation. And both our meals were fantastic. Definitely recommend." — Rita H. on TripAdvisor 

Related: Where to Find the Best Meatballs Across America

New Orleans
Though it might be easy to overlook this AAA Four Diamond, Forbes four-star restaurant in the Windsor Court hotel, devotees say it's one of the most elegant spots to dine in New Orleans. Service is warm without being stuffy, they enthuse, and the menu is filled with elevated Southern favorites. Don't want to spend a fortune? Try the $35 weekday lunch, which pairs an entrée with three sides.

Reviewer rave: "We were spending a few days in New Orleans on a road trip across the country. A couple of days before our arrival President Macron of France visited. I found out on the internet that he had a meal at Windsor Court. So one day we happened to walk by and stopped in for lunch. I didn't keep notes on our order, but we greatly appreciated the meal and highly recommend The Grill Room." — ShortStack12 on TripAdvisor

Kennebunk
Don't let the barn fool you: This restaurant has an AAA Five Diamond Award and five stars from Forbes. It offers fresh, seasonally inspired fare on a prix fixe menu that's fine enough to please any gourmet. The view out the floor-to-ceiling windows changes with the seasons — expect lush gardens in warmer months, while the winter can bring a fresh coating of snow and twinkling holiday lights.

Reviewer rave: "We are global travelers, and it is no exaggeration to say that for us this was probably the most memorable and delicious meal that we can remember in a very long time, perhaps ever. In addition to the incredible food, the table service was superb and there was gentle, unintrusive music including caroling and a pianist in the background. We look forward to returning to the restaurant in the future and feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to experience (Chef) Mathew Woolf's extraordinary talent." — Freedom63461765421 on TripAdvisor

Baltimore
You know you're in good hands at Charleston, where chef Cindy Wolf is an nine-time James Beard Award finalist. This Inner Harbor restaurant is a staple on "best of Baltimore" lists, and for good reason, diners say. The prix fixe menu combines elegant French technique with Low Country comfort food: think cornmeal-fried oysters or creamy shrimp and grits.

Reviewer rave: "We had a very pleasant experience dining at Charleston in Baltimore. The service was very attentive from arrival to departure, including valet parking. The 3,4 or 5 course menu is interesting with a variety of choices. Ours included a delicious bison, halibut, squab, and other plates. The chef came and talked with us and gave us a delicious “loose pudding” dessert. We recommend this restaurant for a classy, delicious meal in a great atmosphere." — Navigate14853661162 on TripAdvisor

Boston

If you can get past the irreverent name, you'll find a decidedly fine-dining experience waiting at Mooo in Boston's XV Beacon hotel. Though pricey in typical steakhouse fashion ($60 for a 8-ounce filet mignon), Fodor's Travel Guide notes that "portions are as exaggerated as the prices." Reviewers recommend the Wagyu dumplings to start, beef Wellington for an entrée, and bananas foster to cap a decadent meal. 

Reviewer rave: "This exquisite steakhouse was within our hotel, XV Beacon, and was one of the most delightful dining experiences we have ever had. A knowledgeable staff and attentive service, PLUS incredible food! Don't miss this delicious dining adventure!"  — Z9150RXrebeccag on TripAdvisor

Gaylord 
It doesn't have the floor-to-ceiling windows or white tablecloths of some of the elegant, urban restaurants on this list — in fact, walking in you may feel like you're at camp, especially if you stick to the simpler pub fare. But start with the filet mignon sliders at Bennethum’s Northern Inn, reviewers say, and you'll begin to understand the appeal. The perch and Austrian jaeger schnitzel won't let you down either, and the “impeccable” service and big portions will impress.

Reviewer rave: "We were a group of 14 and this restaurant blew me away. I am from Chicago and didn’t know what to expect while trying to find a nice restaurant in Gaylord, Michigan. The service was amazing and everything we ordered was A grade, from vegetarian to the wagyu American steak. The dessert was phenomenal! We have been going on a golf trip for 17 years and we felt this was hands down the best restaurant we have been to in all of our years on this trip." — Passenger355936418 on TripAdvisor

Minneapolis
Zagat calls Manny's "a steak man's steakhouse," and indeed it has snagged a spot on Men's Journal's list of the world's 10 best steakhouses. Try the 50-ounce "Bludgeon of Beef" ($160) for a real exercise in gastrointestinal endurance. You also don't want to miss the hash browns here — reviewers say they are anything but humble.

Reviewer Rave: "Truly a top tier steakhouse experience. Manny's has a great vibe to it and the service we had was phenomenal. While not cheap (classic steakhouse prices) the food was worth it, was really nice having the meat cart brought to us before we ordered to scope the options! Another plus was the pour's of the drinks were huge! Highly recommend if you're looking for fine dining in the heart of Minny." — bencA7950NN on TripAdvisor

Biloxi
Stepping past the ivy-covered walls and into the brick courtyard at Mary Mahoney's makes diners feel like they've found a secret gem, but this historic seafood and steak restaurant is deservedly well known. Built in the 1700s, some rooms feature cracked plaster and exposed brick, while others have crystal chandeliers and fine art.

Reviewer rave: The restaurant is really quaint with tables set up in small rooms. Each room has its own old world charm. We sat in the room with a nice fireplace. More importantly, the food is heavenly! We've had multiple menu items and each one was delicious and prepared perfectly. It is a bit pricey, but so worth it!" —  Cape-Deb on TripAdvisor 

Related: The Best Seafood Restaurant in Every State

St. James 
The unassuming white house gives diners little idea what to expect inside Sybill’s, from the stunning, chocolate interiors (though the wraparound porch is an equally appealing option) to a menu that ranges from homemade shaved potato chips to a chicken and prosciutto tortellini or filet mignon with an almost impossible choice of toppers: sautéed mushrooms, shaved fried onions, blue cheese crumbles, stuffed shrimp, or lobster tail. If the chicken liver entree reappears during your visit, reviewers say not to miss out.

Reviewer rave: "The facility is magnificent. The servers were friendly and attentive. The food was excellent. I had the cashew chicken which was great and generous. It is a special that is only available two days a week. A meal always feels more special with white tablecloths and napkins. We live an hour away, but are already planning bringing guests with us next time." — Rick B on TripAdvisor

Big Sky Canyon Village
Wild Caddis is everything you'd want from a fine-dining experience in Montana: rustic but refined, with a menu that focuses on local proteins such as elk, bison, and trout. Also stars here: The wine list, which has earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, and the incomparable view of the Gallatin River and mountains beyond.

Reviewer rave: "PHENOMENAL FOOD AND AMAZING DINNER SERVICE!!! Thank you for the hospitality. We will absolutely be back. Although it was shoulder season, all of the staff took care of us as if it were peak. Chef Tony and our server Cisco were especially amazing and accommodating for my dietary restrictions. Loved the beautiful location, the great food and wine and the wonderful evening overall." — recklessmind on TripAdvisor

Omaha
Tucked away in Omaha's brick Old Market district, V. Mertz has all the ambiance of a romantic hidden gem, even though its reputation for fine contemporary American cuisine is well known. Diners recommend splurging on the wagyu beef, and the cheese plate also gets plenty of raves. The surrounding area is perfect for an after-dinner stroll.

Reviewer rave: "This restaurant is located in the lowest level of the Passageway Gallery, making it intimate with amazing ambiance to start with. The food was the best we’ve had in Omaha, and the steak was sublime. Excellent staff. Of all the restaurants we tried in the area, this was the best!" — janiewoods on TripAdvisor 

Las Vegas
In a city where the most gorgeous restaurants can have a theme-park feel, Joël Robuchon's AAA Five Diamond eatery at the MGM Grand is sumptuous but never gimmicky. The dazzling, dramatically purple space features marble floors, plush banquettes, crystal chandeliers, modern art and towering mirrors that complement the artfully over-the-top French cuisine.

Reviewer rave: "This is literally off the scale. No words can describe this experience. The food is amazing as you will see from the pictures. I did the wine pairing and the wife decided to choose a bottle as she can't keep up!!! The staff cannot do enough for you either. ... You HAVE to experience this, even if it is just once. We are lucky enough to have been 4 times and it has always been an unreal experience." — ChrisGower1975 on TripAdvisor

Bedford
This AAA Four Diamond restaurant is actually made up of seven gorgeous dining rooms — some intimate, some larger. What they have in common: Modern New England cuisine, with ingredients sourced whenever possible from local suppliers. The ocean-to-table menu is a safe bet, as is the cheese selection, served with local honey. Looking for something more laid back? The inn also hosts the clubby-feeling Tavern Pub.

Reviewer rave: "Outstanding and a nice, quieter venue for any special occasion or romantic celebration! The food and service are always beyond expectation and a very good wine list completes the experience. It's nice to be able to dress up for a special occasion and the staff and smaller dining rooms make it extra special." — Mark B on TripAdvisor

Red Bank
With accolades from AAA, The New York Times, Zagat, Gayot, and more, Restaurant Nicholas by chef Nicholas Harary and his wife, Melissa, made good on a promise to "redefine modern fine dining absent of the big city." Then they pivoted to Barrel & Roost, going from white tablecloths to the feel of a modern farmhouse with a new menu of made-from-scratch food, including bourbon-braised suckling pig and a butter-poached Nova Scotia lobster pot pie.

Reviewer rave: "We avoided going here for years because we perceived it as pretentious and probably overrated. We went last night for a special occasion, and found it to be a restaurant with high quality, imaginative, and perfectly designed and prepared food, with professional service, and with very nice decor. Evidently, it has undergone a transition, with prices much closer to normal than we expected. Looking forward to another visit soon." — AFamilyAdventurer on TripAdvisor

Santa Fe
It's hard to do any better than the ambiance at Geronimo, in an adobe house built in the 1750s complete with kiva fireplaces and wooden beams. But reviewers say there's much more to dining here than the surroundings, and the restaurant's globally inspired menu, awarded with four stars from Forbes and four diamonds from AAA, bears that out.

Reviewer rave: "Expensive but worth the price. Service was great and food was great. I had the elk tenderloin, which was suggested, and was great. My wife had sea bass, Also great. Friend had lamb. Homemade bread is a must." — T W on TripAdvisor

New York City
It's no small feat to stand out in New York City's crowded fine-dining scene, but Eleven Madison Park manages it. This elegant three-star Michelin restaurant is regularly lauded as one of the world's best spots to dine, even with a $365-per-person price for a nine- to 10-course contemporary tasting menu.

Reviewer rave: "This restaurant is top-notch! The service was not just attentive but also personable, making it a really enjoyable experience. The food was not only delicious (12 courses) but also beautifully presented. What sets it apart is the interactive element – special table presentations, personalizing flavors, and even assisting in the cooking process. Sure, I miss the foie gras and caviar, but it's still among the best culinary experiences in the country. Definitely worth a special journey." — X3984EJtinat on TripAdvisor

Cary
This fine-dining stalwart at the Umstead Hotel and Spa is an AAA Five Diamond winner, and it's received Forbes' coveted five-star rating. Patrons can choose from three- or four-course prix fixe menus, or go all out with the artful chef's tasting menu. Despite the high-brow feel and haute seasonal American cuisine, diners say the service manages to be friendly instead of stuffy. Brunch here also gets high praise.

Reviewer rave: "So nice to be able to enjoy a restaurant with great, creative food choices, excellent, well trained & friendly service in a quiet relaxed atmosphere with nice background music. A change from most restaurants with untrained servers in a noisy atmosphere. We enjoyed a nice leisurely lunch for a special occasion but plan on visiting more frequently." — highmodulus on TripAdvisor

Fargo
Mezzaluna, in a historic downtown warehouse, has an eclectic, urban feel that stands out among the state's typical rustic fare. You'll find tin ceilings, exposed pipes, dripping crystal chandeliers, plush booths, billowy white curtains and a horseshoe "Alleyway Bar" serving up craft cocktails to go with the new American dishes.

Reviewer rave: "We had a reservation and they seated us immediately upon arrival. The staff was stellar, very attentive, quick and efficient service. Food was very good. We had the scallop appetizer and duck and salmon entrees. The chocolate flourless cake was awesome too. Full bar, mock tails, good beer and wine selection. Loved the atmosphere!" — Karen K on TripAdvisor

Cleveland

This modern Mexican restaurant is loved for its revisionist takes on Latin food, such as chocoyotes (herb ricotta masa dumplings) and six different kinds of guacamole, including one with pineapple and another with smoked trout.

