8 Midwest chains we wish were available nationwide

Culver’s opened its first store in Sauk City, Wisconsin, in 1984.

The chain specializes in made-to-order ButterBurgers (named for their buttered and toasted buns), freshly churned frozen custard, and Wisconsin cheese curds.

The fan-favorite chain is also known for its Midwest hospitality. 

Culver’s is mainly located throughout the Midwest, but it’s also spread to states like Texas, Florida, Georgia, and Arizona. 

Portillo’s is a Chicago staple that has slowly gained national attention.

The chain specializes in Chicago-style hot dogs with mustard (never ketchup), relish, celery salt, onions, tomatoes, a whole pickle spear, and sport peppers on a poppyseed bun. It also serves up Italian-beef sandwiches, salads, pasta, and its signature Chocolate Cake Shake.

Each location is designed with a specific theme in mind — from Old Chicago to Prohibition — so every Portillo’s is decked out in eclectic, decade-specific decor. 

The chain is located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. 

Maid-Rite, which started as a single restaurant in Iowa, has been dishing out its signature loose-meat sandwiches since 1926.

You can pair your sandwich with American classics like malted shakes or cheese fries.

The chain now also has locations throughout Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio.

Graeter’s specializes in chocolate-chip-studded French-pot ice cream, a creamy dairy confection that has a denser consistency than regular ice cream.

The Ohio-based chain dates back to the late 19th century. Today, there are also shops throughout Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Pennsylvania.

Outside these states, select grocery stores, including Whole Foods, carry pints of Graeter’s ice cream in the freezer aisle. 

Runza, named after the classic Eastern European sandwich consisting of a bread pocket filled with ground beef, cabbage, and onions, started in Nebraska.

Along with a traditional flavor, the chain sells variations such as a BLT runza and a Southwest runza.

Outside Nebraska, there are Runza restaurants in Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, and Colorado.

The main attraction at Ohio-based Skyline Chili is its signature “three-way,” a plate of spaghetti piled with chili and a heaping mound of cheddar cheese. If you add onions or beans, it becomes a “four-way” (with both, it’s a “five-way”). 

The chain has been around since 1949, and it also serves cheese Coneys, which are hot dogs topped with chili and cheese.

There are Skyline Chili locations in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Florida.

If you want a roast-beef sandwich, you can’t go wrong with Lion’s Choice.

The Missouri-based chain is known for its original sandwiches and crispy fries. But you can also order pulled-pork sandwiches, hot dogs, custard concretes, and root-beer floats.  

There are locations across Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas. 

Ohio-based Max & Erma’s serves burgers as well as appetizers, salads, soups, and fresh-baked cookies you can order at the start of your meal. 

The chain is especially famous for its garbage burger, which is topped with cheese, mushrooms, onions, and marinara.

And if cookies aren’t your thing, you can take advantage of the ice-cream sundae bar that’s served out of a bathtub.

Max & Erma’s has locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan.

This story was originally published in June 2019 and most recently updated on September 18, 2024. 

Read more:

11 West Coast chains we wish would go national10 East Coast chains we wish would go nationalI ate at one of America’s best burger chains, and I hope it keeps expanding outside of the Midwest10 of the best fast-food taco chains across the US