10 Massive Restaurant Chains You Still Can’t Eat At in Owensboro

There isn't much that creates a bigger buzz in Owensboro than the opening or impending opening of a new restaurant. With all the activity on Highway 54 and at Gateway Commons, I'm never surprised when news of that type breaks. But what will the next one be?

Top 50 Restaurant Chains

RestaurantBusinessOnline.com published the nation's top 50 restaurant chains from Technomic, and it appears that Owensboro has most of the top half covered. Numbers 1 through 22 are already here, so let's take a look at the 10 highest-ranked chains that have yet to make an appearance in our fair city. And we'll start with franchises that will either never come to town or, at least, not likely to.

Carl's Jr.

The first time I saw TV ads for Carl's Jr., I was confused. Here was a restaurant with practically the same menu and appearance as Hardee's. And, of course, there's the star. Now we know that they're sister brands under the CKE Restaurants umbrella. Carl's Jr. is a West Coast/Southwest chain, while Hardee's dominates in the Midwest and Southeast. No, we won't be getting a Carl's Jr., and we don't need one.

Whataburger & In-N-Out Burger

While In-N-Out Burger is planning a move to Nashville, I'm not holding my breath that this West Coast-based chain will ever find its way to Kentucky, let alone Owensboro. The same goes for Whataburger. These regional joints are huge, yes, but they apparently have an ironclad footprint.

Golden Corral

I've lived in this town a long time, and I've noticed something. Once a restaurant chain leaves, it usually doesn't return. If there's a brand that has come back after a long absence, I can't think of it. As for Golden Corral, well...it's not like we didn't try.

Remember, the following list is simply comprised of huge national restaurant chains with no locations in Owensboro. I have no idea if any of them (the ones that can) will ever be here. Take a look.