Reviewer rave: "The food was fabulous. Started with black pepper pecorino guacamole, tomatillo salsa and chips. Guac had a hint of agave --- unexpected yet pleasant. Chips were light and crispy. Salsa was nice accompanyment. They do have a guacamole trio combination and we saw many coming out of the kitchen. Would be a bit too much for only two people but more than satisfying for 2-3 couples!" — AuntSM on TripAdvisor

Tulsa
For three decades, Polo Grill has been among the best that Oklahoma has to offer, and it has numerous AAA Four Diamond and Wine Spectator awards to prove it. Longtime patrons love the old-school atmosphere, which they say is elegant but unpretentious. The menu changes seasonally, but diners rave about the steaks and lobster bisque.

Reviewer rave: "First rate dining! I met a local friend for dinner who suggested this place. The service, food and decor did not disappoint! I had a bone in filet that absolutely melted in my mouth! If I lived in Tulsa, it would be a goto place of mine as well as my friend!" — PrpleAce on TripAdvisor

Newberg
Tucked away in a charming Victorian home in Oregon's wine country, this AAA Four Diamond and Forbes four-star restaurant is a picture-perfect spot for an intimate, romantic meal. The tasting menu changes seasonally, focusing on ingredients that can be sourced from local farmers. If you really want to go all out, stay in the adjacent guest cottage and take a cooking class, too.

Reviewer rave: "I love good food and also wines. Going with a vegetarian friend to dinner last Saturday, we found the Painted Lady a perfect place after a very full day of wine tasting. ... The wine pairings were the best I have had in a half century of dining out." — Dian C on TripAdvisor

Pottstown 
Janet and Martin Gagné operate La Maison as “Martin's Kitchen” — a quaint, little restaurant on the first floor of their 300-year-old home in a historic village, changing menus weekly for the freshest ingredients in eight-course market-to-table Friday and Saturday dinners for $165 per person. Whatever arrives, diners rave about an experience that feels just like that time they lived in France …

Reviewer rave: "The ancient home, the best of classic and creative French cuisine, and chef Martin and host Janet made us feel at home in their home! We were seated where we could see Martin (much awarded, traveled chef) work his magic as we enjoyed a red bean soup with scallops, rillettes that somehow married duck and pork and layers of flavor to smear on gorgeous crusty bread, a salad of the season with the sweetest yellow beets, the thinnest asparagus, the tenderest greens … could I please have this as my last meal." — Jenni K on TripAdvisor

Watch Hill
Forced to choose menu highlights at this Forbes five-star restaurant at Ocean House in Watch Hill, a reviewer from Rhode Island Monthly could only write, "Everything. Everything. Everything." Offering a seasonal menu sourced mostly from local farms, Coast offers a four-course prix fixe menu that changes daily. True foodies can also visit Ocean House's Center for Wine and Culinary Arts for wine or cooking classes.

Reviewer rave: "The menu has something for every palette. The food was presented in a very caring manner so the guest could visibly take in the beauty of the plate prior to eating the delicious offerings. I put in Old World Charm as you can see and feel the expected etiquette of dining from the wait staff, to the hosts and so on--all very warm, friendly and so professional." — MGHTravel on TripAdvisor

Charleston
It doesn't get any more charming than a restaurant housed in the old carriage house of a resplendent Charleston mansion. So it goes without saying that Circa 1886, awarded four diamonds by the AAA and four stars from Forbes, has romance and atmosphere in spades. Patrons say the food is delicious enough to match its surroundings, though. Diners can choose from a traditional menu of Low Country favorites with a modern spin, or opt for a five-course tasting menu.

Reviewer rave: "Circa is the best restaurant in Charleston. The ambiance is charming and romantic. The food is top notch, every course is beautifully plated like a piece of artwork and the flavors are exquisite. I highly recommend going here, especially for date nights and special occasions." — Rachael_family_7 at TripAdvisor 

Sioux Falls
Though now a nine-location chain, the original Minerva's in Sioux Falls still knows how to make its longtime patrons feel special, reviewers say. The menu is packed full of crowd-pleasing steaks and seafood dishes, and the impressive wine list has something for everyone. A reviewer favorite? The roasted half duck, served with wild rice, asparagus, and either orange brandy or lingonberry sauce.

Reviewer rave: "We had a great meal. Best jumbo ( really huge ) shrimps pasta in a delicate sauce. Really special. The chicken pasta was also really good. And as a finale we had a grand Tiramisu. Service is the best." — DafnaG on TripAdvisor

Walland
Yes, you'll really be dining in a turn-of-the-century barn, and no, there is definitely nothing low class about it. The Barn at Blackberry Farm is a James Beard Award-winning restaurant that can satisfy even the toughest fine-dining critic with locally sourced "Foothills Cuisine" and a staggering 9,000-selection wine cellar. Not a wine drinker? There are more than 300 kinds of whisky and brandy to choose from. Note that guests at the Blackberry Farm resort are given first crack at reservations.

Reviewer rave: "What a wonderful place in any possible aspect. The place by itself is worth a trip. The service is at the top of the game. And the food ... stunning. And not only once. Every evening we spent here. Absolutely out of the normal and highly memorable. As the menu is changing every night it is difficult to recommend a dish. But everything we tried was truly exceptional." — RBB242 on TripAdvisor

Dallas

Fearing's at the Ritz-Carlton is headed up by Dean Fearing, who's also known as the father of Southwestern cuisine. He had 20 years of experience under his apron before opening Fearing's in 2007, drawing on some of his grandmother's recipes. Fearing's keeps Texas tastes and sensibilities front at center with a huge selection Texas-made wines and dishes like his tortilla soup, buffalo tenderloin, and mesquite-fired Wagyu steaks.    

Review rave: "Dined here for dinner in late December 2023. The meal was excellent. The aguachile for an appetizer and the buffalo and antelope for entrees were particular standouts. The bread service is also exceptional and plentiful. The service was efficient and professional and despite multiple, different servers attending to our table, nothing was mixed up. The wine list is solid, and the sommelier was spot-on in suggesting a Greek wine we were unfamiliar with, but paired perfectly with our entrees." — 992devinw on TripAdvisor

Park City
A robust lineup of local musicians makes for a lively scene at Riverhorse on Main, a AAA Four Diamond, Forbes four-star restaurant in the heart of this ski town. The atmosphere is upscale but casual, reviewers say, making this a great option for foodies who don't necessarily want to wear a jacket or wade through a tasting menu. A must-try, according to reviewers: the macadamia nut-crusted Alaskan halibut, served with tender-stem broccoli, herb-whipped potatoes and mango.

Reviewer rave: "The most exquisite meal. We sat by the window looking out on Main Street (perfect to the start of a milestone birthday celebration for my husband). The food and service puts Riverhorse a cut above anything else you can find in Park City. We went meat heavy as that is clearly a feature of the menu. ... Our only regret, no room for dessert, though the cupcake to celebrate they provided was insanely good." — worktotravel14 on TripAdvisor

Waterbury
Housed in an old converted grist mill next to a dazzling waterfall, Hen of the Wood has plenty of New England ambiance. But the locally sourced food and attentive service match the atmosphere, reviewers say. Diners particularly recommend the hanger steak, but patrons should expect frequent menu changes at this popular farm-to-table spot.

Reviewer rave: "I does't get much better. Dinner experience of the year. The menu, the food, the service, the atmosphere. Hen of the Wood fires on all cylinders. This is fine dining. The portions are fair. I encourage an appetizer, an entree, and dessert and you will not go home hungry, nor disappointed. Take your time, don't be in a hurry. Taste the food. Relax. The prices are fair for all the qualities that make fine dining, what fine dining should be.." — PauHan on TripAdvisor

Washington
Savoring a classic French meal inside the self-described "wondrous cocoon of luxury" at The Inn at Little Washington is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the palate. Tapestries, ornate curtains, flowers, gilded mirrors, and intricately painted ceilings all compete for your attention at this much-lauded restaurant, an AAA Five Diamond Award winner.

Reviewer rave: "The service is beyond compare and the waitstaff makes you feel you are the only one there. The food is imaginative fresh and pure. The ambiance is like dinner with royalty. It is my favourite place for celebrating your anniversary." — ladyjenesemimif on TripAdvisor

Seattle
Midcentury modern Canlis, an AAA Four Diamond winner, is a Seattle landmark. Go and you'll see why: Perched above Lake Union, the restaurant and its angular windows jut out dramatically. There are gorgeous views of the pines and Cascade Mountains beyond as smartly dressed diners inhale well-regarded dishes with local and Japanese influences.

Reviewer rave: "The food matches the views. If you ever were going to ask someone to marry you at a restaurant, this should be your choice. Outstanding in every way. I especially loved the soft piano music that was close to our table. The pianist even played George Winston and had a wide repertoire. You need to do this! It's magical!" — Heidi H on TripAdvisor

Shepherdstown
German food isn't the go-to cuisine at most fine-dining restaurants, so diners at the Bavarian Inn, an AAA Four Diamond winner, are in for a nice change of pace. Not in the mood for sauerkraut or wienerschnitzel? There are some contemporary American dishes on the menu, too, and brunch earns raves. Not on the menu, but an equally big draw: lovely views of the Potomac River.

Reviewer rave: "Excellent place ! Here on business and this was a treat! Excellent dining experience, staff is fantastic! Thank you for allowing us to dine so long! The restaurant is fabulous inside and out. The food was exceptional Gluten free items good selection I forgot to take a photo of the sausage sampler but it was excellent. I would definitely dine here again!" — Crystal M. on Yelp

Kohler
Contemporary American cuisine gets a European twist at the Immigrant Restaurant, a destination in its own right at Kohler's top-shelf American Club resort. Six of the AAA Four Diamond, Forbes four-star restaurant's rooms are a nod to some of Wisconsin's immigrant settlers, including the French, Dutch, and Germans. Though a five-course tasting menu is available, so are traditional à la carte choices.  

Reviewer rave: "My husband and I celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary here in the Dutch room. It was amazing! Was one of the best of not the best meal of our lives! The attention to detail was amazing. All the flavors and textures complimented each other beautifully. " — Ashley H. on Yelp

Moose
If you can tear your gaze from the splendor of the mountains right out the window, you'll appreciate that the food at the Grand Teton National Park's Jenny Lake Lodge Dining Room is a major cut above most national park fare. Of course, it's also more expensive, but at the current price (five courses for $120) this is still a relative bargain in the fine-dining world. Take note: It's open seasonally, from June to October.

Reviewer rave: "Wonderful dinner in a beautiful setting. We saw a group of deer just outside the restaurant and enjoyed having a fine dining experience in such a beautiful setting. The 5 course prix fixe menu was delicious. The bison steaks were especially delicious and everything tasted wonderful. This was definitely a highlight of our time in the National Parks. We also appreciated that there was no corkage fee for bringing in our own wine." — Katarina A on TripAdvisor

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From retail to restaurants, prices are rising, and it’s hard for customers to keep up. People are going out to eat less, or they’re choosing cheaper restaurants when they do.

That’s taken a toll on many sit-down restaurant chains, some of which have had to close. The latest casualty is the Bravo Brio Restaurants group, which filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this week. Here’s what we know, including whether any restaurants will be closing.

Bravo Brio Restaurants filed for bankruptcy protection on August 18, 2025. It’s a restaurant group that includes two Italian chains: Bravo! Italian Kitchen and Brio Italian Grille. Both serve similar Italian-inspired menus with pastas, salads, and entrees like chicken parmesan and steak with marsala sauce.

The company is hoping to spur new investment, restructure debt, and reduce operating expenses during the bankruptcy process, according to Restaurant Dive. Bravo Brio Restaurants cited weak demand, in part due to locations in shopping centers that have had less traffic, as well as rising costs of food and labor as reasons for the bankruptcy.

Court filings show that the company owes almost $2 million to Sysco, a commercial food service supplier. 

This is the second time that Bravo Brio Restaurants has filed for bankruptcy. The first time was in 2020.

At least some Bravo and Brio locations will close during the bankruptcy process. There are about 50 locations total between the two restaurants, so any closures would be a relatively large percentage of the chains.

There’s no word on how many will be closing or where, however, so your guess is as good as ours. Some locations have already closed this year in a few states, according to local reports.

It’s impossible to say at this point. Bravo Brio Restaurants is hoping to attract investors through the filing, perhaps to continue operating the chains, or perhaps to sell the company entirely. If no one is interested, there’s a good possibility that the chains could go out of business and close completely.

There’s been a number of other restaurant bankruptcies and closures over the last year. Bar Louie filed for bankruptcy in March, while Hooters, the controversial sports bar chain, filed for bankruptcy right after. Other chain restaurants including TGI Friday’s, Boston Market, and Red Lobster have all had serious money woes or closed completely.

If you’re looking to change careers or researching which industry is hot right now, you may be surprised at what you find. While some popular jobs may be experiencing a cooling labor market, there are still plenty of thriving career paths. However, you might be surprised to learn which jobs are projected to prosper.

Keep reading to learn about the top 15 in-demand jobs in 2025, according to Resume Genius.

Median annual salary: $129,480

Nursing is a field that is always looking for more people. As Baby Boomers continue to age, there will be a huge need for more nurses, especially experienced ones. The projected number of annual job openings is 29,000. You need a master’s degree to work in these specific nursing positions.

Median annual salary: $54,320

If you love being alone and don’t mind long hours on the road, becoming a truck driver could be the right career. The median annual salary might sound low, but remember don’t need a degree to work in this field. The industry is poised to need about 240,300 jobs annually in the future — a huge number.

Median annual salary: $74,680

If you’re interested in the hard math part of marketing, you can work as a market research analyst. These professionals investigate market trends to determine how a potential project or item might work.

Only a bachelor’s degree is required, and about 88,500 new jobs are expected to be added annually in the future, much higher than average industry projections.

Median annual salary: $101,280

A general or operations manager helps run a business, anything from a grocery store to a marketing firm.

Pay may vary significantly depending on your industry, company size, and years of experience. Research shows that 320,800 jobs will be added annually, much more than most careers.

Median annual salary: $61,710

Working as an education, guidance, school, or career counselor can be incredibly fulfilling. And there’s also a large amount of job security. Unfortunately, you do need a master’s degree to qualify for one of these jobs. However, the projected number of job openings is 29,100 per year.

Median annual salary: $78,880

Some research has shown a huge shortage of accountants - and the research is right. The projected number of job openings is 130,800. You only need a bachelor’s degree to work as an accountant or auditor, although having a master’s may qualify you for more positions.

Median annual salary: $130,160

While the tech market has taken a bit of a tumble lately, there is still a large demand for software developers. The best part? You only need a bachelor’s degree to earn six figures — or just an intense tech boot camp. Plus, the industry is projected to add about 125,100 jobs annually. That’s a decent amount of job security.

Median annual salary: $86,070

A registered nurse is one of the most popular types of nurses, working in a variety of healthcare settings. You only need a bachelor’s degree to work as an RN. Plus, there will be almost 195,000 jobs added annually, which means you can have your pick of jobs in the future.

Median annual salary: $99,410

If you’ve got a savvy head for business, working as a management analyst might be the right fit. The median annual salary is much higher than the national average.

About 95,000 jobs will be added annually, and you only need a bachelor’s degree to work as a management analyst.

Median annual salary: $79,590

A business operations specialist is someone who helps a business run more efficiently.

The median annual salary is $79,590, and you only need a bachelor’s degree to work as a business operations specialist. About 107,000 jobs will be added annually.

Median annual salary: $53,710

Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors are in high demand, likely because of increased mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic. You will need a master’s degree and a state license to work in this field. Fortunately, there will be about 48,900 jobs added annually.

Median annual salary: $67,650

Working as a human resources specialist can be a stable job, even in uncertain times. Plus, there will be about 86,200 jobs added each year. Another piece of good news? You only need a bachelor’s degree to get a job as a human resources specialist.

Median annual salary: $111,020

If you have experience in education, you might be interested in becoming an education administrator. There will be about 15,200 new jobs added each year. However, you likely need a master’s degree — or higher — to work in this field. You may also need previous industry experience to be hired.

Median annual salary: $59,730

If you’re interested in healthcare but don’t want to get an advanced degree, you can become a licensed practical nurse or a licensed vocational nurse. The median annual salary for both these positions is $59,730, and experts believe about 54,000 jobs will be added annually. That is impressive job growth, especially for a job that only requires between 12 and 18 months of total training.

Median annual salary: $74,620

An instructional coordinator is responsible for creating the educational materials that teachers need.

The median annual salary is higher than what most teachers receive. Experts believe that 20,100 new jobs will be added to this field annually. However, you need a master’s degree to work as an instructional coordinator.

For as much as Americans love sandwiches, this country might as well be called the United States of Bread. Practically every region has its own beloved sandwiches, and sometimes you can’t even find them beyond a particular city or neighborhood. From sweet and creamy to savory and cheesy, here are some of the best American regional sandwiches you may never have heard of.

Region: Indiana, Iowa

The pounded, breaded, and fried pork tenderloin sandwiches of Indiana and parts of Iowa are comically large, sometimes spilling over the hamburger bun — and plate! — by multiple inches on all sides. They’re often served with mustard, pickles, and onions on top. Try one at Smitty’s Tenderloins in Des Moines, where they come in queen and king sizes.

Region: Texas

Of course, barbecue rules in Texas. Order a chopped beef to get a soft hamburger bun piled high with chopped smoked brisket, a good squirt of tangy barbecue sauce, and sometimes a few pickle slices. You can get one at any restaurant with good barbecue, but Buc-ee’s version is a reliable and easy-to-find fave.

Region: Richmond

Head to the New York Delicatessen in Richmond for the original Sailor Sandwich which was first created there in 1943. It’s a messy combination of pastrami, Swiss cheese, and a split, grilled knackwurst, a chubby, garlic-filled German sausage. It’s served on toasted rye bread with a side of spicy mustard.

Region: New Orleans

This big, round, sesame seed-studded sandwich came from NOLA’s Sicilian immigrants. Head to Cochon Butcher for layers of mortadella, salami, ham, provolone, and briny chopped olive salad. The oil from the salad permeates the bread, making the sandwich even better after a couple hours.

Region: New Jersey

Before you think you know what a sloppy joe is, go order one at a diner or deli in New Jersey. Instead of Manwich, you’ll get a triple decker deli sandwich with roast beef, slaw, Russian dressing, and Swiss. It was invented at the Town Hall Delicatessen in the 1930s when the local mayor asked the chef to re-create a sandwich he had at Sloppy Joe’s bar in Havana.

Region: Chicago

This Southside Chicago sandwich has a history as fascinating as its name. It’s a hot dog bun that holds a commercially made hot tamale, covered in chili. Though we don’t know exactly how or where this sandwich got its name, we do know that Chicago’s unique hot tamales made their journey north from the Mississippi Delta with African Americans over a century ago. Try one at Fat Johnnie’s Famous Red Hots.

Region: Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Most pizzerias, delis, and restaurants in the UP all have cudighi, a local version of an Italian sausage sandwich. It’s made with pork sausage seasoned with wine, cinnamon, and garlic, but with no fennel, a typical Italian sausage ingredient. It’s cooked in patties instead of links, then placed on a roll with marinara, mozzarella, and sometimes peppers and onions.

Region: Nebraska

This little-known variation on the grilled cheese sandwich is deep fried for the ultimate crispy, melty experience. When the cheese sandwich is assembled, it’s cut into triangles, then dipped in egg batter and breading (which often includes corn flakes cereal) before getting thrown in the deep fryer. Get one at Don and Millie’s, a small fast food chain in Omaha and Lincoln.

Region: Denver

Forget bananas — this is the sandwich that Elvis actually loved. The fool’s gold loaf was a creation of the Colorado Mine Company, a now-closed restaurant that celebrities frequented in the 1970s. Elvis was one of them, and he liked the giant-sized sandwich made on a whole loaf of bread with peanut butter, a whole jar of jam, and bacon so much that he famously flew his private jet back to Colorado when he had a craving.

Region: Binghamton, NY

The Spiedie is a simple sandwich with a big following in upstate New York. A skewer of grilled, heavily marinated meat is served with a slice of bread or on a roll. That’s it: there’s no toppings or condiments here. The meat is usually chicken or pork, but you can get lamb and beef as well. Get one at Spiedie & Rib Pit in Vestal, New York.

Region: Louisville

A Hot Brown kind of skirts the laws of sandwich, considering it’s an open-faced concoction that really can’t be eaten with your hands. It starts with a couple pieces of white toast in an oven-safe dish, which are topped with roasted turkey, bacon, sliced tomato, and a hefty amount of cheesy mornay sauce before being broiled. Get one at the Brown Hotel, where it was first created in the 1920s.

Region: Los Angeles

The French dip traces its roots back to Los Angeles, where a couple different restaurants claim to have been the first to serve it. No matter its origin, it’s made with sliced roast beef on a sturdy french roll and comes with a side of au jus for dipping. Eat one at Phillipe, where you can get it made with other meats like pork or lamb.

Region: New England

There are two types of lobster rolls: Maine-style with a mayo-based lobster meat salad, and Connecticut-style, with warm lobster meat coated in melted butter. Both are delicious in their own way, and served on New England-style hot dog buns toasted on the sides. While most places outside of the East Coast serve Maine-style, it’s worth seeking out the hot buttered version.

Region: Chicago

If you’ve seen the popular show "The Bear," you are at least familiar with Italian beef sandwiches. You can get the drippy, messy sandwiches all over Chicago, piled high with shaved roast beef simmered in Italian-spiced jus. Hot giardiniera peppers are a must, as is getting your whole sandwich, bun and all, dipped in the gravy. Head to Mr. Beef for the restaurant that inspired The Bear.

Region: Florida

The Cubano, with roast pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, and mustard pressed on Cuban bread, probably originated with cigar rollers in the Tampa area in the late 1800s. Nowadays, it’s everywhere, but in Tampa, it still includes an extra layer of funky Italian salami. Try it at Columbia Restaurant in Tampa or Sanguich in Miami.

Region: Baltimore

Baltimore’s regional version of roast beef (and “its answer to barbecue”) is called pit beef. It’s top round roasted slowly over charcoal until rare, then shaved thinly to order and piled on a crusty roll with creamy horseradish sauce and perhaps onions. Get it at no-frills Pioneer Pit Beef that always has a pile of logs waiting to be turned into charcoal beside it.

Region: New England

This less well-known cousin to the lobster roll is a more economical but just as delicious option at seafood shacks around New England. Crispy fried clams are piled high into a split-top bun, and often topped with tartar sauce. Fried clam strips are sometimes used, but purists prefer fried whole clam bellies.

Region: Philadelphia

One of the most well-known regional sandwiches on this list, the Philly cheesesteak is iconic. It started back in the 1930s when Pat, a hot dog stand operator, picked up some beef for sandwiches, grilled it up with onions, and a cab driver demanded to buy one. That turned into Pat’s King of Steaks, where you can still get your steak with onions and cheese whiz 24/7.

Region: South

Pimento cheese is a Southern staple spread made with grated cheese (often sharp cheddar), diced jarred red pimento peppers, and just enough mayonnaise to hold it all together (Duke’s, please!). Spread it on two slices of bread and you’ve got a cheap lunch, even at the high-falutin’ Masters golf tournament.

Region: New Jersey

In Jersey, pork roll refers to a smoked ham product made since the 1850s and also called Taylor Ham. It’s sliced and griddled and put on a bagel or roll along with eggs and cheese for a standard quick breakfast. Try one at the White Rose Diner where you can also get pork roll in an omelet.

Region: Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh style sandwich is all thanks to Primanti’s, the local chain that’s been slinging sandwiches since 1933. Pick your meat, which gets griddled and tossed on thick-sliced Italian bread along with a mound of vinegary coleslaw and a handful of fresh french fries. It’s a handful.

Region: Massachusetts

Marshmallow Fluff dates back to 1917 Massachusetts, and probably not long after, someone thought to pair it on some white bread with peanut butter. That made perhaps what is the most American of sandwiches ever, with tons of sugar and delicious processed ingredients. If you’ve never had one, just sub your jelly for marshmallow cream next time you make a PB+J.

Region: Iowa

Imagine a ground beef sloppy joe, but take out the sloppy joe sauce. Voila, you’ve got a loose meat sandwich. It’s a specialty of Iowa, where diners like Maid-Rite serve the unwieldy sandwich with a spoon so you can eat all the beef left in your basket. Get it topped with pickles, onion, and yellow mustard, like a hamburger.

Region: Louisiana

New Orleans’ famous po’boy sandwich probably originated during the 1929 railway employees union strike. Sympathetic restaurant owners took some leftovers, stuffed them into rolls, and handed them out to the unemployed “poor boys” who were striking, hence the name. Fried shrimp or oysters are standard, as is falling-apart roast beef with gravy like the kind you get at Domilise’s Po-Boy and Bar.

Region: Chicago

This unusual sandwich came out of Puerto Rican neighborhoods of Chicago, and uses whole smashed and fried plantains (think giant tostones) in place of bread. Get one at Papa’s Cache Sabroso filled with ribeye steak, cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, and mayo.

Region: Philadelphia

If you’re over the Philly cheesesteak thing, there’s an even better local sandwich to try: Italian roast pork. It likely got its start with Italian immigrants, and it’s made with roasted sliced or shredded pork, sharp provolone cheese, and a topping of sauteed broccoli rabe or spinach. It’s all placed on a crusty Italian roll with some of the pork juices. Get one at DiNic’s at Reading Terminal Market.

Region: Southeastern Massachusetts

Chinese-American mashups have created some interesting sandwiches over the years, and the chow mein sandwich is one of them. Chinese restaurants in the Fall River area, like Mee Sum, all serve the sandwich, which was probably created a century ago as a cheap meal. Crunchy fried chow mein noodles are piled onto a soft bun and topped with thick gravy, often made with bean sprouts and pork.

Region: New York City

The chopped cheese has a cult following in areas like the Bronx and Harlem, where bodegas sell them on practically every corner. Ground beef is griddled (often by chopping up a preformed hamburger patty on the griddle) and topped with plenty of gooey American cheese. It’s all dumped on a hoagie roll with toppings and condiments like lettuce, tomato, and ketchup.

Region: Denver

Also called a Western sandwich, this creation features a Denver omelet (with ham, onions, and green peppers) between two pieces of bread. No one’s quite sure how this sandwich came about, but one theory is that it originated with the Chinese laborers building the Transcontinental Railroad in the mid-1800s. It would have been similar to egg foo yung, a dish they would have been familiar with. Nowadays, it’s not as easy to find as a Denver omelet, but it’s certainly easy to make at home.

Region: St. Louis

Delis and restaurants in St. Louis all serve the Gerber Sandwich, an open-faced creation of garlic bread topped with ham and melted Provel cheese — a processed cheese you can’t find easily outside of this region. It was created in 1973 at Ruma’s Deli and named after a customer, Dick Gerber.

Region: St. Louis

Funny enough, the St. Paul sandwich can only be found in St. Louis, not Minnesota. It was created by the city’s Chinese-American immigrants at their restaurants in the area. An egg foo yung patty made with eggs, sprouts, and often meat, is sandwiched between white bread slices with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, and pickle.

Region: Buffalo, New York

Weck is short for kummelweck, a type of German hard roll with coarse salt and caraway seeds on top. When piled with rare shaved roast beef and horseradish, it’s called a beef on weck in the Buffalo region. Head to Schwabl’s where they hand-slice the beef to order and serve it with German-style potato salad.

Region: New England

Everyone loves a great Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich, but in many parts of New England, you can get the comforting Pilgrim sandwich all year long. It’s got roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and usually gravy as well. Get a fantastic version in Boston at Mike’s City Diner.

Region: Nebraska

Though it’s more like a Hot Pocket than a sliced bread sandwich, the Runza is a Nebraska favorite. It’s made with yeasted dough baked around a simple filling of ground beef, onions, and cabbage. German, Russia, and Czech immigrants probably all had similar items that morphed into today’s runza — and the chain fast food restaurant of the same name.

Region: Virginia

Virginia is known for its country ham, which is cured and aged, leaving it dry, salty, and ready to shaved and eaten sparingly. It’s best when it’s placed on a fresh biscuit, as people do all around Virginia and other parts of the South for parties, snacks, tailgates, and fancy brunches. Sometimes it’s served with chutney, jam, or mustard, but the savory ham and pillowy biscuit are great partners as it is.

Region: South

There is nothing better than a simple tomato sandwich in the heart of summer when the tomatoes are so heavy with juice that they’re falling off the plant. It’s a Southern favorite, which is why you should always use Duke’s mayo when you make it at home with your backyard (or farmers market) tomatoes. Don’t forget to generously salt and pepper the tomatoes, and use sturdy white bread.

Not every burger joint gets to be a McDonald’s or a Burger King. For every fast-food empire that took over the world, there were plenty of chains that started strong, built a decent following, and then disappeared. Some were pioneers in their own right and introduced ideas that the bigger brands later ran with.

Here are 10 burger chains that meant something but don't exist anymore.

Even in the early days, the burger scene was oversaturated, so just having a good burger wasn’t enough to make a name for yourself. Chains had to stand out — so Red Barn decided that selling oversized burgers in barn-shaped buildings would set them apart. And for a while, it did.

The first Red Barn opened in 1961 in Springfield, Ohio, and grew to 400 locations. It was also one of the first to introduce a self-serve salad bar. But people mostly came for the Big Barney (a Big Mac competitor) and the Barnbuster (their take on the Quarter Pounder). Things started slipping in the late ‘70s when new owners took over and stopped focusing on the food.

By the late ‘80s, most Red Barns were gone. A few hung on under the name The Farm, serving the same menu, but even those eventually disappeared.

Hoosier Brothers Donald and Frank Thomas, owners of General Equipment in Indianapolis, were hired by Burger King for their flame broiler that could cook 800 burgers an hour in the 1950s.  Instead of selling their technology, they got an idea and founded their own chain — Burger Chef — in 1957.

By 1972, Burger Chef had 1,200 locations and was McDonald's biggest rival. Before McDonald’s ever dreamed up the Happy Meal, Burger Chef started marketing to kids with the Funmeal — a burger, fries, a drink, a sweet treat, and a toy. McDonald's introduced its now iconic Happy Meal six years later. 

Financial missteps caught up with the chain, and in 1982, General Foods sold 679 Burger Chef locations to Hardee’s for $44 million. Most were rebranded, while a few independent Burger Chefs held on for a while. The last one, in Cookeville, Tennessee, closed in 1996.

In the 1950s, Biff-Burger — short for Best in Fast Food — opened with a unique selling point: its patented "Roto-Red Broiler," which flame-broiled burgers and simultaneously toasted the buns and coated them in a 27-spice sauce. 

The chain grew fast, thanks to no-fee franchises and prefab Port-A-Units that could open in days. But in 1962, the Mary Carter Paint Company (which later became Resorts International) bought it, only to ditch it in 1976 to chase casino money. Stripped of support, Biff Burger crumbled, and by the mid-1980s, it was nearly extinct. The last original spot in St. Petersburg, Florida, shut down in 2021.

Carrols began in 1956 and grew when businessman Herb Slotnick expanded it into upstate New York. Carrols became known for its Club Burger and thick milkshakes, all at low prices.

By the 1970s, competition from McDonald's and Burger King made it harder to survive. Slotnick made the call to transition Carrols locations into Burger Kings rather than fight against the industry giants. By 1981, the last Carrols-branded restaurant in the U.S. had either closed or rebranded, though the company itself remains a major Burger King franchise operator today.

We won’t say that White Tower was a complete ripoff of White Castle, but let’s just say if you squinted, you might not be able to tell the difference. Opened in 1926, they didn’t exactly try to hide it — they were textbook copying what White Castle was doing. I mean, it was called White Tower, for Pete’s sake. It had white, fortress-like buildings, a similar menu, and even familiar slogans. Logically, White Castle wasn’t thrilled, and by 1934, a lawsuit forced White Tower to make some changes.

Nevertheless, White Tower did pretty well, reaching around 230 locations by the 1950s. But it couldn’t survive the bigger fast-food sharks, and by the early 2000s, the last locations had closed.

In 1957, NFL Hall of Famer Gino Marchetti, along with teammates Alan Ameche and Joe Campanella, opened Gino’s Hamburgers in Dundalk, Maryland, where their sirloin steak burgers quickly made them a Mid-Atlantic favorite, famous for the Gino Giant, its answer to the Big Mac, and a franchise deal with Kentucky Fried Chicken — it was one of the few burger joints to also serve KFC.

Gino’s grew fast, acquiring Tops Drive Inn in 1967 and peaking at 359 locations. However, expansion outside its home turf flopped, and by 1982, Marriott bought out the chain, converting most locations to Roy Rogers. The last original Gino’s shut down in 1986, though a short-lived revival in 2010 under Gino’s Burgers and Chicken saw a few locations pop up before fading out once again.

In 1956, Harold and Helen Kite opened Burger Queen in Winter Haven, Florida, with a buzzing mascot — Queenie Bee, a giant cartoon bee representing the brand. In 1961, Louisville-based partners helped the chain expand to over 100 locations across Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. Then, in 1981, Burger Queen changed its name to Druther’s, and in place of the buzzing Queenie Bee came Andy Dandytale, who appeared on meal boxes and in TV ads.

At its peak, Druther’s had 171 locations in the U.S. and even franchises in England, Canada, Taiwan, and the UAE. But, competition was tough, and by 1990, the company struck a deal to convert most of its restaurants into Dairy Queens. By 1991, Druther’s had all but disappeared — except for one last location in Campbellsville, Kentucky, which still operates today, serving burgers, fried chicken, and a dose of nostalgia.

Wetson’s was New York’s answer to McDonald’s before McDonald’s even had a serious foothold in the area. Founded in 1959 by brothers Herb and Errol Wetanson, the chain quickly became known for its 15-cent burgers, 10-cent fries, and a slogan that echoed McDonald’ s — "Look for the big W."

Wetson’s had around 70 locations in the greater New York area, particularly in Long Island and Brooklyn. They had their own version of the Big Mac, called Big W,  and it had a strong local following.

However, McDonald's did way better, as did Burger King, and when the two chains expanded aggressively into the Northeast in the 1970s, Wetson’s couldn’t keep up.

By 1975, it was sold to Nathan’s Famous, which converted or closed most of its locations, marking the end of Wetson’s as a standalone burger brand.

By now, it’s clear that in the early days of fast food, brothers loved opening burger joints. Yankee Doodle Dandy was no exception. Chris and Bill Proyce launched the chain in December 1966 in Bensenville, Illinois, and went all-in on the patriotic theme. We’re talking red, white, and blue everywhere, plus a slogan that sounded straight out of a Fourth of July parade: "Come On Down Where The Good Times Are! Yankee Doodle Dandy! The menu didn’t stray far from American comfort food — burgers, club sandwiches, chicken tenders, and grilled cheese. Their TV ads even featured a woman dressed as Betsy Ross because, apparently, nothing says eat here like Revolutionary War cosplay.

By 1976, Yankee Doodle Dandy had 27 locations, but in the early ‘80s, the Proyce brothers decided to pivot to casual dining. Some locations became Bailey’s Restaurant & Bar, while the rest closed.

Back in 1938, William Singer opened Royal Castle in Miami, Florida, with a simple idea — small, square burgers cooked fresh and served fast. Sound familiar? Yeah, it had more than a little in common with White Castle, but Royal Castle put its own spin on things. The chain became known for its birch beer and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Royal Castle did well and expanded to over 200 locations across Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Ohio. But again, McDonald's and Burger King were taking over in the 1970s, and Royal Castle struggled to keep up. In 1969, it was bought out by Performance Systems, but the money problems didn’t stop. By 1975, the company was done — except for one surviving location in Miami, which still serves its classic menu today.

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Whether it’s because you love it the most, it’s the only place open, or it’s the closest place to your house, you’ve ended up at Burger King for breakfast. What should you get this morning? (Not iced coffee, that’s for sure.)

I rolled through my local Burger King — before 10:30 a.m., of course — and grabbed one of every sandwich, plus the two burritos. Here are eight of the most popular breakfast options at Burger King, ranked from best to worst.

$4.19

If you were to compare Burger King’s frozen eggs to the fresh eggs McDonald’s uses for its McMuffins, the King is miles behind. However, these eggs are actually a whole lot better than the frozen eggs McDonald’s uses for its non-McMuffin items. That lands BK's eggs somewhere in the upper tier of frozen fast-food eggs.

The biscuit holds together well without crumbling, and sausage is the best of the breakfast meats that BK has on offer. Bottom line: We sort of have the A-Team here.

$2.19

At less than half the price of the big burrito, this is the Burger King breakfast burrito you want to choose. It also comes with sausage, which is a lot better than the bacon available (you’ll hear all about that pretty soon), and a crispy hash brown.

$4.19

I don’t mind Burger King’s ham, but if you’re expecting a Canadian bacon patty like other chains might serve, think again. These breakfast sandwiches just come with a single piece of lunch meat-style ham. It’s honestly hard to taste, and gets lost in the egg, cheese, and either the biscuit or the croissant. That said, it’s not bad, and it’s far better than the bacon.

$4.19

I am not a person who likes breakfast sandwiches on croissants. They are usually too sweet and too flaky to make a good sandwich bread, in my oh-so humble opinion. This one is nowhere near the flakiness of a real croissant, and is more like a spongy bun. The sweetness is there, (probably too much), and at the end the croissant is the vast majority of what you can taste.

$4.19

We’ve got the same problems here as we do for the sausage Croissan’wich, but because the ham is so thin and slight, it’s lost immediately in the sea of eggs, cheese, and croissant-bun-roll-hybrid. If you’re getting one of the meats on the Croissan’wich, make it the sausage patty so you can at least taste the thing.

$4.19

Here’s the thing about Burger King’s bacon: I hate it. It’s extremely chewy, extremely fatty, and salted into oblivion. The sweet, Flubber-esque croissant bread helps to balance it out, and in this form, it’s the most tolerable.

$5.09

About double the size of the Burrito Jr., the Egg-Normous burrito comes in a much larger tortilla and is stuffed with bacon. That bacon is a plague, man. I’d rather get the smaller burrito with sausage any time. Or, if I’m extra hungry, two small burritos — which would still be cheaper than this thing.

$4.19

The biscuit provides the least room for the bacon to hide, landing this sandwich at the bottom of our list. I can really taste the bacon here. Perhaps there is an audience out there for Burger King’s bacon; perhaps it’s the same people who like country ham. I don’t know. I just know it’s not me.

Also, if I may: Look at this thing. Who made this? Extremely bad job assembling this sandwich. Come on. I know you’ve got a better one in you.

Remember when value meals really felt like a value? It’s definitely been a while. Fast-food prices have continued to rise, turning what was once a cheap option into a meal priced the same as a sit down restaurant.

McDonald’s has decided to turn back the clock on some prices in order to win back customers. The cost of value meals will come down soon, so you’ll be able to get a Big Mac combo without completely emptying your wallet. Here’s what the Golden Arches is lowering prices on, and when.

People don’t see giant fast-food chains like McDonald’s as a good value anymore. As prices have risen, the food — which has always seemed less than high quality — has largely stayed the same.

While many McDonald’s customers utilize the various offers and deals when they order, about half of customers just pull up, look at the combo meal prices, scoff, and leave, said McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski earlier this month. So it’s those regular menu prices that the chain is going to focus on lowering to win customers back.

McDonald’s will lower the price of eight combo meals (you know, the ones you order by number and come with an entree, fries, and a drink). You can bet that includes meals like the Quarter Pounder with cheese combo or the McCrispy combo.

How much will the price go down? That’s a little tricky. The combo meals will only cost 15% less than if you ordered all the items in the meal separately. But hey, if you were going to order all those items anyway, at least it’ll cost you less.

What sounds more promising, though, are two new meal deals: $5 breakfast meal deals and $8 Big Mac and McNugget Extra Value Meal combos.

Don’t head over to McDonald’s just yet. While an exact date hasn't been released, we know that these new prices and combo meals will start sometime in September. It’s supposed to continue through the start of 2026, so don’t get too used to the lower prices.

McDonald’s restaurants are franchised, and each individual owner can set their own prices. That’s why different locations within the same area almost always have different prices. So while McDonald’s seems to have gotten buy-in from its restaurant owners, the owners could just raise the regular prices of the menu items, essentially negating the 15% off for combos. Hopefully, though, all McDonald’s locations will at least have the new $5 and $8 combo deals.

The declining state of manufacturing in America is a reliably hot-button political issue. Though industries such as finance and real estate have gradually grown to employ more workers than manufacturing, it’s still difficult to grasp just how many products are no longer made in the U.S. They include the Apple iPhone, which is now being made in India in addition to China. 

Apple of course isn't alone; some of the best-known U.S. companies — from apparel to automakers — have moved the bulk (or all) of their manufacturing overseas.

What could be more American looking than sunglasses that have been worn by the likes of JFK, Jack Nicholson, and Tom Cruise? The image may still be all American, but these shades aren't made in the U.S. In 1999, eye-care giant Bausch & Lomb sold the brand to Italy’s Luxottica, and the stylish shades have since been made there and in China.

Related: Competing Brands That Are Actually Owned by the Same Company

An American brand that’s survived since its founding during California’s gold rush, Levi’s is inseparable from the blue denim jeans it brought into fashion. But today most if not all of the iconic garment-maker’s products are manufactured in plants in China, Vietnam, and elsewhere around the world.

A legendary company that dates back to 1830 and supplied uniforms to Union troops in the Civil War, Woolrich can no longer boast “Made in USA.” The company known for its cozy woolen products and the distinctive red-black Buffalo Check pattern produced goods for other companies like L.L. Bean and Eddie Bauer in addition to its own line of goods. Eventually production started moving overseas to China, Vietnam, and other countries. In late 2018, the company announced the closure of its Pennsylvania plant.

Is baseball still America’s pastime when the balls used to play it aren’t even made here anymore? Rawlings was founded in St. Louis and used to manufacture baseballs in Puerto Rico, but it had already moved production to Haiti by the time it became an official Major League Baseball supplier. The balls are now produced in Costa Rica and China.

Huffy’s bicycles came with a U.S. flag emblazoned somewhere on the frame until 1999, when it was hit by financial struggles and a drop in bike prices dictated by high-volume retailers, such as Walmart. The company laid off hundreds of plant employees in Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi, as it moved manufacturing operations to Mexico and China.

The red toy wagon produced by Chicago-based Radio Flyer has been a prominent fixture of so many American childhoods since its invention in 1917. The wagon, along with other products such as scooters and tricycles, was made in a Chicago plant, until maintenance costs forced the company to move the bulk of its production to China in 2004.

The portable electric drill is an U.S. invention, first made in 1917 by Black & Decker, which was then based in a small Baltimore machine shop. Now owned by Stanley Works, the company still has roots in Baltimore and operates a few production facilities in North America. In fact, in 2020 it closed a 25-year-old plant in China and announced a $90 million outlay for manufacturing in Fort Worth, Texas, but the vast majority of its manufacturing continues to be conducted in China.

Founded in Denver, Samsonite has grown from a small retailer of travel bags into one of the world’s foremost luggage manufacturing companies. The headquarters moved to Massachusetts after a change of ownership in 2005, but the company’s main branch is now in Europe, along with a small portion of its manufacturing. Most, however, is in Asia, with at least 40% of inventory coming from the company’s factory in India.

Gillette is an iconic U.S. company known for its razors and shaving cream. Aside from its products, the Gillette name is also displayed on a stadium in Massachusetts where the New England Patriots play. But according to advertising watchdog group TINA.org, the company overhyped its connection to Beantown when its advertising spotlighted the company’s Boston headquarters. The company makes its products in several other countries, such as China, Mexico, and Brazil, the group says, and Gilette shouldn’t be implying broad “Made in USA” cred.

Once named America’s most trusted brand, Craftsman was created by Sears to market hardware products acquired from other manufacturers. The brand advertised its “Made in the USA” pedigree until 2004, when a lawsuit accused Craftsman — now part of the merged Stanley Black & Decker — of misleading consumers about tools made with metal parts manufactured abroad. Today, a select few Craftsmen products labeled as industrial are still made in America, while the remainder are manufactured overseas.

Apple is one of the most recognizable U.S. companies in the world, and yet the tech giant has relied on plants in China and Taiwan for the bulk of its production. But as COVID-19 and the shutdowns associated with the virus caused supply-chain disruptions in China, Apple began producing the iPhone in India.

The decision signified a shift in strategy as the company looks for ways to reduce its dependence on China. Apple has come under fire numerous times for labor and human rights violations, including hiring underage workers. Despite its reliance on overseas manufacturing to produce the bulk of its products, Apple does produce some of its components domestically and recently announced plans to invest $500 billion over four years with U.S. suppliers. 

These iconic casual shoes have been around for more than 60 years, having got their start in Michigan. The company that claims “we invented casual” has supplemented its original humble, brushed suede-styles that have been sported by A-list celebs such as Tom Hanks and David Bowie with a rainbow of colors and finishes. It also has shifted production to countries that include China and Vietnam.

"Wrangler is enduring American freedom," according to the company's website. Despite that patriotic image, the Kontoor Brands-owned company manufactures many of its products oversease. But Wrangle hasn't strayed entirely from its generations-old past as an American company; it produces its Rooted line stateside.

Founded by entrepreneurial icon Henry Ford and closely associated with the Motor City, Ford is a quintessentially American car manufacturer. It still has some unionized plants operating domestically, but like other automakers, Ford makes none of its vehicles exclusively from American parts. The Ford Edge, for example, is made in Canada, and the Maverick and Bronco Sport are made in Mexico.

Arrow shirts have a heritage dating back to the mid-1800s with origins in Chicago and Troy, New York. Today the company highlights those roots with a line of stylish and popular shirts called Arrow USA 1851. But as with much of the apparel industry, the production isn’t in the U.S. One tag on the shirts may say Arrow USA 1851, but another tag may say the shirt was made in Cambodia, China, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, or Kenya.

A major figure in the lives of so many young girls, the all-American Barbie doll is one of the most iconic products made by multinational toy manufacturer Mattel. The company is based in Los Angeles but closed its last U.S factory in 2002, outsourcing all production to China.

Still one of the most recognizable bicycle brands, Schwinn produced and sold lightweight U.S.-made bikes from a Chicago plant until 1991, when cheap international competitors prompted the company to send its manufacturing overseas. The company has since been sold to Pacific Cycle, owned by the multinational conglomerate Dorel Industries, meaning its current China- and Taiwan-made models have little in common with classic Schwinn. In 2020, however, Detroit Bike announced plans to make a limited edition of Schwinn’s classic Collegiate cruiser stateside.

The Fender Stratocaster is an influential guitar strongly associated with several icons of American music, including Buddy Holly and Jimi Hendrix. The recognizable six-string is still popular among musicians even though many of them are now made in Mexico. U.S.-made models are still produced, but for roughly double the price.

Founded in New York in 1930, Fisher-Price has been making reliable children’s toys for nearly a century, having helped popularize the use of plastic for toymaking in the 1950s. The company’s shift to international manufacturing began in 1993, when it was acquired by Mattel, and led to a massive recall of nearly a million China-made toys in 2007, because of concerns about lead paint.

One of America’s most easily recognizable footwear companies is Converse, particularly for its long-running Chuck Taylor All-Stars. The company struggled for several decades before filing for bankruptcy repeatedly and selling to Nike, which helped the shoes enjoy a resurgence but also moved manufacturing completely from the United States to Indonesia and other Asian countries.

Donald Trump for years railed against U.S. companies for moving manufacturing facilities elsewhere, often pressuring companies such as Ford and GM to keep production stateside. But his own product lines are rarely made domestically. His “Make America Great Again” hats were, but a quick survey of his other branded merchandise reveals that much of it is produced overseas in China, Bangladesh, or Vietnam.

Chevrolet is a storied American car manufacturer founded in Detroit in 1911 that managed to overtake Ford as the nation’s bestselling car in 1929. Though its advertisements often feature patriotic music and themes, many of its most popular models, such as the Blazer and Equinox, are produced at least partially in Mexico or Canada.

The Nike swoosh is among the world’s most recognizable brand logos, bringing to mind the company’s athletic footwear and scores of endorsements by American athletes. Though founded in Oregon, the company has been making shoes in international plants since at least the 1970s, when new protective labor laws in South Korea and Taiwan drove manufacturing to less prohibitive markets in China and Vietnam. But as wages have increased in China, Nike has shifted more production to Vietnam and other Asian countries. In 2019, the company said it would spend $184 million to expand its third U.S. “Air manufacturing innovation facility." The coronavirus pandemic killed that idea.

Another toy most children in America grew up with, the Etch A Sketch was invented in France and bought by Ohio Art Co. The U.S.-based company brought the toy to international prominence and manufactured it in Ohio until 2000, when production was exported to China to save money.

Brach’s, founded in 1904, became inescapably linked with sweets such as Candy Corn and Conversation Hearts, especially around holidays. The confections were made in Chicago until 2001, when new regulations on sugar in the United States drove up the cost of production and prompted the company to move manufacturing to Mexico.

Texas-based Dell made its way to the forefront of the tech industry selling computers and related products. Unlike many competitors, it kept manufacturing facilities in the U.S. until 2010, when it closed a North Carolina plant that had received $280 million from the state. Production of Dell computers moved largely to Asia and Mexico.

G.I. Joe, the original action figure, was billed as a morally upstanding hero from various branches of the U.S. armed forces, but the Hasbro-made toy is no longer as all-American as its marketing suggests. As one of the world’s largest toy companies, Hasbro relies primarily on factories throughout Asia to produce its toys, and G.I. Joe is no exception.

Gap has come a long way since its beginnings as a San Francisco jeans and record store in 1969. Today, the global clothing company controls seven brands, including well-known American giants like Old Navy and Banana Republic. Despite its American origins, Gap produces most of its clothes in countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, and China.

Monopoly is an enduringly popular American board game invented to help players understand capitalist economics. The game originated in 1903 and was owned by Parker Bros. until 1991 when the company was acquired by Hasbro. Today, the plastic houses and hotels that go into each Monopoly box are manufactured in Ireland.

At about $115 each, American Girl dolls are expensive enough to seem to be manufactured in the United States. But despite the company’s name and original focus on aspects of American history, American Girl dolls have been manufactured in Germany since the mid-1980s, even before it was acquired by Mattel, which moved production to China.

Millions of Americans were raised on Gerber baby food, a Michigan company that today ranks as the world’s largest supplier of baby products. Now owned by the Swiss conglomerate Nestle, Gerber’s products have been manufactured overseas since its first merger with Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis in 1994. But it announced plans in 2020 for a $30 million expansion at its Fort Smith, Arkansas, plant.

Who can forget when Under Armour burst onto the scene with its string of “protect this house” commercials. But for an apparel brand so often clad in stars and bars, Under Armour has strayed from its Maryland roots to produce athletic gear in Asia, Central and South America, and Mexico.

Sardine canning became a major American industry on both coasts in the 1950s, strongly associated with historic communities such as Cannery Row in Monterey, California. The industry as a whole has been in steep decline ever since — save for some panic buying at the start of the coronavirus lockdown — forcing the nation’s final sardine cannery, the Stinson Seafood plant in Maine, to close its doors in 2010.

There seems to be no end to the greed of giant fast-food chains. Prices keep rising no matter what inflation is doing, and it's difficult to grab a "value" meal for less than $10, regardless of which fast-food chain you choose. 

How do these restaurants keep people coming back when customers feel like they're constantly being ripped off? As it turns out, there are lots of sneaky strategies that fast-food chains employ to pry as much money out of your wallet as possible. 

Once fast-food restaurants switched to digital menu boards, they could design the layouts with tricky intentions in mind. Prices are much smaller and less obvious than they used to be, in favor of large, mouthwatering photos of the food designed to make you want them. Many restaurants also dropped dollar signs from the menu boards completely, and use the old .89 or .99 pricing trick to make you think $9.89 is only $9 instead of close to $10. 

Dynamic pricing, where prices change over the course of a day (usually based on demand), may be coming to a fast-food location near you next year. Wendy's made big news recently when it announced new digital menu boards planned for 2025, which would include "testing more enhanced features like dynamic pricing." After uproar, the company walked back the statement, saying it plans to "offer discounts and value offers to our customers more easily, particularly in the slower times of day." It still sounds like a way to get people to pay more when it's busy to us. 

Have you ever done the math on your favorite value or combo meal? Chains make ordering a "number 3" really fast and easy, and you assume you're getting a better deal by bundling the items. But it's not always true, so you should do the math and see what the price would be if you purchase the same items a la carte. That's especially true if you'd prefer to have a large drink but a small fry. If you bought the large combo meal, you'd be paying for the larger drink you didn't want.

Remember when fast-food places used to give handfuls of sauces, no questions asked? Those were the days. Now, you get a predetermined amount of sauce per item, and you're usually charged per sauce if you want extras. Notable exceptions to this rule are Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A, which are still generous with the packets.

Sometimes, "standard" toppings just disappear without a word from your burger, sandwich, or taco. That means you're paying the same amount — or more — and getting less value. For example, years ago, the McDouble used to have two slices of cheese, but now it only has one. 

What's in a name? Everything, to fast food. Chains often make up item names that suggest it's something better than it is, or use names that skirt around laws. Consider this: The McRib is made from processed pork meat and is not, in fact, a slab of ribs on a bun. And many chains, including Burger King and Dairy Queen, call their ice cream soft serve, because the FDA regulates what can be labeled ice cream. 

Almost every fast-food chain has a mobile app now, and it's the only way to get the best deals most of the time. When people use the app to order, they tend to linger, instead of being rushed at a busy cash register or drive-thru. That often means they tend to spend more, despite the deals offered. 

The more confusing the menu board in the restaurant and drive-thru, the better, as far as fast-food companies are concerned. What used to be a simple list of items and categories, similar to sit-down restaurants, is now a jumble. Sometimes, the screens even change as you're looking at them. And that value menu? It's going to be off to the side or somewhere else even more hidden, so that you are more likely to order the expensive stuff that's shown more predominantly. 

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Some people assume that to make the big bucks, you need to have a master's degree — or higher. Fortunately, that's not always true. With the right bachelor's degree, you can potentially land a gig making six figures a year.

However, not every bachelor’s degree is created equal. Here are the 15 highest-paying jobs that require only a bachelor’s degree:

Working in marketing can be lucrative — especially if you work in product marketing. This is a specific type of marketing in which you are responsible for promoting your company's core products. 

The median annual salary is $159,660, the highest on this list by far. Finding a job in this field shouldn't be exceedingly difficult - there are about 411,300 available jobs in total.

As AI and machine learning continue to become increasingly essential, working in this field may be even more lucrative. Right now, you can earn a good living as a machine learning engineer, which only requires a bachelor's degree.

The median annual salary for a machine learning engineer is $140,910. Unfortunately, landing a role as a machine learning engineer can be tricky. There are currently only about 36,600 jobs in this field.

If you're interested in working in the aviation or aerospace industry, there are jobs available that don't require a master's degree. You can work as an avionics systems manager, which only requires a bachelor's degree. 

The median annual salary is $134,830. However, there aren’t too many job openings in this field, with only about 68,900 in total.

Software developers have long been known for having relatively high salaries without ever really requiring anything more advanced than a bachelor's degree. The median annual salary is $131,450.

Out of all the jobs on this list, this is the most popular with almost 2 million total jobs (1,897,100). Plus, if you attend a software bootcamp, then you may even be able to land a software developer job without a bachelor's degree in computer science.

Working in any kind of cybersecurity role can be a lucrative career — and that's true for IT security analysts. Plus, you only need a bachelor's degree to become an IT security analyst. The median annual salary is $124,910, with about 180,700 jobs available.

Working as an engineer is often a stepping stone to earning a high salary - and many of these jobs only ask that you have a bachelor's degree. If you're interested in electrical engineering, then you're on your way to a six-figure salary. The median annual income is $118,780, and there are about 287,800 total jobs in the profession.

Working as a mechanical engineer only requires a bachelor's degree. And having that degree will net you a median annual salary of $102,320, not bad at all. Plus, there are about 291,900 jobs total, which is a reasonable number.

Working as a financial advisor is similar to being in sales. While you definitely need a bachelor's degree and other licenses to work as a financial advisor, you also need to be good with people to succeed. The median annual salary is $102,140, and there are about 321,100 financial advisor jobs.

A financial analyst is an individual who knows how to analyze financial data to help businesses improve their profit margins. 

And while the title sounds incredibly prestigious, you only need to have a bachelor's degree to work as a financial analyst. Plus, the median annual salary is $101,190. There are plenty of jobs for anyone interested, with about 404,800 in total.

Project managers can work in a wide variety of fields, with a median annual salary of $100,750. You only need to have a bachelor's degree to become a project manager. Sometimes, a general degree, along with a project management certification, can be enough to land a job in this field successfully.

Also, there are a large number of jobs, 973,600 total in 2025.

User experience is an essential part of design and functionality. These jobs typically only require a bachelor's degree, but you can earn almost six-figures (the median annual salary is $95,380). There are about 222,600 jobs for UX designers, which is a healthy number.

A product designer designs physical or digital products and oversees their development. 

The median annual salary of $79,450 is not bad for a job that only needs a bachelor's degree. Unfortunately, finding a job as a product designer can be challenging. There are only about 34,000 jobs in this industry.

Working as a marketing research analyst only requires a four-year degree, and you can net a decent salary ($76,950). If you are interested in marketing, then you shouldn’t have trouble finding a gig. There are about 411,300 total jobs in this field.

Being good at sales doesn’t necessarily require any skills that you learn in school (although a degree can’t hurt). Instead, it’s all about how you can relate to people. If you’re good at reading people, then you can succeed in sales. There are about 1,681,400 sales rep jobs right now, which is the second most out of any job on this list.

The median annual salary for a sales representative is $74,100.

Being a graphic designer is all about having a good eye. And while going to the right school can help you, you also need an innate sense of creativity. The median annual salary for a graphic designer is $61,300. There’s a reasonable number of jobs in this field, with 267,200 in total.

You think your region has the best food in America? It's got nothing on the South. There's so much delicious food in the Southeastern U.S. states that it would take a lifetime to fully explore it all. 

Many people have caught on, and some of the best Southern foods have become popular and trendy all over the country in recent years. But it's never as good as the real deal. Here are just some of the Southern specialties you wish you had nearby.

Cuisine in Louisiana is just on another level, making it one of the best culinary travel destinations in the country. An historical blend of African, French, Spanish, Native American, and Caribbean traditions has made Cajun and Creole food a totally unique cuisine. New Orleans and the surrounding area is known for countless dishes, including jambalaya, beef debris po'boys, gumbo, beignets, and bread pudding, to name just a few. Everything is a celebration here, and every celebration revolves around food. 

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Barbecue is everywhere, but no one is more passionate about it or does it best like Southerners. Indigenous peoples in the area cooked over indirect fires, and the technique spread quickly. Now, there are countless regional variations within the South, from whole hog and vinegar-based sauce in eastern North Carolina to fatty smoked brisket in Texas. It's all delicious, despite the passionate bickering over which style is best. 

Pimento cheese is the ultimate party snack and simple sandwich spread. It's made by mixing shredded cheese with mayonnaise and chopped, jarred pimentos, a type of red pepper. Sharp cheddar is the typical cheese, and it must be Duke's mayo if you're going for traditional. Serve it with crackers at a party or on some white bread for a sandwich. Of course, it's also amazing on top of burgers, in grilled sandwiches, and practically anywhere else you can put it.

You won't find canned biscuits on tables in the South very often. Here they're made from scratch, and you'd be lucky if you grew up in a house where your grandma or aunty made them fresh every day. White Lily is the flour brand of choice, and it's difficult to find outside the region. 

There are various types of biscuits, too, and all kinds of ways of making them. Some get rolled and cut out, some are made with buttermilk, and some are baked in cast iron. There's drop biscuits, sweet potato biscuits, and cathead biscuits. And don't forget the greatest biscuit creation of all: biscuits and gravy.

The Nashville-style hot chicken trend peaked a number of years ago in the rest of the country, but none of it ever comes close to the original. Prince's in Nashville is credited with creating the super spicy fried chicken, and it's worth a pilgrimage for hot food lovers. In its original form, it's bone-in fried chicken coated in a cayenne-laced oil, which keeps the coating crunchy, unlike most of the "hot chicken" imposters you find on menus across the country. 

In areas outside of the South, cornbread is often sweet and cake-like. That's not what you'll find down there, though. It's a little more dense and rustic, with no (or very little) sugar in the recipe. It's often made in a hot cast iron skillet — sometimes coated with bacon fat! — so the crust is substantial and brown. In places like Texas, it's not unusual to see it with jalapenos and cheese baked in. 

Related: I Tried 8 Cornbread Mixes and This Was the Best

Thanks to the South's proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean cuisine has flourished in some parts. Florida is known for its Cuban food, and the Cubano sandwich became iconic in both Tampa and Miami. Haitian cuisine, too, is hugely popular in South Florida, and there are many restaurants and cafes serving traditional dishes like griot and ox tail stew with pikliz, a Haitian pickled vegetable relish.

Sure, every region of the U.S. has fried chicken, but it was perfected over centuries in the South, where it's an iconic dish. Interestingly, the technique of frying chicken may have originated from Scots-Irish settlers who passed it on to their African American slaves. Black culture has since fully embraced it, no matter how it began. Now it's one of the most popular restaurant dishes and home-cooked foods in the South.

The South loves its fresh peaches. Georgia, especially, has become synonymous with the peach, where the trees grow well with large, juicy fruit. That means that Southerners are adept at utilizing the bumper crop of fruit every year so nothing goes to waste. Peach cobblers and pies are the go-tos, of course, but you can also find peach salsa, pork chops with peaches, and peach jams.

There is not a holiday gathering at a Southern household where you won't find at least one pan of macaroni and cheese — especially Thanksgiving. People will find any excuse to make a batch of the cheesy goodness that everyone loves. Everyone has their own secret recipe for it, too, and you'll hear strong opinions about whether it should have eggs, a crunchy cracker topping, or American cheese, just to name a few variations. And don't even think about eating the boxed stuff.

Just like Italy and Spain are famous for their hams, the South has its own version, simply called country ham. The ham is salt cured and aged, giving it a strong salty and funky flavor similar to prosciutto, which is quite different than the spiral-sliced "city ham" you're used to on holiday tables. Country ham is served on special occasions, and often thinly sliced on fresh mini biscuits. 

There's been some controversy over where and when key lime pie was first created, but no one can deny that the Florida Keys are home to it now. It's made with key limes, a tiny fruit variety that's more fragrant than the Persian limes in your grocery store. The juice is mixed with sweetened condensed milk for a perfectly potent mixture of sweet and tart flavors.

Native Americans introduced grits, a porridge made of ground corn, to settlers centuries ago. Since then, it's become a staple food for Southerners, especially the poverty-stricken. It's often eaten for breakfast, but it can serve as a side dish for any meal. Shrimp and grits is probably the most popular way to eat it outside of the South.

Related: Hearty Southern Breakfast Recipes Y'All Should Be Fixin' To Eat

No one does casseroles better than Southerners. Mac and cheese is one example, of course, but there's dozens more. There's the typical ones you've probably heard of, like cheesy broccoli and rice, chicken spaghetti, and King Ranch casserole. But there's also a whole world of baked dishes that are almost unheard of outside the South, like pineapple casserole, poppy seed chicken, and spoonbread. You can't beat the ease and comfort of a casserole.

The peanut had a long and convoluted path to the American South. It's native to South America, and it was the Spanish that introduced the plant to West Africa. From there, enslaved Africans brought it to North America, where it thrived in the hot climate. It's been a diet staple ever since, but there's one unusual way Southerners enjoy peanuts: boiled. The nuts, which have to be fresh from the field, are boiled in their shells until they're soft, often with spices and seasonings. They're sold right on the side of the road next to the peanut farm, or from gas stations in styrofoam cups.

Collards are one of the oldest greens in the world — and, surprisingly, originated in the eastern Mediterranean. The Southern style of cooking them came from enslaved African Americans, who used the greens that they could gather along with whatever leftover bits of pork or meat they were given and stewed them together. It made for a simple but tangy and complex dish. When you eat them, don't forget to sop up the potlikker with cornbread.

Banana pudding is arguably the most iconic dessert of the South, but it probably didn't originate there. It wasn't until after the Civil War that Americans could actually get their hands on bananas reliably. That's when talk and recipes of banana pudding became more common, but it wasn't until after World War II that it was associated with the South. Southerners particularly adopted it because it's cold and refreshing in the summer heat, easy to make in big batches, simple to serve, and relatively cheap. 

Once the bumper crops of tomatoes start coming in from the garden, it's time for a Southerner's favorite tradition: tomato sandwiches. It's the best way to enjoy a fresh, ripe tomato, especially compared to the BLT, its more extravagant cousin. Slice the tomato thickly, salt and pepper it, and put it on white bread with plenty of Duke's mayo. Eat it over a sink, or else those tomato juices will make a mess. It's elegant in its simplicity.

Chick-fil-A doesn't usually stray far from its simple core menu, so when there's a new sandwich, it's a big deal. A couple of years ago, there was the spicy pimento cheese and honey-topped sandwich, and it was glorious.

Now, the ever-popular chain just dropped a new twist on its classic sandwich, and this time it's got a new bun, new toppings, and even a new sauce. Here are all the deets on what's on Chick-fil-A's new fall menu, plus other new sandwiches the chain is testing.

Of course, the one new thing everyone wants is the sandwich. The Pretzel Cheddar Club was tested last spring in North Carolina, and it clearly made waves because now we can all get it.

It's got Chick-fil-A's signature fried chicken filet (or spicy, or grilled, your choice!) on a butter-toasted pretzel bun, along with applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Plus, you get a side of new creamy Dijon mustard sauce for dipping, which sounds like a great combo with bacon, cheese, and fried chicken.

You can get the Pretzel Cheddar Club sandwich right now at Chick-fil-A. It's a limited-time offering, so it's uncertain how long it'll last. If we had to guess, we'd say it'll be around for the fall, but that's it. It's available at restaurants nationwide.

Chick-fil-A always has new flavors of lemonade and Sunjoy, the chain's name for its iced tea and lemonade mix. But this time, the restaurant is adding its flavoring to soda as well for the first time.

Cherry berry drinks are made with a cherry, blueberry, and cranberry flavored syrup. You can get it mixed into Sprite for a carbonated Shirley Temple-like drink, or into lemonade, Sunjoy, or frosted lemonade, a slushy frozen version.

Did you know that Chick-fil-A offers bagged potato chips as a side? We didn't realize it either. Now there are two new varieties, though, and they're cut into waffles just like the chain's fries — only crispier, of course. There's an original flavor Waffle Potato Chips (boring!), but there's also a Chick-fil-A sauce-flavored variety, and we're totally here for that one.

Fast food chains usually test new items in a small area before releasing them nationwide, giving us a sneak peek at what might be coming to the menu in the future.

A couple of months ago, Chick-fil-A was testing two new sandwiches. The first was the Jalapeno Ranch Club, made with your choice of chicken filet, pepperjack cheese, caramelized onion-flavored bacon, lettuce, tomato, and pickled jalapenos all on a toasted buttermilk ranch bun (!!). It was being tested in Salt Lake City.

The second was the Creamy BBQ chicken sandwich, which was tested in Jacksonville. It had your choice of chicken filet topped with creamy barbecue slaw and sweet heat pickle chips.

Will either of these test sandwiches end up on the menu? We'll have to wait and see, but we're really hoping for that buttermilk ranch bun.

Another day, another food recall — but this one’s, well, different. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration just released a safety alert to avoid some frozen shrimp because it may be radioactive. Yikes. Here’s everything you need to know about the situation, including exactly which products are affected.

Some imported frozen raw shrimp products may be contaminated with Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope, the FDA warns. The products were processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (doing business as BMS Foods), an Indonesian company.

Cs-137 is a “soft, flexible, silvery-white metal that becomes liquid near room temperature,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is a byproduct of nuclear fission from reactors and testing, but is also created for use in medical devices and gauges, including Geiger counters and radiation therapy for cancer.

Though the level of Cs-137 detected in the shrimp are low, the products “could represent a potential health concern” from consumption of the shrimp over an extended period of time and “combined with radiation that exists in the environment and from other sources such as medical procedures.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection tested shipping containers in multiple ports (Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami) and warned the FDA about possible Cs-137 contamination. Besides the shipping containers themselves, one sample of frozen breaded shrimp tested positive for Cs-137 contamination.

All containers testing positive were denied entry into the country, and the FDA is working with Indonesian authorities to determine the cause of the contamination.

An investigation by the FDA found that BMS Foods "violate[d] the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act in that it appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with Cs-137 and may pose a safety concern.”

Probably not. No shrimp that has tested positive for Cs-137 has entered the U.S. food supply, according to the FDA. However, you can never be too careful with these things, so the FDA has recommended that Walmart, the retailer of the affected frozen shrimp, recall a number of products.

Walmart did receive implicated frozen raw shrimp “imported after the date of first detection of Cs-137 by CBP, but from shipments that did not alert for Cs-137,” according to the FDA.

There are three Walmart products affected, all named Frozen Raw Ez Peel Tail-On Farm-Raised White Vannamei Shrimp and sold in 2-pound bags:

• Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
• Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
• Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027

If you have any of these products in your freezer, the FDA advises you to not eat or serve it, and throw it out. Contact Walmart for a full refund.

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The internet makes it easier than ever to try a new recipe, but let's be honest: Sometimes we just want to stick with classic foods we already know like the back of our hand. And while there are certainly more original appetizers out there, plenty of old standbys still make our taste buds sing. 

Here are several to consider serving at your next family dinner.

Is there a more enduring appetizer than deviled eggs? Whether you like them with the traditional smattering of paprika or fancied up in any number of ways, there's a reason that this classic of the '60s and '70s will simply never die.

Recipe: Nielsen Massey

French onion dip began its iconic existence in the 1950s as California Dip, promoted relentlessly by Lipton, maker of the onion soup that was the dip's star ingredient. And frankly, there's nothing else we'd rather sink our potato chips into on game day or, well, any day.

Recipe: The Pioneer Woman

Particularly popular in the South, sausage balls have been a staple on holiday tables for decades. While there are endless variations, we're a fan of the most basic, three-ingredient version: a simple mix of sausage, cheddar cheese, and Bisquick.

Recipe: South Your Mouth

There aren't a lot of appetizers with their own national holiday, but pigs in a blanket have indeed achieved that honor (mark your calendars: It's April 24). First popularized in the late '50s, this kid-friendly treat is still a favorite of many grownups, too. Count us among them.

Recipe: Pillsbury 

Ever since it was invented in New Orleans in 1899, oysters Rockefeller has been a mouth-watering staple at white-tablecloth restaurants and a reliable way to wow family and friends. Trivia for your next dinner party: The dish owes its existence to a shortage of French snails.

Recipe: What's Cooking America 

This party-platter standby has taken many forms over the years, but one of its most dubious may have been this ham and peas mashup from the late 1940s. Today's less-involved concoctions involve cream cheese, ranch dressing mix, cheddar, and green onions.

Recipe: Allrecipes

Nevermind that Swedish meatballs are actually Turkish — wherever they come from, they've been one of our favorite appetizers for decades, especially because they're so easy to make and keep warm in a slow cooker. Lingonberry jam or barbecue sauce is just a bonus.

Recipe: Pillsbury

You may know this "minor British institution" as devils on horseback, but whatever you call bacon-wrapped dates, they're the ultimate combination of savory and sweet. They're a close cousin of another famous retro appetizer, rumaki, which subs the dates for chicken liver.

Recipe: Allrecipes

Few other appetizers can claim the cult-like following of fondue, which spawned countless '70s house parties solely for the purpose of dipping and swirling hunks of bread in delectable melted cheese. Make it a full meal by serving meat fondue and chocolate fondue, too.

Recipe: Betty Crocker

Recipe: 19 Far-Out '70s Fads That Have Made a Comeback

Thought to have originated in Rhode Island, clams casino can still be found all over New England at seafood shacks, high-end Italian restaurants and steakhouses, and everything in between. The decadence of bacon, bread crumbs, and bacon make them just as tasty as they are fancy.

Recipe: Fine Cooking

If you live in the South, you've probably been slathering pimento cheese on crackers and veggies for decades. A mix of cheddar, cream cheese, mayonnaise, peppers, and seasonings, this longtime favorite actually originated in — clutch those pearls — New York.

Recipe: Once Upon a Chef 

Sure, shrimp cocktail's heyday may have long passed, but the appetizer has had such enduring popularity that we're not even sure if it qualifies as "old school." To make it as retro as possible, grab those martini glasses for a presentation that would please any '50s or '60s-era hostess.

Recipe: Bon Appetit

A throwback to the '50s, Chex Mix keeps popping up at family functions because it's simple, kid-friendly, and most of all, delicious. The internet is also home to dozens of variations, both sweet and savory, but we say you can't beat the classic version with nuts, pretzels, bagel chips, and garlic and onion powder.

Recipe: Chex 

Few recipes have quite made the leap from restaurant darling to family favorite as well as potato skins. TGI Friday's claims to have pioneered the appetizer back in the '70s, and while you can buy them pre-made in all their cheesy, bacon-studded glory in the grocery's freezer section, homemade is still best — isn't it always?

Recipe: Simply Recipes

We remember watermelon salad, made with mint, feta, and onions, showing up at practically every summer cookout. After all, it was refreshing and refreshingly easy — and it sure looked colorful on the table. Bonus points if you unearth your ancient melon baller to make it even prettier.

Recipe: Delish 

Ah, cheeseball. To know it is to love it, even if it looks a little bit different to everyone. This darling of mid-century parties is endlessly versatile, with dozens of both sweet and savory versions floating around the internet. Our favorite: A simple combination of cream cheese, dried beef, and green onions.

Recipe: Allrecipes

Practically everyone is familiar with ants on a log, or slathering celery with peanut butter and raisins in an effort to get your kid to eat something — anything — green. But long before this lunchbox staple was popular, its grownup counterpart was a popular appetizer, usually featuring a mixture of cream cheese, olives, garlic, and other seasonings.

Recipe: Allrecipes

If your time machine drops you off in the 1980s, chances are it won't take long to find a bread bowl. It might have been filled with a chowder or bisque of some kind, but for family gatherings, putting some sort of creamy spinach dip inside was an easy way to please the masses.

Recipe: Taste of Home

Liver may have fallen out of favor in recent years, but it was a mid-century staple in many homes. Impress your guests with one of the easiest, tastiest, still-impressive ways to enjoy it: paté. We just suggest steering clear of any recipes involving gelatin.

Recipe: Allrecipes

This staple of Super Bowl parties and casual family cookouts has retained its popularity since exploding onto the appetizer scene in the early '80s. And really, why not: You get to plunge your tortilla chips into layers of sour cream, refried beans, cheese, salsa, and various veggies, depending on the recipe. We think we'll keep it around for another four decades.

Recipe: McCormick

Another Southern standby, cheese straws are particularly dangerous addition to the appetizer table because it's easy to scarf down a half-dozen of them without even realizing it. Cheddar may still reign supreme as the most classic version of a classic recipe, but you can also try parmesan, blue cheese, or any other variety that strikes your fancy.

Recipe: Food and Wine 

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What’s on the menu for lunch today? Whatever your answer, chances are that it’s very different today than it would have been roughly a century ago. In the time that’s elapsed, many sandwich shops have tempted our taste buds with dishes that would go on to become legendary, and some even changed the way we get lunch — drive-thru, anyone? 

Here’s a look at some of the places that have changed what, and how, we eat.

New Haven, Connecticut

An unpretentious hole in the wall founded in 1895, Louis’ Lunch is recognized by the Library of Congress as the birthplace of the burger. It’s also one of the nation’s oldest family-run businesses, with fourth-generation owners. Loyal patrons say time has stood still inside, and the burgers are cooked on cast-iron grills dating to 1898. 

Just don’t expect traditional buns — they’re served on toast — and the only allowable garnishes are cheese, tomato, and onion so that the five-meat blend shines through.

Springfield, Missouri

What makes this retro Route 66 restaurant a game-changer isn’t necessarily its food, though the burger-joint fare certainly harkens back to a simpler time. Red’s Giant Hamburg earns a spot on this list because it changed how we grab lunch: It had the nation’s first drive-thru, which opened in 1947. 

It was quickly followed by a West Coast competitor you might have heard of: In-N-Out Burger, which opened in Southern California in 1948.

New Orleans

The muffuletta, made with a mouth-watering combination of ham, salami, provolone, onions, olives, and more, is closely associated with the Crescent City. And locals will tell you there’s one place to go to get the real deal: Central Grocery. It was there that Salvatore Lupo slapped all this together on Italian bread in 1906, in an attempt to ease the lunchtime rush for nearby market workers and farmers. 

Today's sandwich remains largely unchanged, with meat sliced and bread baked in this family-owned store.

Los Angeles

Though a rival restaurant, Cole’s, also lays claim to inventing the French Dip sandwich, most experts agree that Philippe the Original was where this iconic, au jus-slathered comfort food was born. The story goes a little something like this: In 1918, Chef Philippe was making a sandwich for a policeman when he accidentally dropped a French roll into a pan filled with juices fresh from the oven. The policeman agreed to take the soaked sandwich anyway — and returned the next day with friends, wanting more. 

Today, patrons can choose from French dips made with roast beef, pork, ham, lamb, turkey, or pastrami. Just don’t dare ask for ketchup.

Nashville

You can get hot chicken at KFC these days, but if that’s your first taste of this sinus-clearing sandwich, well, you’re only cheating yourself. For the real deal, head to Prince’s. As the story goes, Thornton Prince’s jilted lover tried to exact revenge on her man by cooking up a devilishly spicy chicken sandwich that would make him beg for mercy. But he loved it, and turned it into a full-fledged restaurant. Feeling extra spicy? Try the “XXX Hot” — if you dare.

Wiccaset, Maine

Red’s Eats didn’t invent the lobster roll — that honor goes to a restaurant named Perry’s in Milford, Connecticut, that’s no longer around — but plenty of New Englanders might say this seasonal seafood shack has perfected it, and the long lines are proof. 

Open for more than 80 years, Red’s plunks an entire lobster’s worth of meat on every roll, and is the first spot to offer lobster rolls plain (butter or mayo comes on the side here, so as not to distract from the main attraction). In an average summer, it serves a whopping 14.5 tons of lobster.

Huntington, Indiana

Chances are good you can fill any hole in a Midwesterner’s heart (or stomach) with a pork tenderloin sandwich. To find the original, head to Nick's Kitchen in the Hoosier State to chow down. Nick’s has been around since 1908, and its massive pork tenderloin has remained largely unchanged, served simply with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, mayo, and fries on the side. And if you're not up for a plate-sized slab of pork, go for the mini version.

Los Angeles

Langer’s, which opened in 1947, is famous for good reason, including delicious classics like the No. 19: Hot pastrami, cole slaw, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing on double-baked rye bread. But a more recent innovation helps cement its place in history even more. In 1990, it started offering curbside pickup for customers who wanted to order in advance, drive up, grab their food, and go. Today, curbside service is as ubiquitous as the drive-thru.

Philadelphia

In the famous battle of Pat’s versus Geno’s, the flashy rival across the street, Pat’s is the more classic choice, and it has history on its side. Founded in 1930 as a hot dog stand, it was here that Pat Olivieri himself decided to cook up some chopped meat, plunk it on an Italian roll, and top it with onions. In later years, cheese was added, officially beginning the era of the cheesesteak. Planning on making the pilgrimage? Just make sure you have your cash ready, and know how to order: “Whiz wit,” for instance, means with Cheez Whiz and onions.

New Orleans

Between the muffuletta and the po’ boy, New Orleans sure has cemented its place in the sandwich hall of fame. The po' boy, traditionally made on French bread piled with roast beef or fried seafood like shrimp or catfish, plus all the fixins’, has been around for at least a century. Parkway has been serving the concoction since at least 1929, and the restaurant and sandwich have practically become synonymous.

New York

If you want a pastrami on rye, this is the temple of all that is holy. Additionally, many consider Katz’s, established in 1888, as the best of New York’s many kosher-style delis — it’s certainly one of the oldest. Bring cash and expect a crowd, not least of which because tourists still flock here to see where Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal famously dined in “When Harry Met Sally.” The corned beef and pastrami served here can take up to a month to cure, the deli says, so you know you’re getting the real deal.

Minneapolis

If you’ve never had a Jucy Lucy, it’s time to take a trip to the Twin Cities, where this twist on a cheeseburger originated. Instead of plunking the cheese on top of the meat, the cheese is surrounded by the meat, oozing out when you bite down. Matt’s Bar lays claim to the original Jucy Lucy (yes, no “i”), which was invented shortly after the bar opened in 1954 by slapping cheese in the middle of two patties for a customer. The rest, as they say, is history, and the sandwich can be found all over, but especially in the Midwest.

St. Louis

St. Louis Bread Co. isn’t exactly some decades-old mom-and-pop sandwich shop. In fact, outside the St. Louis area, it’s better known as Panera Bread. In the mid-1990s, the small regional chain of bakeries became the framework for Panera, one of the nation’s first and most successful fast-casual chains. And though the fast-casual concept itself has changed the way we grab lunch, so has Panera’s drive to be not just a restaurant, but a gathering place — for everyone.

Atlantic City, New Jersey

The appearance of the first submarine sandwich is open to some debate, as is the name itself: Depending on where you live, you may call it a hoagie, a grinder, a hero, or something else entirely. What’s not up for debate is that Atlantic City’s White House Subs is one of the most iconic spots to grab a sub in all of the U.S. This James Beard Classic award-winner has even served the likes of Frank Sinatra and the Rolling Stones, to name just a sliver of the celebrity clientele. For the most authentic experience, dig into the No. 1 seller, the Italian.

Muscatine, Iowa

The loose-meat sandwich has been a favorite in the Midwest for nearly a century, and if you talk to a true fan of this sauceless Sloppy Joe, they’ll inevitably point you in the direction of Maid-Rite, a chain of humble sandwich shops founded in 1926 that dot Iowa, Illinois, and a few other nearby states. Though the sandwich probably originated at a tavern in Sioux City, Maid-Rite made it an institution.

Miami

“The world’s most famous Cuban restaurant” may also have one of its most famous Cuban sandwiches. Versailles, opened in 1971, can’t lay claim to the sandwich itself, which likely originated with cigar-factory workers who came to Florida from Cuba more than a century ago. But this Little Havana landmark certainly can make a case for having helped popularize the tasty concoction, a combination of pork, glazed ham, Swiss, mustard, and pickles, all pressed into mouth-watering, specially baked bread.

Cleveland

What Katz’s is to pastrami on rye, Slyman’s is to corned beef on rye: A place more than worth a pilgrimage. This mom-and-pop deli opened in 1964, quickly earning a reputation for its mountains of mouth-watering meat; the restaurant still attracts a line, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. And though you may balk a little at paying $18 for a corned beef sandwich, the heaping portion can easily feed you for a few days.

Topeka, Kansas

White Castle isn’t a small, independent restaurant, but it was when it got its start in the Sunflower State in 1921. White Castle, in fact, had a lot of firsts that changed how America lunched: It was the first fast-food burger chain, it pioneered carryout, introduced promotional coupons, and even had the first website for a quick-service restaurant starting in 1996. Whew!

Chicago

No list of history-making sandwich shops would be complete without Al’s Beef, long-standing inventor and king of the Italian beef sandwich. A street peddler named Al Ferreri opened up a humble family beef stand in Chicago’s Little Italy in 1938, and that stand morphed into an institution that has earned endless kudos for its signature sandwich. But don’t take our word for it: Just check out the endless list of awards and TV show appearances on its website.